Rosy reds ok to feed?

[HazAnga]

Hey I'm just wondering if it's ok to feed rosy red feeders to garters, they are like a small minnow. I know guppies are ok to feed them and gold fish arn't. So I'm just wondering if it's ok or not, before i go ahead and risk the chance of parasites.

[guidofatherof5]

No, Rosie's contain thiaminaze.
They would be ok for scenting purposes.
Fathead minnow - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fathead_minnow)

[mb90078]

Once or twice, sure. As a regular staple, no.

As said above they contain something that is harmful to their digestion/nutrient absorption process.

As far as the parasites go, guppies can carry them as well. Not saying you absolutely shouldn't use them either, but it's something to be aware of.

[infernalis]

Once you can get them eating thawed out frozen fish from the grocery store, it's best to just stick with it.

$6 will get you a really big package of Tilapia.

Not to mention it's a whole lot easier to keep on hand.

[HazAnga]

ok thanks guys, I'll stay away from them and keep with the guppies/ frozen fish/ shopped up pinkies/ and worm. lol

[ConcinusMan]

I hear they're not OK and yet every snake I ever got from Don was fed rosies and nothing else until I got them. As far as I know, all his babies are on them.

[snakeman]

All of mine as well.I use roseys stuffed with reptomin until the can eat small pinks.rodents from then on.

I hear they're not OK and yet every snake I ever got from Don was fed rosies and nothing else until I got them. As far as I know, all his babies are on them.

[ConcinusMan]

Why use the rosies at all?

[KITKAT]

Rosey Reds are the same species as minnows, and contain thiaminase. They are generally not safe to feed.

The following fish species are safe (among others):

Bluegill strips
salmon strips
trout strips

I purchase trout filets and cut them into strips, which I freeze on a cookie tray in our chest freezer. Once they are frozen hard, I knock them off the tray into ziplock bags.

[ConcinusMan]

I must also add that not just any salmon or trout is safe due to PCB's and mercury contamination. Depends on species and origin. Alaskan wild salmon and farmed steelhead/rainbow trout have the lowest levels of contaminants for trout and salmon. All others are considered unsafe for a human to eat more than 1 -3 6oz servings per month so you can imagine that very little if any would be considered safe for garters.

Tilapia and silversides(arctic pond smelt) don't have the contaminant issues that trout, salmon, and many other fish have and they are thiaminase free. Those two fish are safe to use as a major part of the diet.

You really need to pay attention to what species and where it comes from. you say you buy "trout" but more important is the species and where it was caught. I would feed my snakes goldfish before I would feed them salmon or rainbow trout from the west coast of the continental U.S. It's that bad.

Health Alerts - Seafood Selector - Environmental Defense Fund (http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=17694)

[Ameivaboy]

I use rosies to raise up garters until they are big enough to eat other things.
I see no issue with this practice. Now only using rosies and/or goldfish into adulthood- that's another story.

[ConcinusMan]

I'm not arguing that point at all. I just don't see why it's necessary to use them at all. I mean, if you have a baby that hasn't eaten and has refused everything else, sure go ahead and try rosies. That's a bit different than starting them out on rosies as a common practice, without even trying anything else.

So far, every snake I have received that supposedly would only eat tiny live fish such as rosies immediately devoured pinky parts and chopped silversides once I got the snake. Those snakes probably would have continued to be fed rosies "until they're big enough to.." :cool:

One particular albino from Don was "a fussy eater" as he put it, and wouldn't eat much according to him, and arrived quite visibly undernourished. Well, he was being offered rosies and ate rosies for what little he did eat. I get the snake and low and behold, that snake eats anything (worms, chopped silversides, trout, pinky parts, etc.) and he is not at all fussy. To the contrary he's a typical bottomless pit radix.

Then there's 11 T.s concinnus that were not eating for me this year and I tried everything. They just were barely eating enough to stay alive, if at all. Sent them to Steve and they're doing just fine and eating the same dang food they wouldn't eat for me.:rolleyes: Well, 9 of the 11 seem to be eating well for him. Still no rosies or live food involved.

[snakeman]

No reason to try anything else when it works and is not harmful.

[ConcinusMan]

Well sure, it works but is it really the best choice? No reason to try anything else? I think there is plenty of reasons. Most keepers would have frozen pinkies on hand I would think and/or dead fish. I just much prefer to get them on widely available dead food and if all else fails and they won't eat, then try something live.

[New Mutant]

So they don't need whole fish?

[infernalis]

So they don't need whole fish?

Just use calcium supplements if you do not feed rodents.

[HazAnga]

I just yesterday got 3 or 4 of them to eat a very small pinky mouse. so the majority of them are big enough for that, BUT they weren't interested in them untill i cut some salmon up for them and added the pinkies to it, so then they smelled like the fish. All but one will eat anything, the runt is still only wanting guppies... :(

[guidofatherof5]

All but one will eat anything, the runt is still only wanting guppies... :(

I feel your pain. I have a couple little ones that will only take guppies at this point.
Bad for me. Good for the Pet shop.:D

[infernalis]

I have one here that's 2 years old that would rather starve to death than eat anything other than live fish.

If I can sneak a pinkie in his water bowl, I may just get lucky, but there better be live fish in the water with the mouse.

[Tyrel26]

Quote: I have one here that's 2 years old that would rather starve to death than eat anything other than live fish.

If I can sneak a pinkie in his water bowl, I may just get lucky, but there better be live fish in the water with the mouse.

This may not work for you but have you tried putting several pinks in the water dish and them dropping a tube connected to a fish tank air pump in?, so the bubbles would move the pink around. Keep the motor away from the enclosure to avoid scaring the snake, all it takes is a long tube. Both the pump and long tube is fairly cheap to guy

[infernalis]

All stuff I have lying around! good idea, I'll try it.

[guidofatherof5]

Quote: I have one here that's 2 years old that would rather starve to death than eat anything other than live fish.

If I can sneak a pinkie in his water bowl, I may just get lucky, but there better be live fish in the water with the mouse.

This may not work for you but have you tried putting several pinks in the water dish and them dropping a tube connected to a fish tank air pump in?, so the bubbles would move the pink around. Keep the motor away from the enclosure to avoid scaring the snake, all it takes is a long tube. Both the pump and long tube is fairly cheap to guy

Great idea. I think I'll find one and install it just to watch them. They are going to go crazy looking for something to eat.
I'll call it revenge for pooping in the just cleaned water dish.:D

[Mommy2many]

Great idea. I think I'll find one and install it just to watch them. They are going to go crazy looking for something to eat.
I'll call it revenge for pooping in the just cleaned water dish.:D


HaHaHa!!!

[guidofatherof5]

I tried it with a group of adult female radixes. They weren't interested at all.
So much for my revenge.:mad:

[kibakiba]

Steve, they're females. Females know all of men's little "tricks"... They weren't going to fall for that one. ;)

[HazAnga]

Shhh! Don't say that, you have to give us some hope in life. Lol!

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

I start my babies on rosies. They are the only small feeder fish I have available at a reasonable price (I refuse to pay 20 cents each for quarter inch guppies) They are also the most "tasty" according to my snakes. Not too long ago. I do all of the fish ordering at my store... they accidentally sent me feeder guppies instead of fancy guppies once, so I took them home. Half of my babies would not even eat them. Because they taste different, I am sure. And they are so tiny that they will not even fill up a baby snake! I do the same thing Tom does... I use rosies stuffed with reptomin until they are big enough and willing to try new things! It does them absolutely no harm. They grow really quickly and it keeps them fat and happy.

[ConcinusMan]

The prodigal babe returns! I sent you PM. You'll want to respond to that one. I have something wonderful to share with you.