Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I raise our own feeders and hatch chicks to feed my adults every three weeks with rodents being fed the rest of the time. I was thinking of raising button quail to see if the smaller snakes would like to eat those as they hatch, they are just the size of a bumble bee as dayolds. Has anyone else fed these? If so, I would love to hear if it would be recommended, a problem? Any info at all.

Another question. We feed our snakes every Saturday and Wednesday. Is that too often? They always seem to be ready but is there a problem with feeding too often?
Thanks
Nina

Well, I don't know about the quail, but as for frequency of feeding, I think you're fine as long as, in any given period, you aren't feeding too much. Smaller snakes will certainly benefit from the regimen you've described, especially if you make an effort to vary the diet. Adults need to eat less, but nothing I have read has ever indicated that this has to be in the form of large meals offered in less frequent intervals, as opposed to small meals offered frequently.

In short -- unless they're showing signs of becoming obese, I wouldn't worry unduly. Do you brumate your snakes? I don't overwinter the animals I'm not going to breed, but I understand that it helps keep obesity from becoming a problem in well-fed animals.

--Naamah

I plan on breeding one pair and will brumate them, the rest I dodn't plan on brumating, one of those is an adult and the rest are hatchlings.

Nina

I'd just keep an eye on them to be sure they don't get fat. It's easy to tell. I think you'll probably be fine in the long run.

--Naamah

Thanks for the reply and yes, I'll watch their weight. I only plan on offering the chicks once every three weeks, like I do my adults. Luckily TerryP gave me a recommendation of how often to feed them the chicks or I WOULD have overdone it!

Nina