guidofatherof5
07-10-2010, 10:55 AM
I found this recipe on Alan Frances' website and thought I would post it here for anyone who would like to see it. Alan's Garter Snakes - Maintenance of Garter Snakes (http://www.gartersnake.co.uk/maintenance.htm#Home-made%20garter%20snake%20food)
I know some of the forum members use and make their own.
Home-made garter snake food
Several years ago I decided to attempt to mass-produce food for my increasingly large collection of garter snakes. I decided that I wanted a diet that was reliably available, and based on whole prey animals, and that could be kept frozen. I live near several trout farms, and have found one that supplies me trout at a good price.
The trout are liquidised and mixed with gelatine and vitamin powder and frozen into blocks, of which a strip can be cut off from frozen.
I have used this method of feeding for three or four years now, and with the exception of my T. cyrtopsis, which are difficult feeders, all my garter snake have had this exclusive diet for that time. I have encountered no problems that I would consider related to this diet, the only unexplained deaths being of some of my albino strain of Florida blue garter snakes, which I consider to be due a genetic defect (see My Collection (http://www.gartersnake.co.uk/mycollection.htm)). Baby Florida blue and Chequered garter snakes have thrived on this diet, and two animals have grown to adult size (and have become gravid) in well under a year.
Please note that I am not advocating that other people use this diet. It has not been tried and tested for long enough to fully exclude long-term problems. I attach the details of how to make it, but accept no responsibility for problems that may occur as a result.
Take 4 whole trout of approx. 8 oz each. These must be gutted in advance (as the intestines contain ingredients that prevent the mixture from setting)
Cut the trout into chunks (this makes liquidising easier), or mince it if you have access to a mincer.
Make the gelatine solution. I use gelatine sachets each designed to set 1 pint of water. I mix 4 of these (i.e. 1 per trout) in a small amount (about 4 fluid oz) of very hot (but not boiling) water until fully dissolved. This is quite tedious and is easier if the container containing the gelatine mixture is placed in a pan of simmering water. The less water you can use to mix the gelatine the better. Do not allow the gelatine to boil, and do not let it cool before step 6.
Warm the trout chunks up gently in a microwave so they are slightly warm but not cooked (if they are too cold the gelatine will set too quickly).
Liquidise (blend) the trout chunks for 2 minutes or more to ensure all bones etc are liquidised.
Add the gelatine to the liquidised trout, add 4 teaspoons of vitamin powder and blend further.
Spread the paste into a suitable container to form a flat layer. I use the tops of clear plastic hatchling boxes.
Leave these in a cool place to set, and wrap foil or cling-film around to stop the mixture drying out.
Once set it can be removed from the container (it should be a semi-solid strip by now) and frozen. I find it helps to cut grooves along it before freezing it, and then you can simply snap off a strip from frozen as required.
When feeding it to snakes, it is easier to cut whilst still frozen, before it goes soft. It is best to put it at the cool end of the cage as it does tend to go soft when warm.
It does take trial and error to get the mixture of gelatine to trout right. These quantities work well for me.
I know some of the forum members use and make their own.
Home-made garter snake food
Several years ago I decided to attempt to mass-produce food for my increasingly large collection of garter snakes. I decided that I wanted a diet that was reliably available, and based on whole prey animals, and that could be kept frozen. I live near several trout farms, and have found one that supplies me trout at a good price.
The trout are liquidised and mixed with gelatine and vitamin powder and frozen into blocks, of which a strip can be cut off from frozen.
I have used this method of feeding for three or four years now, and with the exception of my T. cyrtopsis, which are difficult feeders, all my garter snake have had this exclusive diet for that time. I have encountered no problems that I would consider related to this diet, the only unexplained deaths being of some of my albino strain of Florida blue garter snakes, which I consider to be due a genetic defect (see My Collection (http://www.gartersnake.co.uk/mycollection.htm)). Baby Florida blue and Chequered garter snakes have thrived on this diet, and two animals have grown to adult size (and have become gravid) in well under a year.
Please note that I am not advocating that other people use this diet. It has not been tried and tested for long enough to fully exclude long-term problems. I attach the details of how to make it, but accept no responsibility for problems that may occur as a result.
Take 4 whole trout of approx. 8 oz each. These must be gutted in advance (as the intestines contain ingredients that prevent the mixture from setting)
Cut the trout into chunks (this makes liquidising easier), or mince it if you have access to a mincer.
Make the gelatine solution. I use gelatine sachets each designed to set 1 pint of water. I mix 4 of these (i.e. 1 per trout) in a small amount (about 4 fluid oz) of very hot (but not boiling) water until fully dissolved. This is quite tedious and is easier if the container containing the gelatine mixture is placed in a pan of simmering water. The less water you can use to mix the gelatine the better. Do not allow the gelatine to boil, and do not let it cool before step 6.
Warm the trout chunks up gently in a microwave so they are slightly warm but not cooked (if they are too cold the gelatine will set too quickly).
Liquidise (blend) the trout chunks for 2 minutes or more to ensure all bones etc are liquidised.
Add the gelatine to the liquidised trout, add 4 teaspoons of vitamin powder and blend further.
Spread the paste into a suitable container to form a flat layer. I use the tops of clear plastic hatchling boxes.
Leave these in a cool place to set, and wrap foil or cling-film around to stop the mixture drying out.
Once set it can be removed from the container (it should be a semi-solid strip by now) and frozen. I find it helps to cut grooves along it before freezing it, and then you can simply snap off a strip from frozen as required.
When feeding it to snakes, it is easier to cut whilst still frozen, before it goes soft. It is best to put it at the cool end of the cage as it does tend to go soft when warm.
It does take trial and error to get the mixture of gelatine to trout right. These quantities work well for me.