Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just received an order of frozen day-old chicks to try out feeding to my kings. I fed them to a few of my snakes last night, and they seemed to like them once they figured out how to eat them.

Has anyone else tried feed chicks, or other birds to their snakes (like quail), and what sort of results did you get? I've heard snakes grow faster eating birds, but have stinkier poop.

Rainer (bluerosy) posted here earlier in the year that he is feeding his animals chicks. I am sure he will be happy to share his experiences.

daveb
-----
in the light, you will find the road...

First rule.."NO FAT CHICKS". I like ones that are in shape.

I think when us herpers and the general public think of snakes we think RODENTS are their preferred food. Mice and snakes seem to go hand in hand so it takes a little getting used to the idea that Chicks are not only much cheaper but BETTER all aro8nd for sevral reasons.

The chicks are about twice the weight of a large mouse and cost just fraction. After I started feeding my collection of Florida kings I noticed a few things.

First was the smell. IT WAS GONE! Even with summer heat and three day old chicks left in the container i did not get the smell that one does from a 12 hour decomposing MOUSE or RAT.

If anyone here has a large collection you know how disgusting this smell is and how annoying it is when you have to leave somehwere in a hurry only to hunt down that one leftover rodent in the cage.

Second thing: After thinking about that smell I realized chicken is healthier than a rodent... I mean I eat chicken and everybody knows chicken is healthier for humans. So why not snakes? Less toxins in the air too.

The other things I found when feeding birds is you don't get the regurges (from some snakes) that are sesitive to the hair of rodents (deppie jani come to mind).

But I have not had luck with the neonates taking the qail. About 50% of them did and the others wanted the fuzzies. But my adult Florida kings all ate the chicks.

The third and most important thing about buying chicks is the cost. Not only are they twice the weight of a jumbo mouse but they are built so a smaller snake can eat a larger item. I have watched a small snake manipulate around the long neck of a chic and get it all down. whereas the same snake could not eat a mouse or rat of the same weight.

get chicks at .12 cents each and they are twice the size of a mouse or pay $50 cents and up for a smaller food item that stinks and decomposes faster.

AND I THINK THEY ARE HEALTHIER!

my .12 cents

-----
ÌÏËÙÍ ËÁÂE!

table #184 DAYTONA EXPO

You know - Rana draytonii use to be Rana aurora draytonii because they look extremely similar to Rana aurora (what use to be Rana aurora aurora) it turns out that Rana aurora is closer to Rana cascadae than it is to Rana draytonii.

FUNKYRES

Low cost sounds good to me lol! Where do you get your feeder chicks from?

It is against KS terms or service to post for sale info on these forums.

So I could tell you but then they will kill this thread.

But if you look at the front page banners you will see them advertised.
-----
ÌÏËÙÍ ËÁÂE!

table #184 DAYTONA EXPO

You know - Rana draytonii use to be Rana aurora draytonii because they look extremely similar to Rana aurora (what use to be Rana aurora aurora) it turns out that Rana aurora is closer to Rana cascadae than it is to Rana draytonii.

FUNKYRES

Are you sure about the weight thing?
back when my GTPs were juvi i bought 100 male chicks
they ate em great. so did my colubrids
but it was amazing that my GTP juvis ate baby chicks tiny lil snakes got em down..and they still love rats !

Are you sure about the weight thing?
back when my GTPs were juvi i bought 100 male chicks
they ate em great. so did my colubrids
but it was amazing that my GTP juvis ate baby chicks tiny lil snakes got em down..and they still love rats !

Dude I have been trying to tell you... Chicks are cool. Glad you stepped out of the ghey side.
-----
ÌÏËÙÍ ËÁÂE!

table #184 DAYTONA EXPO

You know - Rana draytonii use to be Rana aurora draytonii because they look extremely similar to Rana aurora (what use to be Rana aurora aurora) it turns out that Rana aurora is closer to Rana cascadae than it is to Rana draytonii.

FUNKYRES

Dude i am wondering how !!! see ya at he beach,,,,,,,,,C

I tried the chicks as they were affordable... I think I ordered about 300, while they are about the size of adult mice they don't take as long to digest and the smell of my snakes poop when they feed on chicks is overwhelming IMO.

personally I don't think they are better in the sense on nutritional value. I think since they digest faster, your snakes end up consuming more chicks (than they would mice) and hence make they grow.

I do find them good for gravid females and post-lay females. My females feed really close to their lay dates (i.e they would still be feeding up until 4-6 days before they actually drop their eggs). Also they seem to bulk up better faster than when I feed mice during this period, but I did find myself feeding more often when I used chicks.

they do nothin for my adult males IMO, they seem to be snacks, no where near a good solid meal. ran through my adult males like water.

so weigh the pros and cons

Really smelly (some times runny) poop

personally I'll stick to mice, the poop smell is too much for me here in the city. but i may get a few around breeding season.

~ZF

I alternate feedings of chicks and mice (or quail and mice for the little guys). My only concern with chicks is similar to concerns with day old pinks - at one day old how nutrtious can they really be? I'm not sure. Either way I think its good to provide a varied diet.

I have not noticed any smell difference.

I have noticed that birds don't seem to hold them over as long - they get hungry again faster.

Last consideration is the size. Not a huge issue for the eastern guys but not all calis (and very few tricolors) will be able to get down even just day old chicks