Reptile & Amphibian Forums

A few years ago, my buddy's Ball got bit by a rat while feeding, and she didn't eat anything for 7 months. I tried repeated attempts with every food I could think of, even snake sausages. Well, he tried feeding her a Gerbil one day, and she took. Now all she eats are Gerbils. And the price on Gerbils is pretty steep. Any ideas on how to switch her over to rats?

Find some rats that are of similar coloration and size to the gerbils you have been feeding...

Get a gerbil and a rat and let them live in the same small enclosure for a while. The rat will pick up some gerbil scent and be more appetizing to your ball.

Another way you can do it is kill the gerbil, rub it all over the rat for scenting, feed the rat, and freeze the gerbil so you can use it again for scenting at a later date.

Good luck.
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-Ross Payan - www.LeosAnonymous.com

Leos Anonymous

Ball Pythons, Red Striped Leos, W.Hognose and Screaming AFT's

From what I've read, it's very difficult to get a gerbil-eating snake to eat anything but. You've got an uphill battle in front of you. Good luck.

I have some that will only eat gerbils....Pain!
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RicK Denmon

Ball Boutique,Inc.
Check out New Forum!!!!

Oh, what fun! I had a couple that would only eat hamsters - quite expensive. I fed them up until the winter fast. I fed them nothing for around 5 months after that. Then, I introduced rats that were the same color. After a while, one took any black item placed in her cage. The other would only eat tan colored rats. Eventually, both started taking white rats.

I tried scenting with no luck. I think it's a combination of things, including hunger. After a while, you just have to eat.

Good luck!
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Jay A. Martin

I got two from this year's shipment. Same story... only gerbils. Get a colony or two going. I managed to starve out one for a couple of months and got her on hamsters which are much easier to breed and plentiful in the marketplace. I just want them back up to size. Gerbils and hamsters stink less than mice. Rats are not too nice on the nostrils ethier. Next I need to try F/T gerbils/hamsters and see if I can get them taking that.

Dave