Fish diet

[Fish]

I've been reading quite a lot on the diet for Garters and one of the things that attracted me to them in the first place was the fact that they don't NEED fish but my question is can they live a happy and healthy life on a varied fish only diet? If the answer is no then I will stop right here and step away!

And before you ask I can't feed and kind of rodents due to other household members threatening to throw me out haha I'm not keen on it myself but would probably get over it after a while.

[guidofatherof5]

The best diet would be a mix/varied diet.
What species are you feeding?

[Fish]

I haven't got anything yet as I'm still researching. I would feed silversides (have loads of them to feed my dads snow flake eel) and then a mixture of other fish from the safe list. I could also throw in some worms and live feeder fish now and then

[-MARWOLAETH-]

Oops double post.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

They can especially if your feeding whole fish only thiaminase free fish .You can also feed earth worms ,they can make a large portion of diet if they are of good quality. TBH they do better with a varied diet of fish worm and pinkies. If th family has a real problem with mice just feed the pinkys as a treat once a month or so.

[Selkielass]

Thiaminase and preservative free fish are a great base diet. Many species eat primarily fish in the wild, but they will also take advantage of tadpoles, snails, slugs, worms, salamanders, newts, leeches, and yes, young rodents and birds if they are available.
In captivity it can be tricky to find 'clean'hide parasite and chemical free sources of these prey items. (Frogs, toads, tadpoles and leeches all can carry parasites.)I we each try to do the best we can with the foods available in our area.

Marcianus (checkered garters) love fish, and most will happily eat any meat offered, so scraps of all natural chicken, beef, and whatever else you may be eating may be readily accepted. (Giblets are a real treat for my big boy)

Beware of meat 'enhanced'and with sodium solutions-they can cause severe healthreaction problems forwith reptiles.

[infernalis]

I haven't got anything yet as I'm still researching. I would feed silversides (have loads of them to feed my dads snow flake eel) and then a mixture of other fish from the safe list. I could also throw in some worms and live feeder fish now and then

If you want to do a fish staple diet, I very highly recomend feeding whole fish of appropriate size, Heads, guts, skeletons and all....

[Fish]

That's the plan, I just wanted to check they could do well without rodent in their diet. Also am I right in thinking fish fillets require additional calcium supplements where as whole fish require nothing additional?

[ProXimuS]

If you are going to do fillets, it would be a good idea to supplement every few feedings, since the fillet pieces will only have meat and no bone. Like Infernails said it would be good for the snake to eat entire fish, which contains all the bones, brains, guts, etc.(i.e. smaller fish)

[Fish]

Yeah my primary source would be entire fish, what would you guys/girls recommend? Can they be kept frozen so I don't have to go and buy it fresh for each feed? and finally how good/not good would silversides be?

Thanks for all the help so far!