how do you know when it is time to up your snakes food to things like hamsters and things
thanks
Reptile & Amphibian Forums
Welcome to kingsnake.com's message board system. Here you may share and discuss information with others about your favorite reptile and amphibian related topics such as care and feeding, caging requirements, permits and licenses, and more. Launched in 1997, the kingsnake.com message board system is one of the oldest and largest systems on the internet.
can i feed my boa a hamster
grahammckay
Aug 26, 2003 05:48 PM
Replies (5)
craig k.
Aug 26, 2003 06:41 PM
If you are feeding mice now, I would go to small rats, not hamsters. Unless you have an unlimited supply of hamsters. Snakes can get use to eating them. It usually is not a big deal until you have a 7ft snake that wants to eat 10 hamsters. Just my opinion. Craig Kade
Rainshadow
Aug 26, 2003 08:03 PM
The annoying thing is they don't have "handles" (*tails*,so use tongs,or,forceps!)! If you do use them as a food item,be sure to use frozen thawed,or,fresh killed,don't just stun them...they have long teeth,can turn on a dime,and,a well placed bite could be lethal to the snake. I saw a young Gaboon viper killed by a single bite from a hamster!(Of course,I also saw a hamster killed by a single bite from a Gaboon viper...*lol* but,he never got to eat him!)beware of live hamsters!!!
meretseger
Aug 27, 2003 12:36 AM
Ounce for ounce, I think rats have sharper teeth, but hamsters have worse teeth than mice. This is from experience. I just avoid feeding live adult rodents whenever I can!
Raven01
Aug 27, 2003 09:42 AM
I've been bitten by all three, and if I had to choose who bit me it'd be either a rat or mouse...those hamsters are mean! The worst rodent bite I've ever gotten was from a hamster...the little wench sunk her teeth clear through the pad of my thumb, no mouse or rat I've ever handled did that. Definitely feed them dead if you feed them at all and consider them habit forming for most snakes. Years ago I got a deal on some adult hamsters from a pet store supplier as feeders (adults don't tend to sell as well as young hamsters because they're already set in their ways and don't tame as easily). I had a heck of a time switching the snakes back to rats and mice after that. Also, I've read long haired hamsters can cause impactions because the hair doesn't digest and doesn't always pass through the snake's system easily...just something to keep in mind.
Paul Hollander
Aug 27, 2003 11:19 AM
To decide when to upsize the food, measure the thickness of the snake at midbody and the thickness of the food item at midbody. A single food item should be 3/4 to 1-1/4 as thick as the snake. You can use multiple smaller food items. But if the food item falls out of the snake's mouth when being swallowed, the food item is definitely too small.
Paul Hollander
