Most people have a way only seeing something as black and white and, the world is full of color.

When I mention Diet or Humidity......it's neither one or the other but, a combination of several things.

Anteresia as a whole may handle rodents just fine but, could any of you please tell me..... what rodent species a 48cm python is going to eat throughout it's life in the wild? (especially, coming from the area they do..... where there aren't many rodents to begin with.)
I know a dude that has cut open 100's of road kills there and most of them had lizards in their gut...suggesting a diet of mostly lizards for this particular species of Anteresia.

Zach wrote...."It seems like I bend over backwards to get them to finally give in and recognize a mouse as a food item, when what i should be doing is what they are trying to tell me, and feed them lizards."

And, that would be correct Zach.

Zach wrote...."Where did you here that about chicken eggs? I have never heard anything like that and I can't find any research on it either.???"

I'll find the exact title for you....it was in one of my wife's Biology books from College...I'll look for it later for ya.

Zach wrote..."I just don't think that the picture is that simple."

Nobody said it was....it is a suggestion for better reproductive rates... when done in combination with other modifications....such as using drier air with-in the container.

Changing the diet may help 15%...changing the moisture may help another 15%....still doesn't get it to 100%.

Zach wrote..." Don't get me wrong, they are different (especially in terms of % body fat), I am just not sure its different enough to make a difference.
Are you saying that you had this dead in the egg problem and it went away completely when you stopped feeding rodents? Did you change anything else?"


Fat is THE key to the dietary health of reptile eaters.
Yes, mostly my problem with dying full term stopped. I had tried the lower moisture thing and it did give me better results but, I really started seeing a difference when I changed their diet up.
I still give them rodents....just not as much. I'd say 40% of their diet would be rodents....undersized rodents as well....just more of them.
And honestly...I also think that live or fresh killed rodents....are better for them than frozen rodents.

Now a days...they only animals that give me problems....are the BHPs I have that will only eat rodents.
For instance, this year I had a female that eats only rodents lay a clutch and... a female that eats mostly chicken and fish lay......the girl who only eats rodents....her eggs are barely hanging on with over half of them lost.
The girl who eats chicken/fish....eggs are fine. No issues.
Same incubator...same container set up.

Again, I'm sure with the combination of drying the air...and feeding more lizards...you'll see this problem go away.

A few clutches done MI and AI ......I don't think is enough to say whether the female did a better job or not. Until you have multiple clutches done each way.....would I come to that conclusion. To many variables to consider.

Zach wrote...."What do you start your juvis on? And how do you deal with parasites feeding herps to other herps?"

I start them on whatever they'll eat.(Very few will eat mice....but, most want Beardies or skinks...maybe Quail eggs.
I feed frozen to lower the risk of parasites.

I was in Aussie a few years ago and a friend had some wild baby BHPs hatchlings....only a day or 2 old. They didn't have that gross extended belly that you see on captive bred hatchies.
They looked like normal little snakes....not gross... bloated belly fat asses. Haha
When I changed the diet of the adults....my babies also started to hatch without those gross yolk filled guts.....that tells me something right there.
Again, I'm still in the early stages of this but, I do see a difference in results thus far.

I'd pick a female Anthill....feed it 60% lizards this year....and see if you notice a difference.
It won't hurt anything and you might actually find it may help.....(where as the ways of old or not accepting a new theory will keep you asking questions). Ask the questions...but, also try to solve the problem by trying solutions.

People that break new ground on subjects like these are the guys who try non conventional things.....not by following what has been written before.
If you're following what is written and the results aren't cut and dry success.....then the books are most likely wrong.

Cheers,
D.

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