| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| nok1888 |
Posted - 30/11/2010 : 12:26:02
Well its official Orlina will NOT take a rat!
I tried a rat = nothing
mouse = took it no probs
rat = nothing
mouse = took it no probs
rat = nothing
mouse = nothing (im sure it was the smell of the rat)
rat one last time = nothing
Yet she WAS waiting for more, when I went into the viv with the rat she creeped up on it but as soon as she smelled it she was offski. I left it an hour between offers
All the mice and rat were in a tub with hamster bedding which didnt work but then again it didnt smell of anything.
So Ive been thinking (yes it does happen....occasionally ), that I might try hamsters. I heard they liked them but what I want to know is are they good enough for them because if not I dont want her to get a taste for them.
Multi's are out, I dont have the freezer room for the amount you need to order. Ive never found anyone that sells in small quantities spose they would defrost |
| 17 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Royalbob |
Posted - 06/12/2010 : 14:44:52
yep rats straight away. Have a mouse feeding female who will take the ocasional rat. |
| Blackecho |
Posted - 06/12/2010 : 10:49:19
From hatching for me, straight onto Rat Pups, so never too early. |
| wiseman94 |
Posted - 06/12/2010 : 10:22:28
On a slightly different note at what age/sizze would you start trying to convert to rats? |
| BobJ420 |
Posted - 05/12/2010 : 18:47:43
You could try scenting the rat with a mouse see if that helps, I'm just beginning to try and get Mary on rats but she seems pretty set in her ways so far but I'll keep on trying til I crack it. |
| n/a |
Posted - 02/12/2010 : 20:13:43
quote:
Originally posted by Royalbob
quote:
Originally posted by Blackecho
I have a couple taking 200g rats.
they must be some nice chunky royals.
They must be some nice chunky rats!! |
| Royalbob |
Posted - 02/12/2010 : 15:55:53
quote:
Originally posted by Blackecho
I have a couple taking 200g rats.
they must be some nice chunky royals. |
| n/a |
Posted - 30/11/2010 : 20:38:15
quote:
Originally posted by nok1888
It seems funny, do dont really associate snakes having taste buds or maybe thats just me lol
I'll leave off the mice and offer weaners for 3-4 weeks every 5 days until she takes them and move to every 7 days and if still no joy I'll try the smaller rats and build her up, is it fluffs that are the size down from weaners?
Thing is if she reaches 2kgs+ that will be 8 xl mice and I aint sitting 8 hours feeding lol (she takes mice an hour apart and no sooner)
Out of interest how big can Royals take rat size? I know it depends on the size of snake but in average size what size should they be on?
P.s BATS you must be the first person ive EVER heard of that keeps pet crickets lol
LOL - they're supposed to help with insomnia ... tweet tweet, tweet tweet ... |
| Blackecho |
Posted - 30/11/2010 : 20:37:02
I have a couple taking 200g rats. |
| nok1888 |
Posted - 30/11/2010 : 20:35:12
It seems funny, do dont really associate snakes having taste buds or maybe thats just me lol
I'll leave off the mice and offer weaners for 3-4 weeks every 5 days until she takes them and move to every 7 days and if still no joy I'll try the smaller rats and build her up, is it fluffs that are the size down from weaners?
Thing is if she reaches 2kgs+ that will be 8 xl mice and I aint sitting 8 hours feeding lol (she takes mice an hour apart and no sooner)
Out of interest how big can Royals take rat size? I know it depends on the size of snake but in average size what size should they be on?
P.s BATS you must be the first person ive EVER heard of that keeps pet crickets lol |
| n/a |
Posted - 30/11/2010 : 19:51:01
quote:
Originally posted by Bladerunner
Sorry for the newbie question, but why do you want her to eat rats? Is it just because it's a larger meal?
Yes - when full grown the snake, if it stays on mice, will require several large mice as a meal weighing 10/15% of its body weight as opposed to a large rat. Plus rats are more nutritious than mice for royals and royals can get 'addicted' to mice and will forever refuse rats.
Nok, I sympathise - I fear Shahi is going to be a 'mouse junkie' although I WILL keep on trying, and, dare I say it, my new girl, Surahi, will only take large mice. (I reckon she's set in her ways and at her age won't try to change her over now.) At the price I get them (less than 50p each) it will cost me less per feed than a small weaner rat from a local shop, but if I had to buy them from a shop, she would be a very dear snake (well she is!)
Yes, BE, I hang my head in shame...
Yes, rats ARE best, and we should really try our best to get the snakes on to rats! |
| Bladerunner |
Posted - 30/11/2010 : 19:38:59
Sorry for the newbie question, but why do you want her to eat rats? Is it just because it's a larger meal? |
| reptiledanny |
Posted - 30/11/2010 : 19:30:18
some just dont like rats, both mine took rats as soon as i offered them lol just some seem to not like them
like BE sed just go cold turkey for a few weeks and hopefully they will realise that they will not get anything else
have you tried defrosting the rat with the mouse (what am i on about, u prob have lol) |
| Blackecho |
Posted - 30/11/2010 : 18:50:39
Go cold turkey on the mice for a few weeks at least. |
| nok1888 |
Posted - 30/11/2010 : 18:44:27
Thats what Ive been doing m8, Ive even when defrosting, put a mouse at either side of the rat and one on top to see if the smells would get into the rat but still nothing she's no daft lol even left one in her viv over night, not keen on trying that again it was stinking when i went to take it out lol yesterday i lay them over hamster bedding and put a cup of the bedding in her viv hoping the smells would get her going. Ive been offering weaners but maybe see if there is a smaller one the size of the mice see if it works
I'd swear that she's scared of rats, once she smells them she retreats and if I go closer to it she curls over the top of the hide trying to get away from it. Ive never hurt her or rammed one in her face or anything. the closest i got was just to touch her nose with the fur to see if it kicked in the strike but nothing works and i certainly aint trying live to start her, couldnt do it to her incase of injury (ok very soft hearted when it comes to animals too lol). I thought of braining one but dont want her to get to used to that its not something i'd want to do every feed. Just a pity the shop cant get multi's even though they are dearer it wouldnt bother me spending extra to see her get what she needs |
| heaton177 |
Posted - 30/11/2010 : 18:21:21
what i done when i was trying to convert was got the smaller down rats and mice and gave him a mouse 1st and then offered the rat after s/he has ate th mice and done that for a bit and started offering him just rats :)
and if he didnt take the rat i used to keep re warming it and offered her the same 1 at around 5 times n then left it in the viv to see if he changed his mind :)
try that out and see if it works.
chris |
| nok1888 |
Posted - 30/11/2010 : 14:21:45
I usually go in every 7 days to feed but left it 10 days this time to see if it helped but nix. I thought of only offering rats for a few weeks to see if she got hungry enough to take them then she might learn thats all there is but dont know if thats ok. Ive offered a rat every week since 2 weeks after we got her, but always gave her mice if she didnt take it, only took 1 once a day after she shed and 2 mice then never ate for 4 weeks after that
On a strange note, Orlina had 2 xl mice last night and everytime she feeds you never see her for 2 days but after 2 hours after her feed my wife looked in the viv and Orlina headed straight for the door to come out. When she see's me me she freezes but as soon as she see's my wife she's straight out to the door waiting to come out but considering she just fed I thought it strange, maybe because she had a small feed I dono.
I know in the winter they feed less but she's still out looking every week so I know she wants something.
Do you think I should offer only rats every 5 days for 6 weeks to see if she finally takes them? |
| Blackecho |
Posted - 30/11/2010 : 13:01:14
How long between mice?
How many times did she refuse the rat?
i.e. every 5 days for 6 weeks or so would give you 8 attempts before trying a mouse again. |
