Stuck on rat pinkies!

[WestCoast_Redneck]

Last week, I tried to feed my corn a fuzzy. She refused it, which was the first time she has refused a meal. I was worried, figured maybe because the kids were watching it was too stressful. So I left it in her viv overnight, but the fuzzy was still there in the morning.
I tried again the following week (yesterday) and she refused another fuzzy. I was going to leave her be for another week, but today I figured I would try a rat pinky again.
She not only struck the rat pinky, but she coiled it too! She devoured it like it was the most delicious meal in the world!

I was feeding her rat pinkies to boost her weight, but figured it was time to go back to feeding mice. Clearly, she prefers the rats over mice. Now what? How to I switch back to mice, or am I stuck with a rat eater only?

http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/WestCoast_Redneck/20130213_112444_zps2a6f1be5.jpg
http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/WestCoast_Redneck/20130213_112413_zps8c3795c5.jpg

[Justine66]

Hmmm.. thats not any good.

Rats are high in fat, and he's still a baby!

My best guess would be to try senting the mice fuzzies with the rat pinks?
I think that would work to trick him back into eating mice..

Which will be a lot better for your little friend in the long run.


Hope this helps ya out! :)

[Justine66]

( Be sure to keep us posted! )

[WestCoast_Redneck]

Thanks Justine!
I was trying to put some weight on her, she was really small and underweight.
She's actually almost 2 years old, and was only 23grams when we got her :( No joke, and we got her from a breeder...

She is doing much better now, exactly four weeks later, she is now 53grams (as of last week) but I don't want to keep her on rat specifically because of the higher fat content. I bought a dozen rat pinkys and a dozen fuzzies with the intention of alternating until she was at a proper, healthy weight. Now that she put on some weight, I was planning on keeping her on appropriate sized mice (fuzzies, weanling, etc.)

However, rat pinkies must be like chocolate bars in the snake world. I've read before to be careful about feeding rat pinkies as its difficult to switch, but being as stubborn as I am I actually believed I wouldn't have an issue with this. Also, because she was so small I thought it would be worth the risk.

I will try scenting the fuzzy with the rat pinky next time and see if that works, thanks for the tip. Any other suggestions?

[bitsy]

Try braining the rat pinky and smearing the brains onto the mouse fuzzy. That seems to provide a concentrated scent.

[WestCoast_Redneck]

Thank you Bitsy!
Now....Am I going to have to do this every feed?

[bitsy]

Usually with scenting you can just stop, or wean them off by using less and less each feed. With reluctant hatchling eaters, I usually offer three in a row which are scented, and as long as they're all eaten, the fourth without. The fourth one has always gone down the hatch without protest.

[Justine66]

No problem I am actually glad that I could help!

I haven't run into this problem on my own thank goodness!

But I hope that the rat pinky senting works for you. :)

Best wishes!

[WestCoast_Redneck]

I will let you know how it goes next week! I actually didn't think the snake would know the difference between a rat pinky and mouse fuzzy, considering they are relatively the same size! Totally ignorant...I thought food was food to a snake :s

[Nanci]

If you're lucky you can wean down from rat brains to rat fur to nothing.

[Justine66]

I actually didn't think the snake would know the difference between a rat pinky and mouse fuzzy, considering they are relatively the same size! Totally ignorant...I thought food was food to a snake :s


-totally know what you mean, I think a lot of people underestimate a snakes ability to recognise as well as their many senses.

I know that I did when I first got Sirius, I honestly thought that he was going to be a lot more boring that what he has turned out to be!
You always hear that their always hiding and that you have to stay up at night just to see them out.. and so on, But I find that he's always out! He'll even just crawl around exploring his viv, and when I do have him out, and I let someone else hold him or I put him down to go and explore, he always crawls right back over to me or up on top of me and he'll just lay there and stair at me. I think their pretty smart animals!

It may just be me but I truly do believe that they think and have real thoughts.. They most deffinently
I'm more than likely wrong but it's nice to think! :o

[WestCoast_Redneck]

Your much luckier than us. Lil Redneck really does just hide all the time lol
......Except when she's escaping or attempting to escape ;)

I've never been a reptile person, but when my stepkids came with me to the petstore and saw the lil RO, they decided to pool their money and buy it. Secretly, I was more excited than them. They take good care of it, but obviously I got stuck doing all the research to make sure it's well taken care of, happy and healthy.

The more I researched, the more I studied the snake. I keep records of her and when I handle her I watch her behavior. It's tons of fun to learn about something hands-on that you knew nothing about. Now, I'm totally intrigued with snakes :)

[Justine66]

TOTALLY!! I have never been really into reptiles either, I loved frogs,toads,newts, and all of those slimy cute little guys when I was a kid.. I love all animals but snakes never really caught my eye when I was little.. maybe I just hadn't seen or met enough yet.

or not the right type... every single person that I have met in my life has owned a Ball python... and sure their alright snakes, but personally I don't like how fat lazy they are, and they just didnt strike me as what I would call a "snake" they were more like flesh bags. lol

But then one day I went out with one of my friends to go and get her snake some feeders for her snake(a ball python of course) and I went into the reptile shop and as we were waiting I walked around and looked and I seen these colorful TINY little babies sitting in about 20 of their tanks, they were corn hatchlings!! - I fell inlove..:o they were just soo small and delicate looking, and the way they just sat their and staired out at you through the glass with those little eyes, like "holy crap, how do you walk away from that?"

neadless to say I went home that night, researched that heck out of corn snakes, and started setting up his inclosure, a month later it was set and I went to go and get my little baby!
and I have been nothing but happy/fascinated by him since his arrival. :D

[WestCoast_Redneck]

:)

Another question about rat Pinkies.

How unacceptable is it to feed rat vs. mouse?
Besides having a higher fat content, is there any other reason? If fed in moderation, would it be alright? If highly discouraged, why?
I know rats are obviously higher in fat and more expensive, but are there health risks also??

[Justine66]

that's a great question.. I'm pretty sure that the main concern is the fat content.
since high fat content can lead to obesity witch can have the same health risk for snakes as it does for most humans, ie. shorter life span, less activity, and it would also make it harder on their lungs which are already modified to the point where only one is useful, so the added stress from the added weight is probably really better off avoided. :)

that's just my 2 cents though, their may be added reasons to avoid them that I'm unaware of at this point in time.

[Chip]

Fat content is one reason for larger rats such as pups, and when dealing with a small snake like this one -the snake isn't getting nearly the bone (full of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and other minerals), or even the muscle tissue it would be in a comparably sized mouse. I bought several hundred rat pinks this winter when no one had fuzzies, and there's definitely a difference. I dip their rears in calcium and vitamin powder some feedings, and am alternating fuzzies and hoppers now, but I am eager to get these rats fed off...

I 100% agree they can fatten up a sickly thin snake, though.

[Justine66]

Fat content is one reason for larger rats such as pups, and when dealing with a small snake like this one -the snake isn't getting nearly the bone (full of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and other minerals), or even the muscle tissue it would be in a comparably sized mouse. I bought several hundred rat pinks this winter when no one had fuzzies, and there's definitely a difference.


wow! I did not know this! makes sense though!
thanks chip!

[WestCoast_Redneck]

Thank you Chip! That was what I needed to hear. You have any problem alternating rat pups with fuzzies/hoppers? I'll definitely be switching, but lets be honest, I'm not looking forward to smearing rat brains all over the fuzzies in order for my stubborn snake to get off these rat-fat bars ;)