Do you feed your garter snake pinkies?

[chris-uk]

Simple question: Do you feed your garter snake pinkies?

[Didymus20X6]

No, I don't feed my garter snakes pinkies. But it's because they are not locally available, and not because of any ideological issues. Instead, I feed them mostly fish pieces and nightcrawlers.

[chris-uk]

I didn't think about "No, because they aren't available" option Didymus.

Just as background to the poll for everyone. On reptile forums UK, there's a chap who disagreed with me when I said "many" or "most" garter keepers are happy feeding pinkies to garters. So it made me wonder, is my impression that most people do feed pinkies to garters an incorrect assumption based on anecdotal evidence from postings here and on RFUK?

[kimbosaur]

I don't feed pinkies either, but it's not because I think it's "wrong." It's simply because I can't get over the fact that it's a baby mouse. I think that's a pretty common reason for those who don't feed pinkies. Either the individual can't get over the whole frozen rodent thing or there's a family member that's against keeping a pack of mice in the freezer.

I am considering feeding them once in a while as a rare treat though.

[EasternGirl]

I feed pinkies as part of a mixed diet, but I would say that it is the basis for the diet. With my easterns, pinkies are not something that came naturally to them...they had to be conditioned to eat them, as easterns primarily eat worms in the wild. However, now all of my snakes really enjoy pinkies as the main food in their diet, along with fresh fish fillet, and worms occasionally.

[GarterGuy17]

Well my jade only at pinkies at first but now I haven't gone to buy any so its a mixed diet or fish and worms with some pinkies whenever I have them.

[Didymus20X6]

poit narf zort egad!

[ScimitarX]

Always fed my garters mice, never had any problems, and they love them

[ssssnakeluvr]

I use them as part of a mixed diet with fish and worms. wandering garters regularly eat rodents in the wild. :cool:

[kibakiba]

The snakes we catch around here actually do eat mice in the wild. It gets so bone dry that there isn't any worms or slugs, and the only other thing that is plentiful around here is little field mice. They are about the size of a fuzzy, maybe a hopper, when they're fully grown. The babies are the size of my pinky nail, so it's easier for younger garters to eat. Snakey took a pinky without any scenting at all. Mama took them after a while of setting a pinky on top of worms. The rest of them took after a little scenting, but I had them since they were little babies. Pinkies are the main staple in their diet for now, but because of the lack of money and our worm supplier quit.

[infernalis]

Of course I feed pinkie mice & pinkie rats to my garter snakes.

[chris-uk]

Apologies for the slightly skewed negative option, I think should have had an extra one "No, but would if I could (they are unavailable or mice are cute and fluffy)".
I know the result so far is going the way I expected it to, it's kind of confirmed that the majority of garter keepers don't think feeding pinkies is wrong and bad for the snake.

[ConcinusMan]

Definitely not bad for the snakes. Pinkies are densely packed with complete, or nearly complete nutrition. I see very good growth spurts when my garters go on a "run" of pinkies. They can feed less often and get a lot of energy and growth from pinkies. Adult concinnus' love their fish and worms, but certain individuals, mostly large adults, simply cannot resist rat pinkies even during times when they turn their noses away from fish and worms. Those same snakes also seem to have a taste for nestling birds in the spring. Of course, it's not difficult for me to feed them rodents. With exception of squirrels, I find most rodents to be repulsive vermin. Not cute and cuddly to me.

I am, and always will be a great fan of birds too. I love them almost as much as reptiles. Still, I don't find it too difficult to collect nestling birds when the opportunity arises. I of course limit collecting to non-native invasive (to North America) species such as The House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) and The Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) and even then, with their high nestling numbers, I always leave a couple in the nest so the parents don't turn right around and lay 14 more eggs.:rolleyes:

I'm just that way. Love the birds, but I feel that it serves the greater good (for the love of native birds) to destroy and/or collect the offspring of those two species. I love my garters, and they love to eat nestling birds.

I guess my point is, even if I thought mice and rats were "cute and cuddly" (which I don't. I think they're disgusting) I would still have no problem with feeding them to my snakes.:cool:

[kibakiba]

Snappy loves her pinkies... She likes fish mixed with egg too... I use a little egg white with a tiny little bit of the yolk in it, and heat it up in the microwave until its sort of like scrambled eggs, and then add some fish in after it's cooled and give that to the snakes as a little treat and variety.

[EasternGirl]

I would bet money Cee Cee would eat a live large mouse if one ran by her....I would put a lot of money down on that. Of course, Cee Cee would probably try to eat my cat too if she could get him in her mouth.

[dieselbaby]

I feed my checkereds a mixed diet of cut up pinkie, cut up nightcrawlers, and locally caught trout. Sometimes i mix it all together in one meal and let them choose, but they usually lick the plate clean. Pinkies and trout may not be natural to them, but they sure do love it, and are growing like weeds, and seem very healthy.

[gregmonsta]

I offer a majority fish diet. Given the choice I find their preference to be for fish. Some of my snakes don't seem to enjoy the feel of pinkies. My male sirtalis (Florida blue) is in a phase where he tends to mouth them and then let them go. I've noticed about half of my males refusing to choose pinkies from time to time.

[mb90078]

I only give them very rarely. Easier and more cost effective to give them fish and worms...not to mention fish and worms are a larger part of their natural diet.

[Selkielass]

All my snakes, including my Butlers, have learned to relish rodents. They have been an important suppliment this winter as the quality of available worms has declined.

[Thamnophis]

I only feed my pregnant women about once per month a pinkie. All the other snakes get mainly fish and every now and then a bit of chicken heart together with the fish (mainly smelt - Osmerus eperlanus).
Juveniles that will not eat or are slow eaters get a kick start with salmon.