Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My guy seems to only like mice. Is this a common thing for this species?? Thanks!
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~Katt

Very Common. They can usually be switched using scenting. I also start out with rat pups reguardless of how big a meal the Spilotes currently takes. Also you want to keep him hungry while transitioning. All of these methods require time and patience. With a Spilotes its worth every penny, they will eat you out of house and home!

yes...they can eat you out of house & home if you have to feed them mice!

I had a large female that would only eat chicks for me once.
I started taking a chick and a f/t rat and some white cotton thread, and I would sew the rat's nose to the butt-end of the chick.

That always worked to get the spilotes to eat a good sized rat.
After a while, she started recognizing the rats and would grab them right away. You might want to try that with a mouse.

I have used this trick successfully with wild caught y/t cribos as well...and in a past life with road kill snake parts sewed onto rats for king cobras!

Mine have allways done mice. One in particular I had when I lived near Gainsville Fla, I used to release into a 12' plum tree that was in the middle of a open (mowed) field. I would place mice on the branches and this gorgeous (11') giant travelled from branch to branch picking them off. It was lucky I was breeding my own food at the time.

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

Were they live mice?

Yes they were. That did not stop him from swallowing them as fast as he could....Yummmm!

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

Once Spiloties are in a habit, as in feeding at a certain time, or used to taking multiple meals. One can easyly introduce new items if kept on a scedual. They seem to key in on sceduals if kept to one.