I Got One!

[Snakeknot]

Bogo has accepted salamanders as a food source. I've given her 3 in the past 24 hours, 2 live and one I accidently squished moving the heavy tub it was hiding under. The dead one was still there but the live ones have disappeared. I pulled her and all her toys out of her tank and sifted through the bedding thoroughly. They're GONE! Problem is finding salamanders SMALLER than Bogo is a little challenging. Most around here are bigger than her. Today is kinda misty and foggy outside. I'll have to check by the barn and walk the woods in the paddock to find more. Damn! I like salamanders!

Stefan : Thanks for the I.D.! I take it the volcanic ash isn't hurting your connection?

Devon

[guidofatherof5]

It sounds like you're not the only one that likes them.
Work towards switching Bogo over to f/t pinkies, fish or night crawler.
You can still use the salamanders for scenting purposes if needed. Salamanders can carry many parasites.

[drache]

save the next squished salamander for scenting
congrats on getting her to eat

[Snakeknot]

Maybe if I buy her a hand raised buddy that already eats what I can easily get, the competition will urge her to eat other things?? Or will the buddy just scarf down all the bought food??? ( I dunno. Are garters like labradors???? )

Thanks for the tip. I will save a salamander for its smell. I don't plan on breeding salamanders! I also don't plan on exterminating all salamanders on my property for my pet! It just doesn't jive with the ethics my wildlife biologist father tried to teach me.

Besides, the orange striped ones are so purdy!

Devon

[infernalis]

Actually the snakes will fight over the food. Often with very bad results.

I have seen garter snakes eat cage mates during a food fight.

It's best to feed them separated.

[ConcinusMan]

Bogo has accepted salamanders as a food source. Damn!.... I like salamanders!
Devon

I know what you mean. I like frogs and salamanders too. Unfortunately, so do the snakes. I just bite my tongue and feed them frogs sometimes. I'm talking about WC snakes that have already been eating frogs from the wild. Not too concerned about parasites at that point.

Actually the snakes will fight over the food. Often with very bad results.

I have seen garter snakes eat cage mates during a food fight.

It's best to feed them separated.

Yes, normally I would agree. But just recently I had a couple of snakes that were losing weight and barely eating enough to stay alive. Feeding them with an enthusiastic eater can induce a feeding / competition response from the non-feeders and get them going again. The enthusiastic feeder grabs some food right away, then the trouble feeders get jealous I guess, and try to steal the food. You have to play interference so nobody get's hurt, that's for sure, but with some snakes, it can get them feeding again.

When it comes to babies, the opposite can happen. non-competitive feeders can start feeding once they are separated from the competitive ones.

And then there's steve's radixes. Seems that sometimes everybody gets along and are fed at the same time, in the same enclosure. I could never do that with concinnus babies. I'd end up with a tangled mess of snakes biting and even swallowing each other!

Still, sometimes a trouble feeder will get triggered into eating by watching a snake that eats enthusiastically. Just got to be careful and watch for fighting so nobody gets hurt or swallowed.

[Spankenstyne]

On a side note, if you can post a pic of that sand boa Fran's tail or feel free to PM one I can sex it for you as well. They're usually very easy to visually sex.

[Snakeknot]

Fran was probed by my wonderful herp vet as being a male. So that means that I have 3 sand boas that are all male! Two Kenyans and one Saharan. UGH! Fran is the one that gives me no problems. The wounded Achilles has just started eating again, ( as long as its LIVE ONLY! ) and the Saharan seems perfectly happy-----except for his lack of appetite. SIGH! I guess I HAD to get a problem feeder someday!

I wish they were all like Fran!

Devon

[Mommy2many]

I'm with Steve on age. I have some scrubs from last August that are that size still. I also have scrubs from same litter that are 3 times the size of their siblings.