good idea or not?

[Bartman]

Alright I was talking to someone at the newmarket show and he told me in order to get my stuborn bp onto rats all I need to do is scent it with gerbel litter.

I wasnt sure if this was a good idea just because would this not get him addicted to the scent. Then every feeding I would need to scent his meal.

The thing is im getting desperate lol and he doesnt even think of rats as food! Ive scented and everything and the only way he will eat a rat is if i trick him and give him a mouse first and then as he's finishing place the rat their..then he just keeps on goin.

He is becomming way to big for the mice and I dont want to watch him for half an hour everytime he eats so do you guys suggest using his idea or do you have something else i can try?

Thx in advance.
cheers

[Tim_Cranwill]

Don't even offer him food for a couple months and then offer a small live rat just after he sheds.

[Bartman]

should it be p/k?

[Tim_Cranwill]

No... live.

[Bartman]

but then wont he be attached to only eating live...its not really easy for me to get live...

[lostwithin]

If you get a stubborn ball too go from refusing any rats too eating live your doing good. Waiting a while then offering live rats would be the best way too go in my opinion. The other thing you could try is through in a small mouse too get the feeding response up then a rat as soon as the mouse is nailed. But I would worry about getting it onto rats then move too pre killed rats. It unfortunately has too be done one step at a time.

Devon

[Tim_Cranwill]

I just acquired an adult female ball python a few weeks ago who "only ate mice". After correcting some husbandry mistakes (i.e. giving her the proper setup), I left her alone for a few days, offered her a live small rat and... BAM! 5 days later I offered her a f/t rat and... BAM!

That's the best case scenario but it <i>can</i> play out like that. I might take a few more tires with some...

[Bartman]

Thanks for that..keeps my hopes up. So I wont feed him for another 2 weeks since he hasnt eatin for a week already. Should I wait more or less?

[mykee]

I would try putting your ball into a smaller rubbermaid and then offering a live rat pup or rat weanling RESPONSIBLY. Good luck.

[Bartman]

Yea thats what I am going to do...watch him eat but how will I know when I need to take the rat out. Will it be obvious like my snake moving away because I dont want the sign to be a bite..how can I prevent a bite really even when im watching though?? I dont like feeeding live....