Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Welcome to kingsnake.com's message board system. Here you may share and discuss information with others about your favorite reptile and amphibian related topics such as care and feeding, caging requirements, permits and licenses, and more. Launched in 1997, the kingsnake.com message board system is one of the oldest and largest systems on the internet.

Click here to visit Classifieds
Click for 65% off Shipping with Reptiles 2 You
Click here to visit Classifieds

How hard to go from mouse to rat?

ginevive Aug 05, 2003 07:33 AM

How difficult is it, usually, to transfer a snake from mice to rats? My girl has eaten 2 f/t mice promptly every feeding, but she is over 2.5 feet long now. I am thinking one rat would be a lot more economical in the long run than the two mice she now gets each feeding. But I still fear that she will reject the rat. I guess only trial will tell. This Wednesday I think we'll try a rat.
-----
*~Ginevive~*

Replies (6)

longtang Aug 05, 2003 07:41 AM

>>How difficult is it, usually, to transfer a snake from mice to rats? My girl has eaten 2 f/t mice promptly every feeding, but she is over 2.5 feet long now. I am thinking one rat would be a lot more economical in the long run than the two mice she now gets each feeding. But I still fear that she will reject the rat. I guess only trial will tell. This Wednesday I think we'll try a rat.
>>-----
>>*~Ginevive~*

I am currently in the process of converting. Go to pro exotics web site's FAQ. Great article!

Here is a rat pic:

-----
Longtang. I like snakes and rats.

Kikai Aug 05, 2003 09:36 AM

I had no trouble at all. Just started giving rats one day when 2 mice at a time were getting to be a pain. I have heard that some here have had trouble. Give it a shot and see!
-----
1.1 Ball Python
0.0.1 corn snake
0.0.1 Bearded Dragon
0.0.2 fish
1.2 cats
3.1 kids
1.0 husband

Knott Aug 05, 2003 12:04 PM

I don't think there is any difference. I mean if the animals eat raw meat then it will get almost all the nutrients, and feeding the whole animals, the snake will get all the nutrients. When we cook meat it destroy a lot of the vitamins.

TomChambers Aug 05, 2003 06:22 PM

I think its snake dependant.
I have some that never missed a beat, and one that refused to eat for 5 months. Then I gave in and it took a mouse in a split second. I Know I shouldn't have given in, but it was under a year old and pounding mice, then nothing for 5 months with rats.
reiteration: snake dependant
TomChambers

ProtaZoey Aug 06, 2003 11:06 PM

Strangely enough, I have a ball that is about the same length as you describe and she WAS taking RUNTY small rats. I was not sure about ACTUAL small rats as I saw them and thought they were a little large, so chose the runt of the litter. Then after 3 weeks she stopped eating for a couple weeks, shed, then still didn't eat for another 2 weeks until tonight. I took a chance on an instinctual (if that is a word) feeling that she may be afraid of the rats and got mice for her. She gobbled them down. Someone else posted that it is snake dependant...that's the truth. Mine may not be ready for rats after all, but I will try again in a few months.

Zoe
Zan's Den

ProtaZoey Aug 06, 2003 11:07 PM

Strangely enough, I have a ball that is about the same length as you describe and she WAS taking RUNTY small rats. I was not sure about ACTUAL small rats as I saw them and thought they were a little large, so chose the runt of the litter. Then after 3 weeks she stopped eating for a couple weeks, shed, then still didn't eat for another 2 weeks until tonight. I took a chance on an instinctual (if that is a word) feeling that she may be afraid of the rats and got mice for her. She gobbled them down. Someone else posted that it is snake dependant...that's the truth. Mine may not be ready for rats after all, but I will try again in a few months.

Zoe
Zan's Den

Site Tools