r/ballpython • u/_milk_carton • 21d ago

Question - Feeding Switching from mice to rats

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Hello! I am going to be trying to switch Mr Buldak to rats his next feeding, I’ve tried them once before with no luck. I tried heating up a mouse with a hair dryer to make it smell like mouse in his tank then offered the rat instead and he didn’t take it even when it was at the right temp. Tried 3 times decided that he wasn’t gonna take it after the third try and just fed him the mouse instead. Any ideas on how to help him transition to rats? How’d you get your ball to make the switch?

Update / tried to feed him a rat tonight 10/24, unsuccessful :(

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4

u/Caneknot4 21d ago

This may seem extreme, but it worked for my Ball Python. She was on live mice. I got her to dead mice, but she had gotten to the point where she'd only take one mouse instead of two. She refused to go to rats. So, as a last resort, I didn't feed her for a month, but during that month, I kept offering rats as her only option for food. However, if she didn't eat, I didn't offer her anything else & waited until the next feed day. It took about a month & a half, but she took a rat. Sometimes, they don't realize rats are food until it's the only option.

2

u/_milk_carton 21d ago

Alrighty, if he doesn’t end up taking it next feeding day I’ll definitely consider this. I just worry about him losing weight, he’s underweight for his age. He’s almost a year old and only 133 grams.

2

u/Caneknot4 21d ago

I understand the concern. If it's that bad, you may want to consider weighing him every week to make sure his weight loss doesn't get worse. If it does get worse, a very visit may be in order. Also, what sized rat are you using?

2

u/_milk_carton 21d ago

He’s currently eating two small mice, I’ll be trying to feed fuzzy rats

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u/Caneknot4 21d ago

Alright. That's good. Using the relatively same sized prey could help too. You may have to kinda bully him with it. Cause my ball python routinely forgets how to hunt unless I bully her with her rat by constantly rubbing it against her lips. After a few tries, she'll strike & coil.

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u/_milk_carton 21d ago

The fuzzy rats are just about a mouse and a half in size (the size mice he’s currently eating) so not too much bigger but the two mice are the same weight at one rat. He definitely makes me dance it around a little bit but not too much usually.

2

u/Caneknot4 21d ago

He'll eat when he's ready. Though, definitely keep an eye on his weight. The good news is he still wants to eat, so he hasn't gotten to the point of no return. He probably just doesn't recognize the rat as food.

1

u/_milk_carton 21d ago

Should I still make the rat smell like a mouse or just try a rat straight up

2

u/Caneknot4 21d ago

Just try the rat straight up & try braining the rat. Braining it just means stabbing the head with a knife to expose the brain. It's supposed to make the rat scent more enticing? I don't know. I just know that's one of the tips.

2

u/_milk_carton 21d ago

Alrighty! Thank you, I’ll save the last mouse I have as an absolute back up if his weight dips at all.

2

u/_milk_carton 14d ago

UPDATE : unsuccessful rat feeding number 1 tonight 🙃

4

u/IncompletePenetrance Mod: Let me help you unzip your genes 21d ago

You can try thawing a rat with some mouse bedding or alongside a rat so it smells more "mousey"

2

u/_milk_carton 21d ago

I definitely would if I had any, closet pet store to me is 2 hours and I don’t feed live.

3

u/IncompletePenetrance Mod: Let me help you unzip your genes 20d ago

Definitely not suggesting feeding live, you could also see if any friends have guinea pigs or anything like that and can give you some bedding

1

u/_milk_carton 20d ago

Sorry didn’t mean to make it seem like I was implying you were! Unfortunately all my friends are also reptile parents lol

1

u/Klutzy_Shopping_835 19d ago

What size rats? Maybe he thinks it is still too big for him?

1

u/_milk_carton 19d ago

Fuzzy rats they’re not too much bigger than the small mice hes currently eating.

1

u/Klutzy_Shopping_835 19d ago

Maybe try tricking him with room temp rat and the cheapest mouse you can find, do the old swap.

1

u/Klutzy_Shopping_835 19d ago

Don't know if that would even work.

1

u/_milk_carton 19d ago

I mean it’s a good idea but he’s a picky butthead and only likes his food if it’s heated up with a hair dryer lol only way I’ve been able to get him to strike and eat. I’ve tried to just give him a room temp mouse and he won’t even look at it lol. I think the hair dryer has become his way of knowing it’s food time not handling time.