Zach wrote..."I am more than a little curious about the fish. I don't really understand how feeding fish and birds to a lizard eater is that much better than mice? Also, what kind of fish do you use?"

I would have never tried it but, a friend in Australia has been feeding fish for many years after seeing some wild BHPs "hunt" for yabbies (Crayfish, freshwater shrimp, whatever you want to call em')and small fish....in shallow creek beds. (I often have wondered what the hell my BHPs were looking for in their water bowls!Haha)

Keep in mind it's the types of nutrients with-in the prey item. We're feeding farm bred rats....that are raised quickly for commercial market. I would think that if you're raising your own rodents....with a natural diet....this wouldn't be as much of an issue.
These rats we are feeding are packed full of proteins and fat that...even if these animals were eating tons of rodents in the wild....they would not be getting the same types of nutrients as those that are eating farm bred...I believe.

So it's not so much the item itself....as it would be what's IN the food items.

What about... what's left in the prey items gut in the bush.....compared too what's in the gut of a commerical bred rodent?

Over time...they have to be getting something that they don't get in captivity.

If it wasn't the diet causing some of these problems....then why is it that... animals that do eat high percentages of rodents (like Carpets, Retics, etc)....eggs hatch fine, with no mysteries attached?...and, animals that eat mostly reptiles (who are fed mostly rodents in captivity).....we have more problems with?

It could be argued that most reptile eaters live in the desert...requiring a drier climate....but, Centrals are in the desert, Balls, many other species that are rodent eaters....live in the desert...their eggs hatch fine...without any of the associated problems that we see in reptile eaters.


D.

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