Chicken bits as food?

[Invisible Snake]

I understand that variety is great, but chicken/gizzard hearts etc.. ?

Out of curiosity why do you guys want to feed them these things, is it because it's more cost effective or more readily available than worms/fish ?

Or do these items provide a higher nutrition content than pinks, fish and worms?

[ConcinusMan]

All of the above except for perhaps the thing you said about pinks. Garters do eat birds too you know. Why not bird organs?

Anyway, the reason I use organs from time to time is that snakes tire of fish and it's not a balanced diet. Second, sometimes its hard to get pinkies that don't cost an arm and a leg. Third, it's a heck of a lot cheaper than rodents but I don't like going extended periods with just fish, worms are spendy for me, etc.

It's just an affordable way to vary the diet. Chicken liver is very nutritious as well, (high in B vitamins, iron, protein) and I buy it for myself anyway. If you want to, or have to cut down on feeding rodents, it's a decent alternative.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

Would an adult be able eat a day old chicken chick? They are way cheaper than mice because they are the male chicks that are of no use to egg farmers so get the chop .Enjoy you'r eggs everyone!. They are practically giving them away Triple 8 Reptiles - Triple 8 Reptiles Frozen Day Old Chicks X50 (approx) compared to Triple 8 Reptiles - Triple 8 Reptiles Frozen Mice Small X10

[ConcinusMan]

I would just cut it up while frozen but if your snake can eat whole large adult mice, then they should be able to eat a chick. (giggle)

[ProXimuS]

I was just reading that too much liver for a dog could potentially cause Vitamin A toxicity, leading to kidney damage/failure. Could this be true for snakes too?

[guidofatherof5]

I think there are dangers in feeding organ food if it is a main food source.
Dangers for humans = dangers for our snakes as a rule.
Variety
Variety
Variety

[ConcinusMan]

http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/gene...tml#post234045

[ProXimuS]

Yea thats true. As long as you don't feed that and that only they should be ok. I just had never heard of that before, and it kinda took me back.


I guess too much of anything is no good....

[ConcinusMan]

Except that some people feed them rodents only and don't seem to have any nutritional issues.

[Greg'sGarters]

I feed rodents, worms, and fish.