mice not big enough for my ball python

[link]

Question for any1 who wants to answer, cant get mice big enough for my ball python just wondering if i shoulds try her on rats or just double up and feed her two mice a week ?

[will5185]

Definitely go to rats I have mine on med size

[gonesnakee]

All BPs should be started on rats from their first meal onward, that said I know some folks got them as mouse feeders.
Switch that thing over ASAP or be prepared to feed it 10 at a time as an adult, instead of a couple rats.
Skip a few feedings prior offering a rat, do so at nioght & make sure it is warmed right up & offer it via a quick tease feed & if it doesn;t grab it right off leave it with the snake.
Hopefully yours will switch easily for you as once fed nothing but mice their whole lives its not always an easy switch.
The hungrier the snake the better, don;t feed it for a couple months if thats waht it takes.
A healthy BP on adult mice should be fine with nothing for quite a few months with no ill effects, Mark

[Reptile_Reptile]

why are rats better can you give me some pro' and conns

[Freebody]

they have more muscle to bone ratio, which mean they have more protien per gram of rat they eat.

[Reptile_Reptile]

so its like steak instead of chips?

[Freebody]

umm not sure what you mean, its like eatting a rib of chicken and a breast of chicken, ribs got all the bones but a breast of the same size will have much more meat on it at the same weight.

[Reptile_Reptile]

lol steak is good for you (sorta) and full of protein chips are fillers (like sun chips, sour cream and onion ect. ect.) and are no good for you really----- I.E. our analogizes(no idea if this is correct spelling) are relatively the same in meaning. so thanks for answering me in such a timely and efficient manner :) really ty

[gonesnakee]

As I just mentioned in another thread a half dozen mice likely have more fat content in them than one rat thats the same overall weight.
Plus having to feed say 6 items vs one & the 6 mice will likely cost more as well.
There is the 6 lives vs one arguement as well.
Also some snakes will only take one or two prey items per feed so if they are too small the meal may not be cutting it "meat" wise resulting in a smaller specimen, Mark

[Freebody]

oh i didnt read the threat, i didnt know rats were leaner as well as the whole bone thing, thats all i read when i looked it up a long time ago, or maybe i did and i just forgot about it. thx now i got to learn somthing out of this as well :)

[Reptile_Reptile]

ok i'm going to out stock myself then go and grab some pre killed rats

[link]

ok folks got her some rats just need a couple of tips if you dont mind gave her first rat but she keeps turning her nose up just wondered should i brain it and see if takes it then or anything else i should try

[percey39]

Try scenting a rat with a mouse ( rub a mouse all over the rat )

[link]

went to bed got up this morning and the rat has gone she ate it thank god panic over

[marvelfreak]

Sweet way to start the day off. Congrats:)

[annieb_mice]

Don't you just LOVE that? LOL!! You're in worry mode when you go to bed and when you're like that, you rarely get a decent nights sleep... then you wake up the next morning and POOF! Worry all gone! :D I swear they do that just to mess with us... ;)

[shaunyboy]

All BPs should be started on rats from their first meal onward, that said I know some folks got them as mouse feeders.
Switch that thing over ASAP or be prepared to feed it 10 at a time as an adult, instead of a couple rats.
Skip a few feedings prior offering a rat, do so at nioght & make sure it is warmed right up & offer it via a quick tease feed & if it doesn;t grab it right off leave it with the snake.
Hopefully yours will switch easily for you as once fed nothing but mice their whole lives its not always an easy switch.
The hungrier the snake the better, don;t feed it for a couple months if thats waht it takes.
A healthy BP on adult mice should be fine with nothing for quite a few months with no ill effects, Mark


as folk on here know i am of the same way of thinking as mark when it comes to feeding

all my carpets get started on rats and stay on rats

an adult carpet or ball python for that matter will be better off eating 1 medium or large rat per meal time than 5 to 10 mice

thats why imo its always best to stick to rats

cheers shaun

[TylerWortman]

Link I hope it wasn't a live rat you left over night. Very bad decision to leave a live rat in a cage overnight they will eat your snake up.....

[Lankyrob]

Link I hope it wasn't a live rat you left over night. Very bad decision to leave a live rat in a cage overnight they will eat your snake up.....

He is in the UK, feeding live is illegal without veterinary support/permission so is umlikey.

[annieb_mice]

Illegal to feed live there?! WOW!! That would be a great law to have here! It would never get passed of course... but still... :) It may put a stop to a lot of those idiots filming their lizards tearing a live mouse fuzzy in two and then laughing about it! :(

[Lankyrob]

Unless the predator is at risk of death through starvation, which is where thenvet permission comes in, it is considered cruel to the prey item to be put into a situation where it cannot escape being eaten. The Royal Society for the Protection of Animals would prosecute, likely to get a large fine and possibly lose your right to own reptiles in the future.

[shaunyboy]

He is in the UK, feeding live is illegal without veterinary support/permission so is umlikey.


thats a common misconception rob

it is NOT illegal to feed live in the uk

it is only illegal to cause an animal un due suffering

if you have exhausted all other methods on a non feeding snake it is perfectly legal to feed live.

with or without a vets concent

if you have a snake that will only take live then its ok to keep live feeding

i personally do not live feed but i feel there is a place for it in our hobby

ive never heard of a case where they have prosocuted one of those idiots on you tube filming uneccsary live feeds

also you have NO LEGAL requirement to allow the rspca entry into your home

unless they have went to the trouble of getting a warrent from the courts and a policeman to enforce it

any other time if they chap your door and ask to see your collection you can legally say no and close your door on them.

cheers shaun

[Lankyrob]

thanks for clearing that up shaun about live feeding - shows the problem with taking one persons word as gospel!

With regard to the warrant requirement tho - the latest changes to the animal protection law means that if an RSPCA officer is refused entry to a property where they REASONABLY BELIEVE there to be cruelty taking place they no longer need a warrant - they just request a police officer to accomapany them. It is then a case of obstruction if you refuse to allow the police officer and rspca inspector into the house. The crime then is "obstructing a police officer during the course of their duties".

[link]

No frozen always dont mind doing frozen live i would only do if there was no other choice