Grrrr!!!! Post your tricks for rats folks!

[marisa]

I tried using the search, I typed in rats.....but a million threads in the BP forum came up, some with only the word rat in it somewhere or other. Anyways.....

Three ball pythons....one 2002, two 2003's. The 02 hasn't eaten this year as I refuse to go back to feeding her mice. Still refuses rats. The other two I just starting trying to switch so not too concerned there, and they are far younger. But anyways I heat the rats up really hot, smear dirty mouse bedding all over them, thaw them in the mouse bedding, cover them in mouse blood, thaw them with the mice, etc.

Nothing works. It's been quite a few months now since her last meal of mice. Her last mouse meal was on November 3rd. So about 4-5 months ago! Everynight she is interested in eating, she waits outside her hide, responds to movement and "hunts" all over all the time. She isn't losing weight at all yet. How much longer should I be trying this "starve" her out method??? It doesn't seem to be working.

Marisa

[Vengeance]

Have you tried just leaving it with them overnight? My ball can be a picky eater as well sometimes he won't even strike at all but still show some interest in the rat. Most times he is inside his hide at the time, so last time for feeding I just took the rat shoved it half way into the hide and went to bed. Next morning it was gone.

[marisa]

Yeah for sure. Every attempt is first slight jiggling on tongs....then left overnight.

Marisa

[Piers]

I put young rats in with mice, usually one or two rats to five or so mice. I leave them together for a week or so and then try feeding. This usually work after a few trys, the thing to remember is don't feed the snake mice at all! If you feed it a mouse once a month or so the snake will just hold out till the next mouse comes along.
Piers

[Auskan]

Marisa, I was one of the lucky ones that my one and only BP took a rat the first time I offered, so I don't really have any advice, but I was wondering about offering a mouse and then while the feeding response is still strong and she is still hungry, offer a rat? I'm not sure if this would work for the next feeding though, that's the only thing. Has anyone tried this?

[marisa]

Well I don't want to offer mice because then that sort of gives in. I will NOT feed them mice again period unless it becomes a health issue which I totally cannot see happening.

Piers...that sounds like an idea. I'll try that out if I can soon.

This is just really going on MUCH longer than I thought. I figured three months of no food would definitly get her but now that we are approaching five months I am just not sure what will work.

Marisa

[mykee]

Marisa, if she's fine with the weight thing, I would just wait her out. They can go a long time without the grub, sometimes a lot longer than our nerves. If all else fails, you can always go the restrained live rat way, to get them eating, and then switch them ove the f/k, then f/t. Good luck.

[Jeff_Favelle]

Go live, and go smaller, and go right after a shed, and crank the heat/humidity. They can't resist. Wammo! On to rats.

[marisa]

Hmmm yeah I guess I am trying live. I have lots of frozen rats (Mykee Brand even!!! lol) but my live ones are about a month away from having a litter I'd say....so this will give them all time to rethink their positions. haha

thanks
Marisa

[mykee]

Perfect, starve them for a month and when you do offer food, they'll snatch it right up.

[vanderkm]

I second the comment on increasing humidity - when we had ball pythons (no longer mostly because they drove us nuts with feeding issues!) - we found that a heavy misting early in the evening of the day we were feeding, would help with getting them started again after the winter fast and did help with converting them. We had older, LTC animals and had to feed live in order to get them to feed - one of them had gone for over a year with only 2 mice before we got them, and while she was not heavy, she certainly wasn't starved - they can hold out a long time without food! Best of luck,

mary v.