Rats vs. Mice

[ladyjustice33]

Okay guys, I'm sure this has been asked before but I couldn't find anything. I'm going to be getting about 5 months supply of frozen rodents next weekend and my question is. Are rats more nutritious for snakes than mice. My little corn is scarfing down mice pinkies very quickly and someone recommended trying rat pinkies soon. If I did that, I thought about getting rats in the appropriate sizes for my other snakes also. Personally, I'll just stick with mice unless rats have more nutritional value or something. I've been reading online but some say yes and others say no.

[Snakefood]

rats have a higher fat content than mice, so for a growing or breeding snake they are good. (according to Khuno's breeder) for maintenance diets for adult non-breeders, mice seems to be the concensus.

[Lankyrob]

For corns mice are best for life as they dont need the added nutrients that rats bring and are prone to getting fat at adult size.

Most boas/pythons however seem to do better with rats as they need a bigger meal to fill them up and it is easier to say give an adult JCP one xl rat than 8 or 9 mice.

[Jay]

Rob nailed it.

[ladyjustice33]

K got it. I'll leave the corns on mice and start introducing rats to the boas.
Thanks again guys!

[stephanbakir]

This will break it down for you.
Nutrition Feeder Mice | Nutrient Composition of Feeder Animals (http://www.rodentpro.com/qpage_articles_03.asp)

[infernalis]

I feed most of my colubrids rat pups, they seem to thrive on them..

[ladyjustice33]

I'm probably gonna get some mice and rats.......maybe they will like a little variety, lol !

[infernalis]

I'm probably gonna get some mice and rats.......maybe they will like a little variety, lol !

This is actually smart, if you raise a snake to take either, then your options broaden, meaning if rat pups are on sale, capitalize on the sale.

I bought 300 frozen rat pinks for 15 cents each on sale once, even my larger garter snakes took them with gusto.

a month later "fuzzy mice" were on sale, same size meal.. so that's what I ordered.

In this economy, saving every penny counts.

[SnakeyJay]

So true wayne.....

[stephanbakir]

This is actually smart, if you raise a snake to take either, then your options broaden, meaning if rat pups are on sale, capitalize on the sale.

I bought 300 frozen rat pinks for 15 cents each on sale once, even my larger garter snakes took them with gusto.

a month later "fuzzy mice" were on sale, same size meal.. so that's what I ordered.

In this economy, saving every penny counts.
Damn... I pay 95cents per pinky here... and 5-7$ per XXL.

[millertime89]

****, the only place here that sells frozen pinkies have the priced at 1.40ish

[Snakefood]

when I have to pay (if I don't have the right size in stock myself) I pay $0.40/ mouse pinkie and $0.71 for rat pinkies

[BlindOne]

I prefer to get all my animals over on rats, as I breed them myself. It's not usually a problem.

I also feel that they get more of a meal from the rat, less fur involved. Haven't actually computed the sq inches of skin vs weight but it works for me!

:)

[Snakefood]

Ananta is on rats right now as Khuno's breeder says she is both a)too small for her age and; b) even in girth v lenght ratio, her girth is not enough.

Khuno is on mice pinks righ now as (even tho the breeder said ok to use rats during his growth time) there is no rat pink small enough!!

[Valvaren]

You guys are lucky that all your feeders are so cheap! I was paying 12 dollars for a small rat :\

[Snakefood]

:eek: PARDON ME!!! we don't even pay that much here for a fancy rat in a pet store!!

That's crazy!! with only Khuno on mice, it is not worth my even breeding them. Ananta's food is next to nothing as I breed fancy rats for both snake food and for pets. The snake food I breed is actually the larger prey like rabbit and chicken. And I also have access to other med-lrg sized prey items. (ironically enough I have little to no interest in the size of snakes that would eat the food I breed (other than rats of course!!)):rolleyes:

[Will0W783]

Wow- I thought mice had a higher fat % than rats....guess I was backwards...

[ladyjustice33]

Wow, I can't believe the price some are having to pay for rodents. I use a breeder in Louisiana that has very reasonable rates and he ships. If you want the info, private message me. Not going to post it here, cause I think that is against the rules???......and better safe than sorry!!!

[infernalis]

Wow, I can't believe the price some are having to pay for rodents. I use a breeder in Louisiana that has very reasonable rates and he ships. If you want the info, private message me. Not going to post it here, cause I think that is against the rules???......and better safe than sorry!!!

I have always allowed feeder sources to be linked... we all have to feed our animals.

[millertime89]

I would order online, but most of the ones I find only allow them to be ordered in bags of 50, 100 or more and well, as he grows, I don't think I'll need 50 of any one size, and with only one snake at the moment, I don't want to keep extras in the freezer for too long.

[Snakefood]

This will break it down for you.
Nutrition Feeder Mice | Nutrient Composition of Feeder Animals (http://www.rodentpro.com/qpage_articles_03.asp)


I read this over, very interesting!! But (correct me if I am wrong) but it looks like they are listing mice at having more fat than the rat at certain life stages: ie:

Mouse Juvi @ 30.1%
Rat Juvi @ 27.5%


The adult mouse vs rat fat ratio is more what I expected, the mouse is leaner.