An obvious answear...

[beardiefan]

...I just don't know it. I was wondering, with all the possible trouble changing from mice to rats, why not start babies off on rats? Is it size, smell, texture? The reason I ask is. I have 2 new babies doing the " put them in the shoe box and leave them alone for 2 weeks" thing.(With proper heating, water, humidity, 2 hides etc) I've read posts as far back as 75 days about first feedings and switching them over, but haven't come across anything about starting them off on rats.

Thanx for any answers Don

[mykee]

Starting them off on rats would be great, and a great first food item idea, but as a hatchling you can't really play around with food. Feed them what they'll eat the FIRST feeding, (mouse or rat) and either stick with rats forever, or if it was a mouse, the SECOND feeding try a rat, most will take it. The problem is is that people take too long to get their balls to rats, and by that time, it's more difficult seeing as how they've acquired a taste for mice. The sooner the better.

[Tim_Cranwill]

What has worked for me is to offer them a f/t hopper soon after their first shed. The ones who don't take it, get offered a live hopper and "usually" take that. If that's the case, I feed them 2-3 meals live (offering f/t first) and then that's it. No more live. They have enough food to last them a few months.

As for switching to rats, I try for that around the 3-4 meal.

This is what I do with all hatchlings... corns, kings, balls... except for the rat part and mouse size. Getting them feeding is the first battle. Once they have a bit of an appetite, switching them to f/t or rats is much easier. :)

[BoidKeeper]

I've bought a couple of CBB balls that came to me on fuzzie mice and I got them switched. This year I plan to offer the balls that I produce pinkie rats right from the start. Personally I don't ever plan to give any BP in my collection a mouse on purpose. If I get one stuck on mice that is different, or one that refuses mice after 4 weeks after being born.
Cheers,
Trevor

[Tarentola]

my adult male was eating mice for over a year and he switched to rats right away.

I don't know if babys are the problem or adults and babys

[Jeff_Favelle]

I've never had a baby Ball Python that was small enough to only need pinky rats. Every signle one I've hatched, even the small-ish ones, all ate rat crawlers/fuzzies for there first meal (for the rat eaters). For the ones that don't take a rat right away, offer a small adult mice (hopper, but a bit bigger). Pinky rats are useless.

[elevation24]

I try to start hatchlings off on live rat pups, and if they won't take them, they get a hopper mouse. After a couple of feedings they will usually easily take a live rat pup. Like mykee said the earlier the better. When they are younger they are more likely to strike at any movement that comes their way so they may switch to rats more easily.

[beardiefan]

Thanks for the help. What I get from all the replies is :

#1 offer f/t rat crawler/fuzzy/pup, if refused
#2 offer live rat crawler/fuzzy/pup, if refused
#3 offer f/t mouse, if refused
#4 offer live mouse, and cross my fingers.

Just get them to eat and worry about any switching later.