Minnows

[LeapinLeo]

Are minnows okay for garter snakes?

[rwgsnakes]

what kind of minnows? rosie red minnows, fat heads, shiners what?

in general minnows are okay its goldfish that you want to stay away from.

[LeapinLeo]

Well Im not really sure but whatever type would be in MN in Lakes or ponds

[Cazador]

Whenever you feed live food (worms, fish, amphibs, mammals), you're taking a chance that you'll transfer parasites to your snake. I admit that I occasionally do it, but I also check their feces for signs of parasites. You could reduce the chances of transferring parasites by freezing the fish for at least 3-4 days before thawing them and feeding them to your snake. I do this MUCH more often. Without knowing the species of "minnow" it's hard to say if they would have the thiaminase enzyme to which Justin is referring. If you fed them sparingly (every 3rd or 4th meal at most), they wouldn't cause a B1 deficiency, even if they contained thiaminase. I'd stay away from very spinous fish, like stickleback, catfish, or bluegill though.

Rick

[Lee]

I feed goldfish/rosys in the winter when hes hibernating he can eat when he wants they live for awhile. Mice I buy frozen if he doesnt eat I have to dispose of it because he usually isnt as hungry. Summer he loves his mice!

[RedSided]

As entertaining and novel as it may be to watch them eat, goldfish are generally a no no.They aren't nutritionally sound enough, a bit like a person eating carboard realy.

Perhaps you could scent the mice with fish to encourage all year round eating?

[zirliz]

My Garters love alll sorts of Tetra's and white cloud mountain minnows can't get any other kinds of minnows here, one question how many should a garter get? I prefer the bigger fish than small ones for mine.

[LeapinLeo]

If I catch any I will post pics of them and maybe you guys will be able to tell me lol

[zirliz]

The only wild fish mine ever ate were Stickle backs from science lab just a feeding experiment with Daphina, I cut off the spines before feeding them, also got Fire salamanders and tadpoles similar ways some didn't make it but garters didn't complain

[poissonguppy]

When you feed your snake live fish, do you use the water the pet store gave you, or use some dechlorinated water from the tap?

[Cazador]

To be honest, if I buy fish from a pet store, I put them in my aquarium and try to minimize the amount of pet store water that enters my tank. I just put the fish in their water bowl when I'm ready. Then I clean the water bowl and change the water. To be completely honest, sometimes I even trap wild fish and feed them to my snakes. It would be irresponsible for me to recommend doing that, but it's the truth. I also know that it increases the risk of transferring parasites that have to be dealt with before brumation.

Rick

[GGarter]

All these minnow names...:confused:

Does one of you guys know the scientific names of the different minnows?

I would especially like to know the name of the rosie reds....

Tore

[Cazador]

I've seen them reported as Pimephalas promelas (aka flathead minnows), but not all flathead minnows are reddish. I also wonder if different people don't sometimes call different fish rosie reds, too?

Rick