Mice & Worms or just mice?

[Philminator]

so for one of my easterns she's just a bit over 2 feet and I finally got her on fuzzy / hopper mice as an adult mouse is just too big. She ate 2 small hopper mice and 6 worms. Is this a decent meal to feed her every 7-10 days? or is the 2 hopper mice enough that i don't need to give her worms? I know some say to alternate but on other posts here I've read that worms are just a watery snack with very little substance. I just like adding worms in as it gives the snake a nice full look to it as feeding it 2-3 hoppers doesn't make the snake look full if you know what I mean. Normally my garters who only eat worms and fish eat 2-3 times a week but since this one adult is taking hoppers really well I don't want to over feed her and harm her.

[katach]

I use worms as just a between meal snack. The rodents are a good well balanced meal with all the nutrition they need. Like you said, the worms are mostly water.

[kibakiba]

With my largest snake (who is smaller than yours, by far) I give her 2-4 pinkies (we only buy pinkies) and leave it at that, but every so often, about 5 days after eating, I give her a night crawler or two as a treat. That's what she started eating when I first caught her, so it's always a big treat since she hates fish. I find variety is the best diet, so if you feed her less mice, you could add some worms in with it too.

[ssssnakeluvr]

the worms are fine. they do make quite the mess as they pass thru fast. I have several valley garters that pound worms.... boy their cages are a mess to clean!!

[kibakiba]

I don't have too much of a problem, mess wise, with worms. I feed them with pinkies usually (with the exception of adults) and their poop is relatively solid, with a bit of wateriness.

[Didymus20X6]

I read another thread on this forum that claims that worms are chock full of goodness that snakes need. Something about certain proteins and biotics that earthworms supply that fish and mice don't, that help snakes develop and remain healthy. I don't remember the thread's name, but it should be easy to find.

EDIT: Found it.

http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/husb...dirt-dirt.html

[RedSidedSPR]

If not for any other reason, I'd do it for variety. I don't think garters should live off 1 food item.

I dont think it's just a watery snack. It has plenty of substance, just not a good only-diet-food item. At all.

[ConcinusMan]

just not a good only-diet-food item. At all.

Don't tell the northwestern garters that. They don't know it, and can live on them their entire lives without any problems.

[drache]

I do believe that worms are high in minerals that may support bone formation
some day I'll have to read up on the facts
regardless - I am not fond of feeding worms, and I am quite relieved that less than a third of my adult garters care for them at all, and only a couple are enthusiastic about them

[d_virginiana]

I'd keep the worms in there. That sort of quickly digested food is more a part of the snake's natural diet than things like mice. I usually feed my adult several nightcrawlers, part of a pinky (the young one eats the legs and liver, he gets the rest) and maybe a fish every three days or so. The poo is a bit messier and you have to feed them more often, but I think he's more active with this diet than when I give him large rodent-only meals. Nothing wrong with doing just rodents though.