Why not rats?

[djfreebase]

I don't know if my corn is just a fussy eater but she just doesnt seem to like rats. she is three years old big enough to eat a small rat but refuses to every time. I have the same problem with one of my royal pythons( sorry for going off the subject) am i going to have to feed them more than one mouse at a time, for the rest off there life's or has anyone got any tips

[starsevol]

1 adult mouse every 7-10 days is a normal feeding schedule for an adult corn. That's all my 12 year old 1398 gram male has been fed his whole life!

I don't see why you can't feed your royal the same gram weight in mice as he would get in rats.

I personally keep rats as pets only. None of my 30 snakes eat them!

[Dale]

In dealing with rats exclusively with feeding my boas and balls, I have to see it as a huge advantage (if you are breeding your own feeders) to go with rats. Outside of needing mouse pinkies for hatchings, the size range from rat pup to sub adult should cover corns IF you can get them to take them. When you're keeping a diverse collection, and don't have the space to maintain more than one colony of rodents, its just far less of a headache concentrating on just one as a main producer.

In a perfect world, you keep colonies of both for finicky eaters, but for right now, I'll be keeping the frozen dealers in business.

I am in this boat as I keep both, and I hope I am able to turn my sub-adult/adult corns to rats.

PS - My Balls eat rats the size of small dogs, I don't even know how many mice it would take to equal that weight. I won't even get started on the Boas.

[mele2511]

Some BP's simply will not eat rats .. my female will not eat a rat no matter how hard you try, so try imagine how many mice i feed it a week.

[Jessicat]

Mice scented rats!! :rofl:

You could try washing the rats with ivory soap before offering them to your snake. Perhaps the rats have a smell the snake is unfamiliar with. You could also try cutting the rats, braining, tease feeding. Perhaps your snakes just don't recognize the rat as food.

BTW, don't be too sad if your snakes never take to rats. Poop after a rat meal is a lot larger, messier, and stinkier!

[Velvet]

Some corns just will not eat rats! I have one that flat out refuses. I can scent them, make them bleed, you name it!

I read that female rats scent the young. A female rat protecting her young would truely be a fearsome thing to behold for any snake. The very scent of the female is a deterrant.

Most of mine eat rats though but they were fed rats from when they we big enough to eat newborn rats.

You can try scenting a dead rat of appropriate size with mouse urine (males are better to use for this), or you can try thawing out a rat in the same packet as the mouse for your snake so the scent "transfers" from rat to mouse. You can also try cutting slits down the rat's back...sometimes the smell of blood overrides their natural fearful instinct.

I've tried all of the above and though they worked for a while, they don't anymore and I'm back to feeding my guy large mice...lol

[Weebonilass]

Mice scented rats!! :rofl:

You could try washing the rats with ivory soap before offering them to your snake. Perhaps the rats have a smell the snake is unfamiliar with. You could also try cutting the rats, braining, tease feeding. Perhaps your snakes just don't recognize the rat as food.

BTW, don't be too sad if your snakes never take to rats. Poop after a rat meal is a lot larger, messier, and stinkier!


Hmmmmmmmmmmmm, I never noticed that Jessica. My hypo takes a small rat every 7 days. He'd like it sooner, but I make him wait and remind him that most folks would make him wait 14 days between meals. Since he's not fat, he mujst have the metabolism of a hummingbird. :)

[Taxidermy]

My three year old corn, sid, is definately not a picky eater. (: He takes both mice or small rats. what ever is available for him.

Recently he was just fed a small rat.

[djfreebase]

Thanks for the advise, id forgotten that id posted this thread.

[MegF.]

Mine take whatever is on the end of a tong...mice rats, whatever. Mine all seem to really like the African rats which are smaller than conventional rats. A smaller african is about the size of a rat pup-perfect for large cornsnakes....or green tree pythons/amazons etc.

[rolandslf]

As soon as my Corns are big enough I put them onto Rats and all of mine eat Rats. I don't know how true it is but I have heard that rats have a higher nutritional value than mice. Any comments on the last statement will be appreciated.

Ciao

[Msterry]

Perhaps this link may have some info you would like to read Rolandslf.
http://rodentpro.com/qpage_articles_03.asp
I had heard that rats will make a snake fat. It has not done so any of mine and the adults are fed weekly.

[djfreebase]

Thanks for the info. Well after reading that i think ill stick to feeding mice.

[Weebonilass]

The link didn't tell me awhole lot to be honest. How important is protein in a snake's diet? How important or how much of a detriment is fat for a snake? Just because it's bad for us, doesn't mean that it's bad for a snake. It all depends on how the snake utlitizes the make-up of his food. Also how important is the energy level of a food source?

I know my guy gets a small rat every 7 days and he's far from fat, so I'm thinking that its not as bad for a snake as it would be for us.

[rolandslf]

Thanks M
That Link is incredible, I mean , it gives Fat, Protein, Vitamins, and so much more. I will be staying on Rats as Prey Items.
I have to admit though that my snakes are a bit overweight, after they have laid eggs I will post some Pics'.

Ciao

[Weebonilass]

Thanks M
That Link is incredible, I mean , it gives Fat, Protein, Vitamins, and so much more. I will be staying on Rats as Prey Items.
I have to admit though that my snakes are a bit overweight, after they have laid eggs I will post some Pics'.

Ciao

Hmmmmmmmmm Roland.....

A bit overweight is good in a pregnant creature :) Those eggshells & small snakelets do weigh a bit :D

[djfreebase]

Now im confused, is it better to feed your corn a rat or a mouse. I dont suppose it really matters to my snakes anyway, as i said at the beginning of this thread, they wont eat rats.

[Weebonilass]

Now im confused, is it better to feed your corn a rat or a mouse. I dont suppose it really matters to my snakes anyway, as i said at the beginning of this thread, they wont eat rats.


That is the question... without knowing more about the nutritional requirements (have studies been done?) its hard to tell. But as you said, it's a moot point if your collection won't eat them. I only have one adult and he's doing quite well on rats and he gets them more frequent, without being overweight, so I'm thinking the higher fat content doesn't mean the same as it does in humans. Of course, he may just have the metabolism of a hummingbird :D

[rolandslf]

Hi there Ginger
I have previously been advised that my Corns are obese, Will post Pics in about 1 months time when eggs have been laid.

Ciao

[MegF.]

Rats or mice, it makes no difference as long as you are feeding quality, healthy animals that have been fed well on a good quality, balanced food. A rat that's been fed crappy food and is in poor condition, will be less nutritious than a nice healthy, well fed mouse. Mine eat both rats and mice. I prefer the African rats as they are smaller, but have all the adult bones and gut loading that you won't find in unweaned rat pups. For what it's worth: A female in good weight is much better than an obese female even when pregnant. It's never good for any creature, human or animal to be overweight. I think it leads to far more problems than a female that is in good tone and weight.

[Weebonilass]

Rats or mice, it makes no difference as long as you are feeding quality, healthy animals that have been fed well on a good quality, balanced food. A rat that's been fed crappy food and is in poor condition, will be less nutritious than a nice healthy, well fed mouse. Mine eat both rats and mice. I prefer the African rats as they are smaller, but have all the adult bones and gut loading that you won't find in unweaned rat pups.


MegF,

Do you buy the Africans commercially or raise your own?

[MegF.]

I get them from a local supplier. He's not far from me and I can pick out what I want and euthanize them there. He has regular rats, mice, gerbils, rabbits, African rats, guinea pigs and did have hamsters.

[rolandslf]

My Rats are Healthy Animals due to the fact that I breed my own Snake Food.
My family treats the Breeders like Pets, the babies are all considered as food from birth.

Ciao