Stupid self accidently got my snake hooked on rat pinks

[lilmike227]

Ok so before you ask how I got my snake on rat pinks accidently I will tell you. So I was at a pet store buying some pinky mice for my snakes and I also picked up some rat pinkies for my lizards. The guy went in the back and came back with a stapled bag I paid and left. When I was driving home I heard some noise in the bag. Sure enough I have a bag full of live rat and mouse pinks. Well I thought nothing of it. I went home and froze them. After I feed off all the pinkies he stoped eating pinkies from anywhere else, so i thought that it got scented with rat pinkie and thats why it wouldnt eat any mice since its been almost 2 weeks. So I found the smallest rat pink and sure enough he ate it......I feel riduculouly stupid right now and I feel awful. Any idea on how to get him back on mice?

[Lennycorn]

I would think just to keep on giving him scented mouse pinks, ....with maybe less scent ( not bagging them together would help). Over time, scent the pink less.

[lilmike227]

can you sent if they are still frozen or do I need to defrost them?

[Nanci]

You can thaw the same one over and over and scent with it.

[Nanci]

You can also try skipping a feeding and see if he changes his mind when hungrier.

[5 Star Serpents]

Is there a specific reason you would rather he not eat rats? I have one guy who has never fed good on mice and now only eats rats, he literally runs scared from anything mouse like, I don't bother arguing with him, he eats rats, we breed our own feeder mice but rats are illegal here so I buy him his rats and that's that, it's no big deal to me, and although he hasn't grown big fast he is by far the most, "toned" if you will, snake in the collection.

[Lennycorn]

You can also try skipping a feeding and see if he changes his mind when hungrier.



This is a good idea too.

[lilmike227]

You can also try skipping a feeding and see if he changes his mind when hungrier.
I skipped multiple feedings and that didnt work

Is there a specific reason you would rather he not eat rats? I have one guy who has never fed good on mice and now only eats rats, he literally runs scared from anything mouse like, I don't bother arguing with him, he eats rats, we breed our own feeder mice but rats are illegal here so I buy him his rats and that's that, it's no big deal to me, and although he hasn't grown big fast he is by far the most, "toned" if you will, snake in the collection.

well he is barley big enough for the smallest ones and appropiat sized rat pinks are hard to come across unless you breed your own

[5 Star Serpents]

Then personally I would feed him scented until he is big enough to take regular rat pinks, my guy was a horrible mouse feeder but since switching him to rats, he hasn't missed a feeding in 2 years ever

[lilmike227]

I like this scenting idea. Whats a good way to sent more and sent less until i cab get him back on mouse fuzzies?

[Joba]

Snake people I know with tons and tons of experience swear that rats are better for snakes: more protein and less sodium. I'll be switching my corns to rats when they're big enough. Unless you're up against a supply issue, I'd stick with rats.

[lilmike227]

Snake people I know with tons and tons of experience swear that rats are better for snakes: more protein and less sodium. I'll be switching my corns to rats when they're big enough. Unless you're up against a supply issue, I'd stick with rats.

Like i said before its hard for me to find rat pinkies that are the righr size. Not only that but they are expensive and im short supply so I risk getting stranded with no rats. And I hear that when my snake gets bigger it risk obesity if feed only rats

[lilmike227]

Just one more question regarding the addiciton does this mean he will be less likely to take other food such as quail and day old chicks later down the road?

[MysticExotics]

I don't know if it more relates to Carpet Pythons over Cornsnakes, but I have a friend who will not feed his baby Carpets rat pinks, because they tend to prolapse. I'm not sure if it's a Carpet Python thing, or if it's the rat pinks (maybe their skin is too think & can cause blockage problems.)
Regardless, I won't feed rat pinks to any of my snakes.

As far as nutrition goes, when it comes to Cornsnakes, it's better to stick with mice, because they do not require anything bigger than an adult mouse (XL Adult mouse at most), & in order to feed rats, you're feeding under developed rats to match the size of mouse you're feeding, especially for Cornsnakes that are eating anything smaller than adults. They won't get the calcium needed, if they're being fed under developed (younger) rats. For this reason, I know several Carpet Python breeders who feed mice up through XL adult (mouse) size, before they consider switching to rats.

[MysticExotics]

Snake people I know with tons and tons of experience swear that rats are better for snakes: more protein and less sodium. I'll be switching my corns to rats when they're big enough. Unless you're up against a supply issue, I'd stick with rats.

Maybe more protein as far as the fact that rats are bigger than mice, but I've never heard anything beyond that rats are fattier than mice, & can lead to obese Cornsnakes.

IMO, the only reason I would ever feed rats to my Corns is if I have a female that is underweight after laying eggs & needs higher fat content to help put weight back on.

[Skully23]

Maybe more protein as far as the fact that rats are bigger than mice, but I've never heard anything beyond that rats are fattier than mice, & can lead to obese Cornsnakes.

IMO, the only reason I would ever feed rats to my Corns is if I have a female that is underweight after laying eggs & needs higher fat content to help put weight back on.

I agree. I have read that owners/breeders stay away because they are fattier. Not only can they cause obese cornsnakes, they are harder to find in some cases, and are more costly. I'd also only feed to a female corn if underweight during breeding.
-Skully-