Food Question

[Snakeknot]

Bogo has finally decided to eat fish! I'm offering her feeder guppies and they don't last too long. They're also really tiny for her. Can I safely offer her feeder rosies????

Devon

[guidofatherof5]

Bogo has finally decided to eat fish! I'm offering her feeder guppies and they don't last too long. They're also really tiny for her. Can I safely offer her feeder rosies????

Devon

That depends on what you mean by safely.
She won't die from them but over the long term it could cause problems that could claim her life.
A suggestion if I may. Put worm chunks in with the guppies. They will smell like fish and Bogo will down them. Just make sure the worms come in contact with the fish or you use fishy water.
I fool my little scrubs all the time with this method. This way you avoid all Rosie problems.

[ConcinusMan]

Rosie problems? I wasn't aware that there were any problems. Amy and most if not all of the albino babies that Don sells are on rosies. I bought amy from him and all she had ever eaten was rosies. I can't get them so I fed her silversides meat, then fish scented pinky parts, and now she takes unscented pinky parts. She's thriving and growing like a weed.

[Mommy2many]

I was under the impression that rosies are just another type of goldfish. They are all I can get here and in a pinch I have fed them to my snakes. By no means is it in their steady diet. I am more afraid of "bad fish" meaning sick than the thiamanese. Once in awhile I will use them as a "treat".

[Snakeknot]

I'm just relieved she's interested in something other than salamanders! ( They're getting kinda hard to find lately! ) Maybe this is a sign that she might be willing to try OTHER food. Maybe she'll go for pinkie parts soon. THAT I can easily get.

Kids! Don't wanna eat what's good for them!

Devon

[ConcinusMan]

I've had very good luck with getting garters to eat things that they normally wouldn't. You just have to slowly transition or condition them. While salamanders were plentiful, the thing to do would be to get pinkies or pinky parts and thaw them with salamanders. Gradually add more and more pinky parts, and eventually, you won't have to scent them.

Amy at first detected the smell of mice even though I scented them with fish and she refused to eat it. Then once or twice she took the scented pinky parts with some actual fish. then I slowly phased out the fish, and eventually, now, she eats straight pinkies, no scenting necessary.

I've been doing the same thing with my adult concinnus that would only eat fish, worms, etc. It seems to be working.

[Mommy2many]

I have been extremely lucky. My 2 wild caught females have taken to eating anything I put in there with much gusto! The babies have adapted equally as well. I am so happy that things are working for you as well.

[guidofatherof5]

Rosie problems? I wasn't aware that there were any problems..

This is from the care sheet:
The main fish to be wary of is the goldfish. Aside from red wigglers, goldfish may be the worst thing you could possibly feed your snake. Rosy red minnows, also known as flathead minnows also contain thiaminase, although it is rumored to a lesser extent. If possible, they should also be avoided.

[mustang]

Kids! Don't wanna eat what's good for them!

Devon
i learned in enviormental (brief briefly talked about this tho) "good food" like borcholi ect. is somewhat toxic to little children (not lethal) but their bodys defense against t is by making it taste really bad. ill look more into it

[ConcinusMan]

I have got straight from the mouths of the company that makes "Ocean Nutrition" brand silversides. They told me the latin name for the fish and I looked it up. They are arctic pond smelt. Supposedly safe. On the other hand, other brands sometimes use fish that are NOT safe, but still call them silversides.

[mustang]

hey whats in the magic oven today mystery meat?
no mystery fish!

[Snakeknot]

I tried the rosies mixed with earthworm parts yesterday and the first bite she grabbed was earthworm, not fish. She gulped it down and went for another fish. So it seems I can trick her into eating the worms now. She gets so excited when she sees flapping fish! Its really amusing.

Good. Because I was considered releasing her if she didn't switch over. And I really don't want to because she has such a personality!

Devon

[guidofatherof5]

I tried the rosies mixed with earthworm parts yesterday and the first bite she grabbed was earthworm, not fish. She gulped it down and went for another fish. So it seems I can trick her into eating the worms now. She gets so excited when she sees flapping fish! Its really amusing.

Good. Because I was considered releasing her if she didn't switch over. And I really don't want to because she has such a personality!

Devon

Another victory for the flapping fish.:D
I did the same thing to a few of my radix babies last night. They only wanted to eat guppies so I put a bunch of worm chunks in with a couple guppies and some water. The splashing fish triggered a feeding responce. They immediately struck at the fish. Only to grab a chunk of worm. With the worm being covered in fish scent the baby thought it was eating fish and slammed it down.
I've even triggered feeding responces by simply sprinkling fish water on the snake and worm parts. They think the water droplets are fish moving so they strike.
Nice to hear it's working for you and your friend.

[Hollis_Steed]

i tricked my T.s fitchi into eating his first pinkie last night. He, up unitl now, would only take nightcrawlers. I put a piece of night crawler behind a f/t pinkie and handed it to him with a pair of hemostats. he saw (and smelled) the night crawler moving and lunged at it only to get a mouth full of pinkie. He totally went for it! I was so happy! I love it when a plan comes together:D!

[guidofatherof5]

i tricked my T.s fitchi into eating his first pinkie last night. He, up unitl now, would only take nightcrawlers. I put a piece of night crawler behind a f/t pinkie and handed it to him with a pair of hemostats. he saw (and smelled) the night crawler moving and lunged at it only to get a mouth full of pinkie. He totally went for it! I was so happy! I love it when a plan comes together:D!

Nice job, Hannibal.:D

[Hollis_Steed]

nice job, hannibal.:d

lol!:d

[mustang]

glad it worked

[Mommy2many]

Excellent! Another pinkie convert!