Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a female albino burmese which is about 2 1/2 feet long that will only eat mice. When I try feeding her small rats she refuses. I tried rubbing the scent of a mouse on the rat, but still no luck. Any suggestions?

stop feeding her mice. Wait till she is good and hungry..and then try a rat..if she doesnt take it wait longer.

People really need to stop starting burms on rats.

oops..edit that last line..thats supposed to say mice.

I'll disagree to some extent. Although getting a baby burm started on rat pups is probably the way to go, I have raised plenty of baby burms on adult mice who had no problem switching to rats when the time came. For those stubborn feeders, I simply feed a mouse and then as the mouse is nearly consumed, I trail a small rat right behind it. In a short amount of time, these burms readily switch to mice.

Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center
Lake Forest, IL

>>oops..edit that last line..thats supposed to say mice.
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Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

I don't post here much usually just read and lurk in the shadows. But here's my suggestion. I agree that it tends to be a better idea to start burms on rats (less headache and all) but I have had a few that were started on mice. If they give you trouble you can usually feed them a mouse and when it is swallowed and they are looking around for more then try a rat. They will usually be a little more receptive to eating things they may normally refuse once the feeding response has been initiated. If that doesnt work then try the trick the first gentleman suggested. Good Luck!

Ok thanks, I hope one of these techniques will work. I'll keep you guys updated.