Uncommon Snake Foods

[Lulu Bennett]

i didn't actually realise that garters grow big enough to eat fully grown rats.

[GarterGuy]

Some can get quite large, but honestly I wonder how healthy it is to be feeding such a big meal to a snake. Even my 5.5ft. PI king only eats two or three large mice once a week. She's 17yrs. old now and very healthy. I think I'd really worry about the overall health of a snake fed like that. Also, feeding "wild" prey is just asking for the introduction of some pathogen, parasite or toxin. Not saying it can't be done, but questioning the wisdom of doing it.
Roy

[adamanteus]

I'd like to see a photo of a Garter big enough to swallow a full grown rat!

[Stefan-A]

This really isn't that uncommon but...well i thought i'd throw it in...for the last year i have been feeding my 53" sirtalis sirtalis on full grown adult rats. She goes nuts for them and i have been feeding her huge field mice that my dog has been catching, but i do freeze them of course. Once i get my video software working on my computer, Ill post some videos on Youtube...Its actually pretty sweet to see....I also got her to eat 3 baby stillborn rabbits...and trust me...they are not small, they are way fater than the adult rats, or at least the ones i fed her were.

Is it the same 53" garter you have a picture of in the "Biggest garters" thread?

http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/gene....html#post2028

I have to say it, it does look big enough to be able to swallow an adult rat.

[Lulu Bennett]

i can see it eating a full grown mouse but i don't see it eating a rat as they are a hell of a lot fatter than a mouse.

[Stefan-A]

Well, it took a bit of searching, but I finally found a link I once posted on kingsnake.com:

Photos of garter snake engulfing adult vole.

[GarterGuy]

WOW....very cool pics! That's so cool that not only did the garter eat the vole, but that it actually caught it and was able to subdue it as well. Garters rule!!!!!

Roy

[Lulu Bennett]

WOW!!!i guess i underestemated the sheer determination of the garter and how big its mouth actually is and how far it can dislocate.

[Faunaofthenorth]

Actually it is big enough to eat full grown adult rats, only its not the only thing i feed her...only once in a while...and the wild rodents i feed her are frozen for about 30 days before actually being fed to her. I am fully aware of the different pathogens and parasites in rodents ...but...i have a local veterinarian that specializes in herps...so if i suspect anything is wrong then i just bring her in and hell take a feces sample or a muth swab or a blood test just to be sure. And she is not the same snake as in the photo, she is her sister and i know this because i had both of their blood taken and tested and they were siblings...so im wondering if all the females from that litter grew to be huge if they all survived or just some of them. the one i have now is about the same length as the one in the photo, and the next time i feed her one ill snap a photo.

[Lee]

Lol ya I'd love to see more photos/videos of this beast of yours!