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I was wondering what people are feeding there easterns? I have read reports of problems feeding them rodents? Has anyone seen these problems? Will they do better on a diet of anphibions and reptiles?

Thanks,
Mike

>>I was wondering what people are feeding there easterns? I have read reports of problems feeding them rodents? Has anyone seen these problems? Will they do better on a diet of anphibions and reptiles?
>>
>>Thanks,
>> Mike

Mine are fed only mice and rats. My eldest snake is 5 years old and doing just fine.

Ok, Was there any scenting in the begining? Are they Wild or Captive?

Mike

I have not kept eastern hogs in years... They can have problems digesting rodent fur. I recommend feeding them hairless rodents to avoid any potential problems. Scenting is usually necessary in the beginning.

-Chris
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Christopher E. Smith
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Captive Bred Herps

>>I have not kept eastern hogs in years... They can have problems digesting rodent fur. I recommend feeding them hairless rodents to avoid any potential problems. Scenting is usually necessary in the beginning.
>>

Hognoses pass rodent fur with no trouble. Ratsnakes and other rodent eating snakes don't really digest the fur either - it's passed through their system and comes out in the stools. Most people over look it because it's not obvious. Dissecting stools for parasite testing - lots of fur in them to muck it all up - especially if you are trying to do a direct smear.

>>Ok, Was there any scenting in the begining? Are they Wild or Captive?
>>
>>Mike

Some snakes need scenting and others don't. It's more an individual preference than wc vs cb.

My eldest eastern never required scenting.. took pinky mice right off as a baby and then moved on to fuzzy mice then pinky rats. As an adult she regularly gets fuzzy rats or rat pups (or sub-adult / adult mice if I am out of rats).

My 2nd eldest eastern required scenting to get him started when he was a baby - but it wasn't toad scent. He LOVED his food dipped in canned tuna fish water! He usually doesn't give me any problems on non-scented food, though occasionally will hold out for tuna mice. He's still eating pinky/fuzzy mice. He hasn't gotten brave enough to move on to full furred items yet and isn't quite up to size yet for pinky rats.

Some hogs will refuse to take rodents no matter how you scent them and will need assist feeding until they realize the rodents are food. I've done that as well. Some are fast learners and others can take a while but eventually come around.