how to scent one food item with another

ThemandUs · 05-10-05, 05:44 PM

I've never had to scent one item with another before. my snakes have always been good eaters or leaving them alone in a small box with the item has gotten them feeding. but mky carpet is really resisting rats . he will only take mice and its getting annoying. so howm do i scent a rat with a mouse? do i just rub it on it ? het them up together. whats the technique?

also is it true that rats give a snake more weight ?

thanks

Todd

Linds · 05-10-05, 06:07 PM

There are several methods of varying intensity. You can simply rub a mouse or mouse bedding on the rat, you can thaw them together in a baggy, or you can squeeze mouse guts and/or blood on to the rat and rub it around.

ThemandUs · 05-10-05, 06:42 PM

well despite being a guy I'm not all about blood and guts and violent things so i'm going to try and thaw them together in a baggy. thanks for the tips. is it true that rats help build weight and girth ? he seems a bit thin for his age but he's a voracious eater and i feed him regularly.

OldRebl · 05-13-05, 09:03 PM

My carpet is in the same boat. I was wondering if the chicken broth trick might work to get him switched to rats.

Nothing else has worked including getting him good and hungry. I always cave in and give him mice. He will look at the rat but even a mouse sized rat is rejected.

fedupdon · 05-14-05, 04:14 AM

ive had a few snakes that would only eat mice .i was told it was because the were afarid ob being hurt by the rat not sure id belvie that .For the most part mine did finaly switch on its own

Linds · 05-14-05, 08:59 AM

Mice are often favourable to rats by many species by reason of taste, not size. For that reason you usually don't want to routinely switch back and forth between the two once on rats.

How old and how often are you feeding? If your snake doesn't hold on to weight very well depsite proper feedings, it may be fighting with parasites for food. A fecal will rule out anything. Rats do make a bit of difference in growth, but mice are certainly sufficient and it shouldn't make the difference of proper weight in the animal.

Dan_Kaye · 05-21-05, 10:33 PM

hey, i just posted a question in the morelia spilota sectionmy jungle is about a year old and takes down mice no problem, but rats is a different story.
i will try some techniques this weekend
thanks
-Dan