I've seen many posts and ideas online and off concerning switching BPs from mice to rats. Some seem valid while others appear ridiculous such as smearing mouse brain matter on a rat (tell me how this makes a rat smell like a mouse, especially since under normal feeding circumstances the mouse's brain is not exposed and the BP would have no clue what mouse brains smell or taste like).

Here's the question: I've seen products that mask the scent of the prey being offered, lizard-maker, frog-maker, etc. Does anyone know of a rodent equivalent? e.g. Rat-maker or Mouse-maker? It would seem to me that such a product would make switching over much easier. I'm having great difficulty with one of my BPs as she was started on mice (please, I'm begging all involved in breeding to start on rats if possible...just a humble requests, not really serious I understand sometimes convience and other factors sometimes (such as personal preference) win out in the end).

So far I've tried rubbing the offered rat with mice, placing the rat in used mouse bedding, offering a small mouse followed by a rat in an attempt to play off of her feeding instinct, even mouse urine on the rat. No luck. I'm about out of ideas (but not patience). At this point I'm really not stressing out about it too much, if in the end I need to just live with her choice I'm fine with that, I have plenty of mice at my disposal.

Thank you in advance.

BTW I rarely posts but have visited this forum almost for quite some time and do have experience with herps. Just a reminder that there are many more people here than those that post, and to those of you offering intelligent advice in a polite manner it is appreciated by many more people than you see. Thank you.
-----
In the right hands patience, curiousity and willingness to learn can work miracles. In the wrong hands they are mankind's curse and nature's greatest fear.

[ Hide Replies ]

• Mouse/Rat Scent?? - brandonsander, Mon Dec 1 18:01:54 2003
• RE: Mouse/Rat Scent?? - meretseger, Mon Dec 1 19:37:04 2003
• A little off topic - triniian, Tue Dec 2 02:16:38 2003
• RE: A little off topic - RPlank, Tue Dec 2 18:09:50 2003
• Thanks... will try small rats at next feeding. n/p - triniian, Tue Dec 2 19:24:23 2003