rats or mice

**EL Ziggy** · 06-17-13, 07:19 PM

Hey everybody, I hope you are all well. Just wanted to hear some thoughts on what y'all feed your kings, milks and corns. My king Caesar is on f/t mice fuzzies right now and should be moving up to hoppers soon. I know kings can live their entire lives on a diet of strictly mice. I have noticed however that rats are a bit larger and I would think more nutritious. Am I right about this? Is there anything else I can feed him or supplements that might be good for him? I want him to reach optimal growth. On another note, can snakes alternate between live prey and f/t? Thanks as always for any helpful input.

Starbuck · 06-17-13, 07:55 PM

you can presumably feed a king rats; though for a colubrid much under 5 feet i really dont see the point, unless small rats are much cheaper than large mice wherever you are located.
All of my snakes eat mice, and i dont plan to switch any to rats (its cheaper for me to buy 200 f/t mice and everyone eats the same size then rats).

It really comes down to the size of your snake. If you decide to feed rats, you may need a longer interval between feedings. I honestly dont think feeding small rats vs large mice will impact a small colubrid's growth that much (there is a whole thread r.e. rats vs mice somewhere on here, though it mostly deals with balls). Your snake will reach his intended growth with a steady feeding schedule and good husbandry, period.

I know of zero supplements that would ever be needed for a physiologically healthy snake. Whole-animal diets (where the animal eats the entire prey item at each feeding) are exceptionally well balanced. They are evolved to eat the entire thing, and dont need any 'help' from us. This does start to break down when you feed morbidly obese mice, or sickly, thin mice/rats etc. If your snake gets to a size where it needs XL mice, you may wish to consider rats for that reason.

Many snakes can and will eat both F/t and live (especially kings), though you always run the risk of the snake being injured by the prey when live, having to keep a live rodent in your house if the snake refuses food, and the snake then refusing to eat f/t again. You really need to ask yourself why bother switching it up, unless its an issue of availability (you cant get f/t or something). Even then, i would advise stunning/fresh-killing the prey beforehand.

Amadeus · 06-17-13, 09:10 PM

Rats are more nutritious in imo because they have a bigger bone structure and what not.

Once Caesar gets to small mice/big hoppers rat pups could be introduced.

**EL Ziggy** · 06-17-13, 09:15 PM

Sounds like pretty good advice Starbuck. I'll take heed. Thanks a mill.

**EL Ziggy** · 06-17-13, 09:17 PM

The rats were a bit more expensive.

**EL Ziggy** · 06-17-13, 09:19 PM

And as soon as I get my MBK here soon, I can keep everybody on the same diet.

Lankyrob · 06-18-13, 04:15 AM

My young corns eat mice, my adult corn eats rats, they are easier for me to get hold of than giant mice

sweatshirt · 06-18-13, 04:20 AM

I always hear that it depends on the size your snake will get. If you're feeding a colubrid people say to feed mice, because usually they only require large mice in adulthood.

I also believe that an adult mouse would have better nutrition than a rat pup, right?

I feed my baby boa rats only because she'll be too big for x-large mice one day and I don't want to get her hooked on mice? I just do what the great interwebs tell me :P

Lankyrob · 06-18-13, 04:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweatshirt

I always hear that it depends on the size your snake will get. If you're feeding a colubrid people say to feed mice, because usually they only require large mice in adulthood.

I also believe that an adult mouse would have better nutrition than a rat pup, right?

I feed my baby boa rats only because she'll be too big for x-large mice one day and I don't want to get her hooked on mice? I just do what the great interwebs tell me :P

My corn eats 125g rats, certainly not pups as to my mind they arent developed enoug to be nutritionally equivalent to adult mice.