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  1. #1
    "First shed In Progress"
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    Dusting nightcrawlers?

    I've read that I should be dusting the nightcrawlers for my girl. She's on the worms and feeder guppies, and I may switch her to f/t pinkies one day. What vitamin supplements should she be getting now? She's just over a month old.
    50+ rats, 9 mice, 10 ASFRs, 3 geckos, 4 gerbils, 5 snakes, 3 rabbits, 2 frogs, 2 dogs, 1 opossum, 1 chinchilla, 2 hamsters, 3 water dragons, 1 newt, and 1 fiance'.

  2. #2
    Forum Moderator infernalis's Avatar
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    Re: Dusting nightcrawlers?

    its all personal preference, if you are including feeder guppies, then the snakes are getting calcium. A little dusting here and there with a bit of flukers won't really hurt anything.

    I have a bottle of reptile spray vitamins, But hardly ever remember to use it

    A balanced diet is more important than "feel good" dust and spray.

  3. #3
    "First shed In Progress"
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    Re: Dusting nightcrawlers?

    So just night crawlers and fish are fine for a complete diet? Wow, I've heard all kinds of things about a complete diet. I've heard you can only get it with dusting the nightcrawlers if you're feeding that and fish, and I've heard you can only get a balanced diet with rodents.
    50+ rats, 9 mice, 10 ASFRs, 3 geckos, 4 gerbils, 5 snakes, 3 rabbits, 2 frogs, 2 dogs, 1 opossum, 1 chinchilla, 2 hamsters, 3 water dragons, 1 newt, and 1 fiance'.

  4. #4
    "Third shed, A Success"
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    Re: Dusting nightcrawlers?

    i dust. more so for the babies who around here seem to take nothing but worms at first.

  5. #5
    Thamnophis inspectus Zephyr's Avatar
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    Re: Dusting nightcrawlers?

    I never dusted last year on my eastern babies; All of them did fine. Of course, I eventually introduced different food items (Cut up feeder fish, pinky parts, slugs) After a while. My butler's garter snakes eat almost nothing but nightcrawlers and they are growing and have reproduced fine.
    **EDIT- However, for all my babies this year, I'm using a mix of two different fishes, calcium carbonate, pinkies/fuzzies, and worms blended together.
    0.1 Storeria dekayi
    Hoping to get some T. s. sirtalis High-Reds next summer!


  6. #6
    "First shed In Progress"
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    Re: Dusting nightcrawlers?

    Quote Originally Posted by Zephyr View Post
    I never dusted last year on my eastern babies; All of them did fine. Of course, I eventually introduced different food items (Cut up feeder fish, pinky parts, slugs) After a while. My butler's garter snakes eat almost nothing but nightcrawlers and they are growing and have reproduced fine.
    **EDIT- However, for all my babies this year, I'm using a mix of two different fishes, calcium carbonate, pinkies/fuzzies, and worms blended together.
    What two different fish are you using?
    50+ rats, 9 mice, 10 ASFRs, 3 geckos, 4 gerbils, 5 snakes, 3 rabbits, 2 frogs, 2 dogs, 1 opossum, 1 chinchilla, 2 hamsters, 3 water dragons, 1 newt, and 1 fiance'.

  7. #7
    Thamnophis inspectus Zephyr's Avatar
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    Re: Dusting nightcrawlers?

    Quote Originally Posted by Topaz View Post
    What two different fish are you using?
    Salmon and tilapia; a lot cheaper than feeder fish. Although I may throw anchovies or sardine "fillets" in there occasionally as well.
    0.1 Storeria dekayi
    Hoping to get some T. s. sirtalis High-Reds next summer!


  8. #8
    In Hog Heaven
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    Re: Dusting nightcrawlers?

    ZEPHER!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't you DARE waste anchovies on your snakes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Put them on MY pizza!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Seriously, I actually thought about anchovies. But decided it prolly wouldn't be good for the snakies due to all the salt. Yeah, you can rinse them but they do have bones - albeit soft ones - but would still be salty as thass yust the way anchovies are. Major reason I LOVE them! I don't know.

    Me? I'd not do sardines and anchovies.
    2.0 NY Eastern Garters; Peepers, Jeepers
    3.1 Western Hoggies; Kenabec, Niizh, Kokopelli, Anasazi
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  9. #9
    Thamnophis inspectus Zephyr's Avatar
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    Re: Dusting nightcrawlers?

    Quote Originally Posted by Garter_Gertie View Post
    ZEPHER!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't you DARE waste anchovies on your snakes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Put them on MY pizza!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Seriously, I actually thought about anchovies. But decided it prolly wouldn't be good for the snakies due to all the salt. Yeah, you can rinse them but they do have bones - albeit soft ones - but would still be salty as thass yust the way anchovies are. Major reason I LOVE them! I don't know.

    Me? I'd not do sardines and anchovies.
    I'm not using "canned" anchovies and sardines, I'm using ones that the captain of the boat I went tuna fishing on gave me. Also, their external saltiness can be rinsed off; internally, the only major difference between them and a freshwater fish is how they osmoregulate (monitor salt-to-water levels in the body) as opposed to the actual salt levels in their flesh.
    0.1 Storeria dekayi
    Hoping to get some T. s. sirtalis High-Reds next summer!


  10. #10
    "First shed In Progress"
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    Re: Dusting nightcrawlers?

    Okay, another question.

    If I feed "fillets", then won't the garter not be getting the calcium it needs that it can get from the feeder fish? Or is that just a "sometimes" thing?
    50+ rats, 9 mice, 10 ASFRs, 3 geckos, 4 gerbils, 5 snakes, 3 rabbits, 2 frogs, 2 dogs, 1 opossum, 1 chinchilla, 2 hamsters, 3 water dragons, 1 newt, and 1 fiance'.

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