Rosy reds ok to feed?

[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.."

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. 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.

[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