Gerbils are viciously evil creatures (I'm pretty sure Lucifer keeps a few as pets at any given time). Watch her closely when she feeds to make sure she isn't counter-attacked.



One way to switch her over to rats is to use her sense of smell to your advantage.



The next few times that you go to the pet store (I assume that is where you are purchasing your prey items) pick out a gerbil but ask the employee to put some bedding from the rat cages into the box (or carrier) instead of gerbil bedding.



Hopefully, she will still feed on these gerbils.



Give her a few feedings using this method and then switch it up on her by purchasing a rat with gerbil bedding. Hopefully, she will take the rat. If she does then do this for a few feedings before offering her a rat without gerbil bedding. Either way, don't rush her - it may help to keep her a little hungry by only offering her food every 2-3 weeks - this way she may be more apt to accept prey that she normally doesn't prefer.



No matter what, if and when you get her to convert, never go back to the gerbils. Not even once.



Look at this as a process that takes times and needs to be approached in stages. Each stage will require patience on your part and not every stop along the way will take the same amount of time.



There are other ways to convert your ball from one species of prey to another and hopefully some other people will chime in with techniques that have worked for them.

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