| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| cobweb251 |
Posted - 04/04/2013 : 10:24:54
Hi everyone, I recently went to restock on mice for albi and the shop had run out the only alternative were rats. He is currently on mice smalls, so i bought some rat flufss, The first one was huge... surprised he managed it but he did the others were slighty smaller.
Getting to the question, What is more healthy for the snake, mice or rat, or doesnt it not matter?
Thanks |
| 12 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Lee |
Posted - 13/04/2013 : 12:02:39
I feed him weaner rats now and because of his size I'm not bothered about him not eating, other than wasting the poor little buggers who died so he can feed!
He is always roaming and loves to come out, constantly rubbing the glass, which is probably why he shed twice recently. I did put a small piece of wood from the females viv in with him and he seemed to calm down, kept messing with the wood and curling up on it, bless him. She's gravid so i can't introduce them yet. She's not eating either, been 8 weeks for her too, I wish she would lay and get back to normal, there is only 1 egg in there it seems. |
| Kellog |
Posted - 12/04/2013 : 11:32:58
quote:
Originally posted by Lee
I have a 4 year old male who had been fed on rats for years before I got him, he won't even entertain a mouse, no chance! I've tried loads of times and always ended up throwing them in the bin. I guess he's just fussy now, which doesn't help as he hasn't eaten for 8 weeks. He is a big snake so I think he has been overfed as the previous owner said he had a small rat each week, which is far too much.
The not eating at this time of year is normal Lee, Kellog hasn't fed since the beginning of February except for a small mouse I managed to tempt him with. It's a natural fast because of it being breeding season. I'm guessing he's roaming the viv and trying to escape as well.
As long as you are keeping an eye on his weight, and making sure he doesn't lose too much, he'll be fine. If he's been on rats weekly then it could be that he needs to lose a bit of weight  ! I'm glad you're aware of the need to feed him less as he's on rats. He isn't the only snake I've heard of who won't touch mice once they've had rats. Nothing you can do about it I'm afraid, unless you want to dress a mouse up in rat skin  . But he won't come to any harm eating them as long as he's being fed correctly....and it sounds as though he is  .
Xxx
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| Lee |
Posted - 11/04/2013 : 22:04:38
I have a 4 year old male who had been fed on rats for years before I got him, he won't even entertain a mouse, no chance! I've tried loads of times and always ended up throwing them in the bin. I guess he's just fussy now, which doesn't help as he hasn't eaten for 8 weeks. He is a big snake so I think he has been overfed as the previous owner said he had a small rat each week, which is far too much. |
| Red123 |
Posted - 11/04/2013 : 20:07:46
If feeding rats leave longer between feeds. I actually vary feeding sometimes its mice sometimes rats. I like to have the choice of what to feed so always offer new snakes rats and mice from the start. Spencer is the exception. He was nearly 3 years old when I took him and he had never been fed rats. He will not go anywhere near rats, rattles his tail and has a right hissy fit. I think offering the occasional rat is a good thing. |
| Sta~ple |
Posted - 06/04/2013 : 14:28:29
Mice, feeding rats you have to adjust how often you feed for most which can be tricky otherwise you can end up with a pork cylinder of snake. |
| herriotfan |
Posted - 05/04/2013 : 15:14:15
quote:
Originally posted by Criminal Nails
For three meals I really wouldn't worry. But anyways, here's some nutrient tables for rats and mice. It can come in quite handy :)
http://www.pawsforthought.co.uk/index.php?main_page=page&id=69
Thanks for sharing that link.
Very interesting.  |
| Criminal Nails |
Posted - 05/04/2013 : 12:55:09
For three meals I really wouldn't worry. But anyways, here's some nutrient tables for rats and mice. It can come in quite handy :)
http://www.pawsforthought.co.uk/index.php?main_page=page&id=69 |
| Kellog |
Posted - 04/04/2013 : 12:02:03
Well done for leaving him the week between feeds, it's what he will have needed. It is tough when your normal supplier doesn't have what you need. Any way you can ring them in advance, so they can get the mice in for when you need them? I always check with P@H first and they've been great, because I've got a snake that I've had to bring up by grams rather than prey size....so I ring them and tell me what grammage of fluff I need and they sort it out for me.
It really is amazing how big a prey item they can eat. I've had snakes for quite a few years now and still am amazed when I watch them eat .
Xxx
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| cobweb251 |
Posted - 04/04/2013 : 11:45:18
Thank you Kellog, yeah he has only had 3 so should be fine, i have been leaving for a full week between feeds, saying fluffs i meant fuzzy so apologies for the confusion. I have uploaded a video of the first one he had. It was a big example but he managed it ok the others, were smaller. |
| Kellog |
Posted - 04/04/2013 : 11:30:52
I tend to agree with Herriotfan, although I know some people do feed their snakes on rats and its fine....you just have to allow a larger gap between feeds. The rat equivalent of a small mouse would be a rat fuzzy (9 - 20g)....not sure where the rat fluff comes in. As far as I know, the rat pups don't have the equivalent nutrient level as adult mice....they can't as they're not on solid food. As you've discovered though, they are fatter and bigger. Some people have had an issue with getting their snakes to eat mice after they've been on rats, but hopefully that won't be an issue with Albi as he's only had a few feeds on them.
Just make sure that whatever you give him, rat or mice, is never more than 1.5 times wider than his widest part and he'll be fine eating it.
Xxx
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| cobweb251 |
Posted - 04/04/2013 : 11:03:28
Thank you you, Will be going back to mice next week. (he has only had 3 rat fluffs)
quote:
Originally posted by herriotfan
Mice are preferable. Rats have more fat content.
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| herriotfan |
Posted - 04/04/2013 : 11:00:21
Mice are preferable. Rats have more fat content. |
