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Mice to Rats?

bryanc

bryanc

Peeple of zee wurl, relax
Just kinda curious if anyone has switched from mice to rats and how that went for them. Good or bad.

All of my group (except one who is on hoppers) are on fuzzies and I am going to switch them over to hoppers this next feeding. I was thinking of going to rat pups next because they are heavier but the same size as a weanling mouse.

rat pup = 3" 27 grams
mouse weanling = 3" 15 grams

Thanks!
 
Unfortunately I have not fed my corn rats... nor is he big enough to handle them yet. However, I have not heard of any snakes refusing to eat rats after eating mice. But I have heard to be careful because if you switch to rats, they might not accept mice anymore. Hopefully someone else can post on this subject.
 
I've had so much success with mice that I've never even considered switching to rats. I know that many keepers do, so I'd be interested in hearing what they have to say too. :shrugs:
 
I do both and have never had a problem. Sometimes it is hard to find hopper mice for me, so I'll buy a fuzzy rat and he eats them, no problem. I switch back and forth depending on what's available and he's never refused a meal. I've heard that rats are more fatty and I noticed a considerable growth spurt when my snake was on rats for about a month. He is now 7 months old eating adult mice.
 
Our corns will eat either rat or mouse. Most were raised on mice from birth. After reading about the nutrient value in rats, I decided I would try and make the switch, or at least alternate feedings. I would say a 75% of the adults converted easily. The other 25% just did not eat when rat was offered; after many attempts, these corns were simply offered the mice they preferred.

With my own, or hatchlings I purchase from other breeders, I try to eventually convert to rat at a younger age. Once a young corn will handle 2 mice fuzzies/week for 3 weeks, I substitute a rat pink the next week. If the rat pink is accepted, then I will give them mice occassionly just to keep the 'taste' in their minds. I definitely notice the growth spurts once the young corns start eating rat on a regular schedule.

I also raise my own mice for pinkies for my hatchlings, so whenever I can I always raise a litter or two to small adults and then I can offer fresh/killed as a treat. Any of the adults who turn their nose up at a f/t mouse, and would rather have rat never hesitate when offered the pre-killed mouse.

Switching back and forth has never been a problem for me.

Ruth
 
We have fed both mice and rats and prefer to move our snakes to rats once they are large enough to handle them. They do seem to grow better on rats and for some of our larger adults, I prefer to give a single prey item - like a small rat rather than multiple mice - just more convenient for me.

We have found many make the transition with no problems, but some corns are visibly distressed by rat scent - they coil, tail rattle and strike defensively. I have found it very difficult to convert these - even when the snake is adult - they may persist in refusing rats - even fuzzies. We have had more problems with converting adults who have been on mice all their life than converting youngsters that we have raised ourselves and have been introduced to rats at a young age, but even some of those will continue to refuse rats and appear afraid of them.

I suspect they might be easier to convert with live or fresh killed prey, but we no longer breed, so use only previously frozen prey,

mary v.
 
Thank you

Thanks for all the great input guys.

I will pick up some rat pups my next order as well as some weanling mice, just incase they don't like them. It just seemed like such a big jump in how much they would have to digest that kind of concerned me. I keep records of everything for my corns, so it will also be cool to see if I can document a huge growth spurt in my own collection once I have some feeding on rats.

Thanks again!
:cheers:
 
I started feeding mine newborn rats when they were up to a couple fuzzys for a few weeks and they went right for them. I feed live though, so once they saw movement they were all over them. My amel, whos always been a problem feeder, has eaten three weeks in a row on rat pinks when he would only eat twice a month on the fuzzies. His growth is exploding....
 
I feed both, and switch back and forth all the time. I've never had one of my three reject either. I think part of the success is that I feed both and not just one or the other. So they don't get used to one type, because they never know what's coming, mice or rats.
 
I did the switched when they were eating hoppers. A rat pinkie is close to hopper mice. Rats have more fat and protein so one needs to be careful and make sure does not get fat. More exercise will help here, we take ours out and let them roam in a protected place for an hour or so each week. Rat are considered snake candy in that snakes love them and some will not go back to mice. I feed both mice and rats and have not had a problem.

***If your snake is not grownng fast enough on mice switched to rats for it will boost thier growth.

fuzzy mice-rat pinkies
Lrg weanilng mice/ sub adult mice-rat pups

Tamara :cheers:
 
When my Amel Phinius was up to weanlings I switched to rat pinks and he took to it just fine. He is now up to 2 rat pinks every 7 days till I use up the rat pinks then he'll be on rat fuzzies. Not bad for a 10 month old. :cheers:
 
I've was told to switch from mouse fuzzies to rat pinks because when you compare them to each other, you've got more meat and less hair; therefore, more nutrition to absorb and less waste to poop. Two of my '05's are on small rat fuzzies and the other is on fuzzy mice for a few more feedings, then I'll switch her over.

My 2 adults have eaten rats, but because they're more expensive, I buy mice during breeding season. That way I don't feel as bad when I'm throwing them in the yard for the local hawk. Once they are eating regularly, I'll feed rats until next breeding season comes around again.
 
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