Mice or rats?

I have had a pet store guy today that I've talked to many times recommend rats over mice. He has pythons so I know that's different than a corn snake. I trust him with advice because while someone was telling me to buy the $50 heating lamp he was telling me no, that it could harm the snake. But I wasn't sure if it makes sense to feed my guy rats if I'm not trying to breed him and he seems to be growing fine. Any advice?


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Feeding rats will likely lead to obese Cornsnakes.
Most adult Corns can live their whole life eating large adult mice every 2-3 weeks. Some Corns do get larger and can eat XL adult mice every 2-3 weeks (over 500 gram Corns).

Rats are for larger species, like Carpet Pythons.

That's what I was afraid of. I appreciated his information but I wasn't doing anything until I spoke to my forum people's! Thank you.


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You can feed Baby rats which are about the same size as a mouse. From a Nutritional standpoint, Rats are more nutritious than mice. Rats have more protein than mice. I would not recommend Rats to small or young corn snakes but a full grown corn snake can eat a small rat no problem.

As far as I'm aware, rats are actually fattier than mice. That can be useful for underweight or malnourished corn snakes, but for a healthy snake, I wouldn't feed rats, even if the snake is capable of eating that size.

So I should just stick with the hopper mice I've been feeding him. He's grown in the month I've had him, shed just fine and has visibly been gaining weight.


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actually, if you read the ingredients on the mice/rats you'll find that the rats do contain more protein. But you can feed peanut butter for all I care

Originally Posted by amanda84

So I should just stick with the hopper mice I've been feeding him. He's grown in the month I've had him, shed just fine and has visibly been gaining weight.


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Yes, there's no reason to feed healthy Cornsnakes rats.
I can see feeding rats (size appropriate to what they're used to) underweight Corns to bulk them up, but I'd rather feed mice, with vitamin supplements.

I have been purchasing the "Arctic Mice / Rats" brand from local PetsMart.

This is a direct copy from the box they come in:

Mice
Crude Protein(min) - 44%
Crude Fat(min) - 17%
Crude Fiber(max) - 2%
Ash(max) - 11.8%
Moisture(max) - 80%

Rats
Crude Protein(min) - 61.8%
Crude Fat(min) - 32.6%
Crude Fiber(max) - 0%
Ash(max) - 9.8%
Moisture(max) - 80%

You will notice that there is a bit more "Fat" in the rats, but there is also significantly more protein. The biggest concern is, what makes up the rest of the totals in the Mice? 44% protein and 17% fat = 61% in the mice. Whereas 62% protein and 33% fat = 95% in the Rats. That's a big difference. I wonder what makes up the other 39% in the Mice?

I do feed both. I feed bigger mice and smaller rats, for diversity and balanced diet.

The majority of Corns I have seen that are fed rats are overweight, which is as unhealthy for them as it is for us.

If you want to add variety into their diet, you can add chicks, quail, etc, which are lower fat.

Corns do fine on strictly mouse diet, if fed appropriately (not underfeeding or overfeeding). Captive kept snakes don't have to search for their food, therefore a lower fat diet is more necessary than their wild counterparts who spend much of their time searching for food.

The only Corns I offer XL Adult mice to are the ones that are genetically larger than normal, like the Coral Snow I currently have. Her mom was a large Corn as well.