snake food preferences

[kreaturekeeper]

So my ball python is picky with what color her rats are. I have had her for 4 years and she has NEVER eaten a completely white rat. never. It has to at least have a black head to be acceptable. The pet store only had white the other day.. ugh. So i got one thinking maybe its been coincidence. She was very hungry last night cruising around and got very excited when she smelled the rat. She coiled, follows it with her nose but will not strike a white rat. I have left it overnight everything. If the rat has color (especially the head) then BAM.
Anyone else have very particular feeders? or if its common for color preference?

[Mikoh4792]

Originally Posted by Alex.m

So my ball python is picky with what color her rats are. I have had her for 4 years and she has NEVER eaten a completely white rat. never. It has to at least have a black head to be acceptable. The pet store only had white the other day.. ugh. So i got one thinking maybe its been coincidence. She was very hungry last night cruising around and got very excited when she smelled the rat. She coiled, follows it with her nose but will not strike a white rat. I have left it overnight everything. If the rat has color (especially the head) then BAM.
Anyone else have very particular feeders? or if its common for color preference?

Can they tell without seeing it? What about if you feed during night in the dark?

[kreaturekeeper]

I do feed at night with a light glow from a light in the other room so I can see what I'm doing haha. If she smells a rat she is excited. But as soon I dangle a white one in front of her its like she goes "wha...what is.. this. I don't want this."
Even if it is very dark in the room. Even when I heat the head up hot. If I offer her one with a dark head right after the refused white one there is NO hesitation.

[pdomensis]

Try dying a white rat brown!!

[kreaturekeeper]

Is there a type of dye that is safe to be ingested?? haha I don't think so..
I'll just have to buy in bulk when they have dark ones available.
No one else finds weird preferences for their animals, only me?

[franks]

I am not certain that ball pythons can differentiate colors like that. Anybody know? Is it possible that all of the white rats are coming from a different breeder or place?

[kreaturekeeper]

they all come in the same packaging so I have no idea. Like I said when she smells a rat, any rat she is excited. So they smell the same. I thought it was coincidence for the first few years I had her but it's just too much for coincidence haha It doesn't make snse for her to see different colors like that but she won't eat white haha

[pdomensis]

[QUOTE=Alex.m;867073]Is there a type of dye that is safe to be ingested?? haha I don't think so..

LOL. Koolaid, but I wouldn't know how to make brown.

[pdomensis]

I never had a snake with preference issues, but the pet store people would always want to sell me brown mice/rats saying that lots of snakes prefer colored food. I figured they just wanted to sell me more xpensive mice.

[Hurrok]

I have to say, Ball Pythons can be unusually picky so I'm not surprised! One of my bps will only eat live rats, however once they were out of the size we needed so we tried an African Soft Fur which is their native prey. Didn't even touch it!

Just stick to what you know he likes, if you have a supplier you can ask specifically for what coloured rats you need. I know that this is a semi-common thing so give it a try!

[kreaturekeeper]

The people at my pet store don't know anything about reptiles so I always feel like they are looking at me like I'm crazy when I ask for rats with at least dark heads haha But yeah, I guess I know what she likes so I'll stick with it. What a weirdo. If they have dark ones next time I'm in then I'll have to stock up in case they run out again haha

[Lankyrob]

Originally Posted by pdomensis

I never had a snake with preference issues, but the pet store people would always want to sell me brown mice/rats saying that lots of snakes prefer colored food. I figured they just wanted to sell me more xpensive mice.

Our local supplier sells pet rats and feeder rats. Their rule is that only pure white rats (and mice) are used as feeders and only rodents with some colour on them are sold as pets.

[KORBIN5895]

Actually I have heard this several times before. I even had a royal that wouldn't eat a specific color but I don't remember if it was black or white.

[poison123]

I had a blood that only ate white mice the first couple of months of owning it.

[Starbuck]

i used red rubber tongs to present mice to my more excitable king snakes; and one time i had my nails painted red and she was very actively following my hand movements around the cage; but she will eat any/all mice, doesnt care if they are purple or orange or blue :P