Fish

[Lori P]

Well, I'm right back to being confused. (That's ok, that's normal for me!) I read and I read, and here's what I learned:

--Rosy reds contain lots of fat and thiaminase.
--Rosy reds contain very little thiaminase.
--All minnows contain thiaminase.
--Only certain minnows contain thiaminase.
--All live-bearing fish are safe.
--Some live-bearing fish contain thiaminase.
--No mention anywhere I could find of a thiaminase/color relationship.
--All frozen fish contain thiaminase as the freezing process releases the minute amounts that all fish carry and allows it to destroy all the B1 in the fishes body.
--My head is befuddled and for tonite, I give up.

My theory right now is, variety, variety. And gut load all feeders as best you can with good quality feed and vitamin/minerals.

[KITKAT]

--My head is befuddled and for tonite, I give up.

My theory right now is, variety, variety. And gut load all feeders as best you can with good quality feed and vitamin/minerals.

I have been confused by this too. But I feed minnows, nightcrawlers, pinkies, and beef heart (in that order of occurrance) and have never had a snake with recognizable thiaminase symptoms.

[GarterGuy]

My theory right now is, variety, variety. And gut load all feeders as best you can with good quality feed and vitamin/minerals.

Think that's probably the best idea, the more variety, the less any one food item will have any detrimental affects on your snakes.....and in the long run, the happier the snakes will be. Variety IS the spice of life!