Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hello i was recently given a appx 2 1/2' ball that only ate small mice 3-4 a week, i've been trying to give it small (about same size as larger mice) rats but it wants nothing to do w/ them. i've even put in at same time and it only eats the mice, any suggestions would be appericiated.....thanks

when you figure it out, lemme know. Ive got a male who will only eat mice. He took one rat, once.... which I think might have just been a fluke. He must have 'forgotten' he didn't like them.
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Proud caretaker to:
1.0.0. African grey parrot
1.0.0. Ball Python
0.2.0. doggies

Try putting a very small rat that has the same color as the mice (a white rat if you use white mice) together for a few hours with some mice to scent it. Then start feeding one mouse. When that one is gone feed the rat and then another mouse or so.
Then later on (maybe a month or so) feed the rat first followed by the mice and after that stage just leave out the mice altogether. What also helps if you do this is to increase the time between feedings a little so he / she is more hungry.
This has worked for me when I got an adult mouse eating Ball Python.
Hope this helps,

Rob Reiding.
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thank you for your response, i will try that on her next feeding day. we will see how it goes.
once again thanx.....warrren

Your welcome. The female I swiched like this went from live mice to live rats and then to F/T rats, but then she went off food. Hopefully I won't have to start over again with the whole process once she starts eating again...

Rob Reiding.
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