Minnows from Bait Shops

[Sonya610]

I am sure this question has been asked a million times before but I didn't find a quick answer when searching.

Are bait minnows safe? I don't have any pet stores around hear but we do have some bait shops, is that risky because of parasites or something? They also had earthworms and I have avoided those for fear of cutting them up, I thought now they are big enough to eat at least half a worm but I was wrong, the earthworms being sold at that shop were as big around as my young male.

[snake man]

If there s a bait shop near you would they sell worms? That would be a safe compramise.

[BLUESIRTALIS]

Be careful what worms you buy because some are toxic as long as you buy nightcrawlers they will be fine. You can cut them to the size you need. As far as the minnows i don't think they are on the safe list but could be used as an accasional snack as long as they are froze for awhile to cut back on the risk of parasites.

[guidofatherof5]

There are 2 issues with the minnows from bait shops.
1. Thiaminase
2. A heavy parasite load, hook worm, flat worm and pin worms. I was giving minnows as a treat and cut one up of my smaller snakes. Full of worms. I never fed minnows again. I also had to treat all the snakes invloved for parasites.

[Sonya610]

Okay, i didn't realize they had thiaminase but i thought i remembered something about parasites. No minnows then, I will see if the other bait shop has smaller nightcrawlers.

[BLUESIRTALIS]

I use the big nightcrawlers for my babies i just cut them small.

[kibakiba]

She doesn't want to cut them. I don't really see why, it's really not that bad once you get used to it. I hate blood(I have a mild phobia of blood, makes me panic and shake a whole lot) and guts but after cutting up pinkies and seeing one of my snakes insides... I can honestly say I wouldn't mind learning how to gut something else, like if I had to learn how to deal with gutting and bleeding a deer.. I'm more open about that sort of thing. Funny how snakes needing cut up food has helped me deal with a phobia