Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello, all.
I'm thinking about food of an unbalanced feeders.
(e.g Dinodon, Lycodon, some departments of cobra, etc.)
I've kept feeding snake with mouse.
However, I sometimes feel that I keep giving mouse from now on, it may give a bad influence on them...
Because I've ever heard that keep feeding mouse to unbalanced feeders became increasing possibility of vomiting, obesity or poor shape by the excess of calorie.
So, would you tell me the theory keeping giving mouse to an unbalanced feeders?

If there is a portion from which a meaning is not transmitted well I'm sorry.

Thanks for your onsideration.

Hello Kurita –

I do not understand the meaning of “unbalanced feeders” as you say it. Do you mean snakes that normally do not eat mice? Can you choose a different word (or more than one word) which means the same as “unbalanced”? Your meaning is clear for everything else. I am sorry I do not understand ANY Japanese words.

-Joan

Hello, jfmoore.

Thank you for translating my poor English.
The meaning of "unbalanced feeders" is as your saying.

Since I want to ask an opinion succeedingly, I need your help well.

Thanks again.

I have never kept any species of the genera you mention. But I have kept Heterodon simus (normally toad eaters) and Nerodia species (normally fish and amphibian eaters) on an almost exclusive diet of mice and rats. Two of the specimens have lived over ten years on this “unbalanced” diet.

A big reason is convenience for me. But the primary reason is that I do not want to infect these snakes with parasites from wild-caught prey. Fish and amphibians, for instance, can serve as intermediate hosts for some parasites. I have not had a problem with obesity, and I tend to feed my snakes as much as they will eat during the seasons when they are active. But, as Chris said below, if this became an issue I could just cut back on the amount of food. As far as vomiting goes – never. Whenever I hear of a snake regurgitating more than once in a short span of time, I do not consider the TYPE of food as the probable cause. I think undetected disease or parasites are far more likely to be the cause of this.

-Joan

This is a discussion which comes up on the Hognose forum with some frequency. The general feeling appears to be that there is no harm in feeding a diet of rodents to a snake even if that isn't its normal diet in the wild. If you are concerned about obesity and excess fat, then don't feed as often.

There are some people that claim this leads to fatty liver disease and all sorts of other maladies, but there isn't really any documentation to support this in my experience.
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Chris Harrison

Hi Kurita ,

Joan, I believe what this person is trying to relate to us, and the use of the term (unbalanced feeder) may possibly mean a reptile eating the same diet of mice consistently.

I feed quail, whole fish, and rats/mice to all my snakes. Eastern Indigo’s, BT Cribo’s and Black Milks. All of which are frozen and then thawed for feeding.

I believe this varied diet is good for nutrition and the overall well being of the animal. Is this a help to your question? Dann

Thank you for conveying a opinion important.
I feed various food to a snake after this.
Your advice became helpful very much.