Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a Banded water snake and a Broad banded water snake who're about 8 months old each. The broad banded is about 2'6" long and the banded is 2'. I've been feeding them a large goldfish each and about 5 rosies between the two of them every two weeks. (It's still pretty cold up here so I'm trying to go slow w/ their metabolism.)

Anyhoo, I've been wondering. Should I continue w/ feeding alot not so much or should I feed a little alot? I tried to keep rosies, but I couldn't keep them alive for the life of me. If I feed more often I'll have to give the fish thing a go again, so I want to make sure if this is really going to be an improvement for my snakes.

By the way, what should I feed them to mix up their diet? I want to have some diversity in what they eat and while frogs would be best, the lakes around here are have bad diversity so the frogs are kinda gone. I was thinking trying pinkies, but I'm unsure that they'll eat those. What about the things in bait shops?

I'm a firm believer in frequent small meals as opposed to fewer large ones. Big meals are a form of stress (to us) as well as to animals. Nerodia are active critters so "more often" meals seems approriate to their lifestyle.
As for diversity in feeds, some have voiced concerns with regard to bait shop fish. Pinkies should be an excellent option and will almost surely be taken, especially if scented with their normal food fish and possibly later without scenting at all. All six species of nerodia I keep will take scented pinkies ... the Bandeds absolutely for sure anytime!!
Michael

If your cooling them down you probably shouldn't be feeding them at all. But when you warm them up I would try washing some pinks and rubbing the goldfish all over them. You can even toss a couple goldfish in the water to get them in the feeding mood. Then put the dead scented pinks near the water where the goldfish are. This way you can gradually wean them off fish.