whole frozen fish question

[Cobra Kai]

Hi,
I think live minnows (or similar live fish) are probably the best fish to feed, but I was wondering if there is any whole frozen fish that is also healthy to feed them? Do they sell frozen minnows? And if so do you have to add supplements?
Thanks!

[drache]

I feed whole frozen/thawed trout strips, cut so the bones are left in lengthwise,when I feed strips of salmon without the bones, I add calcium
I have come to think that, even though my last recalcitrant fish eater preferred the salmon, it wasn't that good for him - he succumbed to what I think a was nutrition-related neurological disorder, and he seemed fine as long as I stuck to the trout, but then these things take a while to develop, so who knows . . .

[Cobra Kai]

I feed whole frozen/thawed trout strips, cut so the bones are left in lengthwise,when I feed strips of salmon without the bones, I add calcium
I have come to think that, even though my last recalcitrant fish eater preferred the salmon, it wasn't that good for him - he succumbed to what I think a was nutrition-related neurological disorder, and he seemed fine as long as I stuck to the trout, but then these things take a while to develop, so who knows . . .

Are frozen/thawed trout strips a complete diet? Are thawed frozen pinkies better?

[Garter_Gertie]

*I* think f/t pinkies better - more junk.

Rhea, really? About the salmon? YIKES! I've just been buying cheap fillets... I guess I need to get to CUB and get some WHOLE fish.

When you say bones left in length-wise do you mean, like this ---- running the same way as the cut strip? So they don't get caught in stomach, right?

Do I understand correctly?

THANKS!!!

[infernalis]

*I* think f/t pinkies better - more junk.

It has been studied and proven that pinkies are nutritionally sound and an overall good idea to feed.

I have seen rapid advances in growth with my own babies once they started eating pinks.

I have also observed stunted growth on my fussy eaters who will not eat pinks.

[drache]

I do feed most of my snakes a primarily rodent-based diet because I think it's the cleanest, most complete food I can offer them
most of my snakes end up taking rodents readily, some I've switched fairly easily with the usual tricks
I have a couple that need gimmicks and restarting from time to time
and I've had a couple that just would never go for rodents, no matter what I did
this little concinnus I lost, was one of them; his name was Runty, because he just never did as well as his sibs
the other was a lystrophis that ended up at my vet's and eventually dead as well
I think if a non-thiaminase containing fish could be fed in its entirety, so that there is all the parts - bones, organs, etc - then it's just as complete, but most of the small fish that are easy to purchase contain thiaminase, not to mention parasites
for all I know, just the meat and bones may not be enough . . .

[Loren]

I've been feeding cut up trout with calcium added, for the small garters, and switching them to pinkies when they are big enough. You can cut up a frozen pinky and mix it into some trout for a good mix- just let it finish thawing after you cut it. They cut real nice and easy frozen.
I also think snakes grow better on rodents than fish, although I think a bit of healthy fish in the diet now and then is a good thing.
I have been taking a whole trout and cutting it into little steaks with an eletric knife, then freezing them. Thaw one out as needed. I pick the bones out, thats why I add calcium.

[infernalis]

Economics sort of regulates our routine. 1/3 frozen fish 2/3 rodent, with a rare worm as a treat.

The fish is a lot cheaper than the mice on a gram for gram basis.

Sometimes they get whole dace minnows, whenever I have a bunch.

[Loren]

I use supply/cost as a factor too. But since I raise my own rodents, its not too bad of cost. I actually would feed more fish(my buddies do a lot of trout fishing), but I dont like to feed fish to snakes that are kept on bark substrate, where as rodents, as long as they are dry, do not pick up the bedding too badly. I hand the food to almost all the snakes directly from the hemostat, so the initial strike is off the bedding.
All of my fish eaters get fed either on paper towels or in a bare plastic tub.
My sierra garter just took 2 live large rat pinkies right from me. That was cool- she was the toughest conversion.