Feeding Mice and Rats

Aussie Pythons & Snakes Forum

Help Support Aussie Pythons & Snakes Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Status
Not open for further replies.

Fantazmic

Very Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2010
Messages
2,008
Reaction score
1
Location
Melbourne Vic
Hi Guys

I just have a question

I have a darling little six month jungle and she is currently feeding on mice. I would like to get her on to rats because one day she will be a big girl and I think rats will be far more practical to feed her......trouble is she doesnt like them.......

i have tried freezing them together...that is fuzzy mice in with the pinky rats in the same bag....and defrosting them together......rubbing the pinky rat with the fuzzy mouse to scent it before offering...and she knows every time it isnt a mouse.

She is a good feeder...but doesnt strike her food...she takes it gently...she just doesnt get it when I offer a rat.

I would appreciate any suggestions you can give me in order to get her started on rats.

Regards

Elizabeth
 
I've heard of people cutting off the mouse tail and putting it in the mouth of the rat. You might just have to starve her for a couple of weeks and try again. If she's hungry she might be more inclined to settle for the slight smell of mouse on the rat
 
ill try that next time

fortunately nothing is getting wasted as her brother is a garbage guts.....so i just try her first and then if she wont take it her brother gets it.....but she is miss fussy.....
 
my diamond wouldnt eat frozen rats, only fresh killed. maybe try that if ur upto it
 
I'm not sure if this would work, but you could defrost a mouse first in hot water, then defrost the rat in the same water, so it kind of picks up the scent of the mouse. I've never done it, so I'm not sure if it'd work.

- Justin
 
one of my jungles wouldnt eat rats , i ended up going with the fresh killed rat option and it worked like a treat .
 
If its like my pair switching to rats shouldnt be a issue.They were on small mouse,but i decided to get them on rats as soon as could,as i mainly breed rats,not mice.Most jungles are snappy so switching to rats shouldnt take long,but you can scent a rat with a mouse,95% of the time as long as they are warm,it most likely take them...
 
Hi guys thanks for your suggestions....my problem is she isnt snappy...she is very calm and social...and she literally takes her food like literally no striking at all...her brother on the other hand is a looney and doesnt care whether it is a mouse or rat.....

I will keep trying I am waiting till she gets a bit hungry and am going to try the mouse tail in the rats mouth and see if that works

thanks for the link blue I willl go and do some reading
!!
 
Ive got two jungles the same. never been bitten on struck at. I found they wouldnt eat the first time so fed them a mouse. left them for three weeks then fed them rats. Took to them like a duck to water. Ive always thought, dont hassle them with it because all your going to do is stress them out and they'll be going in the wrong direction.
 
motman makes an excellent point. And hunger alone may do the trick.

A couple of other scenting techniques – cover the head of the rat with feathers. Or dip it into warm chicken broth.

Blue
 
Ive got two jungles the same. never been bitten on struck at. I found they wouldnt eat the first time so fed them a mouse. left them for three weeks then fed them rats. Took to them like a duck to water. Ive always thought, dont hassle them with it because all your going to do is stress them out and they'll be going in the wrong direction.
+1....(agree totally) plus crank their heat up a bit 24hrs. prior to feeding.....solar 17(Baden)
 
Try washing the rat first then scenting with the mouse or give it a small mouse and follow it up with a rat once the mouse is down .
1 of my jungles was brought up on chickens and refused everything while i tried to get her on rats , except for fresh killed rats .
cheers nico
 
Hi guys thanks for all your replies

I froze some pinky rats with some mice and then rubbed the pinky rat with the mouse and got its smell all over it....she suspected something....and gave it a lot of thought...but was hungry enough to it in her dainty way and ate it...yipppeeee....so i hate to say it...she is never going tot taste another mouse again lol

So its all good !!!

Many thanks

Elizabeth
 
Haha that's very good to hear congrats. Just be warned you may still need to scent the rats for a couple more feeds. It took my Bredli a fair few times before he realised the rat scent alone meant it was delicious and edible
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts

Back
Top