Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am about to make my next rodent order in a couple of days and I was thinking of buying a couple bags of chicks to give my corn and rat snakes. If I do get some i'll only feed the chicks once a month while feeding mice/rats the rest of the month. Are there any reasons why you would feed chicks? Are there any reasons you would? I have always used rodents but would like to try some chicks if it wont be a problem. Thanks alot.

I feed my adult ratsnakes mostly chicks, only occassionally mice or rats, never had any problems. It does however make their faeces a bit more smelly. But the snakes themselves love it.

IMHO
Herman's advice is sound.
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For many years, I used chicks for all medium to large colubrids.
Animals did fine, but cage cleaning was significantly more labor intensive and odor was a factor.
Now, I use only mice or rats with an occasional a day old quail as an appetite stimulant, almost like a doggy treat. LOL
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Comparing adult mice to same weight rats (10g) to day old chicks, Protein, fat, and "gross energy" are about the same.
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"as goes phosphorus, so goes calcium" or as explained to me one time, “you could eat pure bone meal and not get much Calcium without Phosphorous!”
Calcium and phosphorus are significantly higher in mice than chicks.
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Here's a link to the USDA report on this so you can see for yourself. (RP has this on their website also.)
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www.nal.usda.gov/awic/zoo/WholePreyFinal02May29.pdf
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Good luck from NE TN
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Regards, Bill McGighan

Amen. Birds of a feather may work in the wild, but in captivity it's gross. You'll be cleaning cages with a spatula.

Mike