"So, would Nutri-bac be a probiotic? "

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I haven't seen or read any difference in the brands, so Nutri-bac is fine. I've been using PROBIOS for puppies and it seems to work.

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"...and for that matter, just what IS a probiotic?"

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Short answer is "good bacteria".

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The gut of all vertebrates is a virtual battle ground of all sorts of organisms that work for and against the animal’s system to reach some sort of equilibrium.

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Unfortunately, some we call “bad”; salmonellae for example.

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Metronidazole, Flagyl (brand name), and some antibiotics do a great job of indiscriminately attacking gut bacteria, but takes out good with bad.

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The concept of probiotics is to replenish some of the good ones, or at least give them a head start over with colonization. Snakes get gut floras often from the creatures that they eat.

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(PS

It got the term “flora” from the days when all life was either fauna or flora. Bacteria is neither.)

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“Also, what would be the indications for treatment with Metronidazole and is it available to the hobbiest?”

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Last I saw, you need a prescription from a veterinarian, although it’s an “over-the-counter” drug in many other countries and sold often for fighting amoebic dysentery in humans (Montezuma’s Revenge, Green Apple Highstep, etc.)

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As Tony said, one large mouse or small rat per week is usually reasonable maintenance level at a mean 78 F.

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Another helpful technique is to split the skin, 3 or 4 times, of a frozen thawed pink for easier digestion.
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Regards, Bill McGighan

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