Mice & Worms or just mice?

[RedSidedSPR]

I don't think messiness is a good enough reason to feed any different. That's just part of maintenance.

[kibakiba]

Its all a part of keeping an animal, no matter what you have, they poop. Watery poop from worms is a hell of a lot better than mini macaw poop. He poops every 30 minutes! Or so it seems.. Maybe he just poops when I walk by...

[RedSidedSPR]

Mine dries up real quick under the heat, and the babies are so small it's just like white-out on that one peice of substrate... not a problem for me, but if it was, wouldn't make me feed less worms.

[Didymus20X6]

I have to agree with these guys: our priority should be what's more beneficial to the health of the animal, not what's the easiest or messiest to clean up. To that end, I would think a balanced diet, rather than an exclusive one, would be more beneficial to the snakes.

[charles parenteau]

I think its better to mixt food....not only feed with rodent eastern garter snake usually don't eat rodent in the wild I don't mean they never do it but they don't feed exclusively on it!!FIsh,worms,rodents,frog if you can!!Feeding your garter with rodent its only good for the owner I think it's easy to get food to clean and they grow fast....I feed my snake only with their natural food and I know it's a mess when I clean the cage....I think it's better to feed only with worm than feed only with rodent.

[Mrs N1ntndo]

No. I've never really supplemented the earthworms I give my snakes. Maybe once every month or two. It's not really needed IMO, because the pinkies give them that.

I used to give Mama and Snakey nothing but pinkies. Absolutely no worms or fish. They got overweight really fast. There was nothing wrong with their lamp, and I'd wait about a week an a half before feeding them another when I started to notice how overweight they had gotten. They aren't like that anymore, now that I feed a variety.

So I have a question for you then . I have been only feeding my garters fat earthworms and I have never had a problem but I am going to get pinkies to give them also but I dont know how to store them or how long they can stay in the freezer. I have just Pheobe and 7 babies now so theres not many but sence i have the money now I would like to get enough to last a while. I know they will evenully be eating more but I also know there not very big to have huge huge appitites yet. Also if I feed them all pinkies and worms how often should I feed them. also with the babies if it is just worms how often as well. I just want to make sure that I do everything I can do right so I dont screw it up.

[Didymus20X6]

In theory, they should be able to stay in the freezer indefinitely.

For little snakes, they can be cut up into pieces to fit their little mouths easier, although snakes are capable of eating things larger than their heads.

Just make sure the pinkies are completely thawed before serving them. Do that by soaking them in warm water until they no longer feel frozen in the middle.

[Mrs N1ntndo]

So basically youre saying I am able to put some pinkies in a freezer proof type dish and keep them in there as long as needed ? so when do I cut them? before thawed or after? also what temp of water should I use and what is the estmate time for pinkies to thaw. Ive got tiny babies and I want to make sure cause its the first babies that Im raising . There all doing great now . Im jusg giving worms to all my garters and I havent given anyhting else but there are like 3-4 babies I personally haven seen eat yet so I dont know if they are eating and either I dont see it or they arent eating at all.like Im not sure that if there is one or whatever that might just not like the worms I have a cpl skinny ones but I dont know if they theyve eating but they all have been very active with no problems. I just wanna make sure.

[kibakiba]

I cut pinkies while their frozen. Keep them in a freezer safe bag.

[Didymus20X6]

In theory, you could cut them while still frozen. It might be a bit less messy, provided you've got a good knife that can hack it, so to speak. Otherwise, thawing them first will work just fine.

Warm tap water will be fine, and the time will depend on the amount of water and the temperature. Five minutes should be fine; just feel their bellies to make sure they are thawed.

More than that, I can't help you. I've tried them, but haven't had any success in getting my snakes to take to pinkies, but I'd wager it's because they are wild-caught. Scarlett is still small and very skittish, and Little Dude is spoiled on tilapia.