Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have two juvenile CB Honduran milksnakes and two CB juvenile Nelson's milksnakes. They all eagerly eat F/T and live pinky and fuzzy mice but none of them will eat F/T rat pinkies. I am surprised they refuse the rat pinkies.

Don't worry about it just yet... every now and again people have this same problem when switching to rats. Hasn't happened to me yet but with two young ones getting to the point of being switched over I shouldn't say that too loudly

In your place I'd let the snakes miss a couple of meals then put the snake and rat in a plastic container that allows the snake to move around some but also makes it impossible not to be tripping over that rat, secure the lid and let them be for 15-30 minutes. I often cover the container with a towel to block out light, milks feel a little more secure that way.

Don't worry if they are stubborn at first, they can safely miss meals for a few months... but if they are all eating as well as you say right now it shouldn't take that long... hunger is a powerful motivator.

Gerry

Yes, that is very sound advice Gerry. Many will come around later on. Also, I know this might sound obvious, but make SURE the little container you put it in has a few small air holes!. You wouldn't believe how this could inadvertently get over-looked from time to time by grabbing a handy little container and forgetting or assuming it has some...LOL!

Also to the OP,...unless you have a good smuggling operation going in Honduras or Nicaragua for the Hondurans, and the Colima area of western Mexico for the L.t.nelsoni, ALL "Hondurans" and "nelsoni" in today's hobby are CB (captive-born/hatched)...

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

serpentinespecialties.webs.com

Also, I know this might sound obvious, but make SURE the little container you put it in has a few small air holes!

So used to having holes in everything around here that I don't even think about mentioning that point... worse still is the fact I do believe this is the second time you've had to mention that because I failed to do so in a post... hopefully I won't need a third time.

On a more positive note for me... I've just moved the polyz and the young BM into their new homes... which also means the abnorma and hondo can finally get out of the "shoe boxes" and move into the polyz old spot... and suddenly I'm hearing "Movin On Up" from "The Jeffersons" in my head.

Gerry

Yeah, I have a lot of pre-punched deli cups here too like you do, and I always pretty much take for granted that they always have holes in them. However, I have some other containers that don't have holes like the ones you get egg drop soup in from a Chinese take-out. Some do have melted holes and some don't, so I have to make sure I always think about that if I use something else if I am short of pre-punched once in a while until I order more..LOL!

best of luck with "the move" in' on up regarding the youngster's quarters.

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

serpentinespecialties.webs.com

I agree with what the others have said, but would also add that there's no need to switch milk snakes to rats. They can eat appropriate-sized mice their whole life.

Tim

Third Eye

I have several hundred frozen rat pinkies I wanted to use up.

>>I have several hundred frozen rat pinkies I wanted to use up.

rub a f/t mouse pinky or hopper all over a f/t rat pinky and then try a sequenced offering--just put it in the cage; if that doesn't work, put it in a closed container as suggested above, etc. You could also brain the mouse and rub that liquid on the rat pinky. Just a couple scented rat pinks consumed, and your snakes will start eating them without the scenting, I'll bet.

What usually works for me is feed them a small mouse pinky to get them in feeding mode then give them a small rat pink second. Scenting the rat with a mouse also helps, as already suggested. You may have to do this a few times before they take the rats without hesitation. Good luck!

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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
Jorge Sierra

My Site > www.Sierrasnakes.com