Reptile & Amphibian Forums

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.
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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.

There's a mouse maker, but no rat maker. I've never had a snake that was that difficult to switch, so I don't have any advice! The worst I've ever had to do was follow a mouse with a rat. For some reason, I've heard many times first hand that braining does generate a strong feeding response. If you've tried all that other stuff I doubt it would work. I've never heard about switching the brains... that's just gruesome.
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Peter: It's OK, I'll handle it. I read a book about something like this.
Brian: Are you sure it was a book? Are you sure it wasn't NOTHING?

Since we are already discussion the switch, what is about the right size/length/age to switch across to rats? I have two 4 mnth old CBB Normals eating an adult mouse each, once a week. I have watched the adult mice go from a bulge in the belly initially to almost un-noticeable after feedings these days.

I know they could handle a juvenile rat but my concern here is for overfeeding. I guess my question is how much is too much?

Also, should I just use two mice each as opposed to a rat?

Thanks...
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-Iman

1.1 Balls
0.1 Boa (BCI)
0.0 Experience
100.0 % LOVE

Hope it helps...

I am no expert, but I don't think you need to worry about overfeeding a juvenile BP. I have never seen an overweight baby, myself. They just grow faster. I start my babies on rats, and just increase the rat size as they grow. One of my 03 males is taking a small rat weekly. Yes, you could use two mice instead of a rat. I think most people switch to rats earlier because the BP's seem to be not as set in their ways when young, and the switchover may be easier.

>>Since we are already discussion the switch, what is about the right size/length/age to switch across to rats? I have two 4 mnth old CBB Normals eating an adult mouse each, once a week. I have watched the adult mice go from a bulge in the belly initially to almost un-noticeable after feedings these days.
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>>I know they could handle a juvenile rat but my concern here is for overfeeding. I guess my question is how much is too much?
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>>Also, should I just use two mice each as opposed to a rat?
>>
>>Thanks...
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>>-Iman
>>
>>1.1 Balls
>>0.1 Boa (BCI)
>>0.0 Experience
>>100.0 % LOVE
>>
>>Hope it helps...
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Randy
www.ball-pythons.net

n/p
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-Iman

1.1 Balls
0.1 Boa (BCI)
0.0 Experience
100.0 % LOVE

Hope it helps...