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My baby bull (5 1/2 month old) is now almost 27" long and I finally fed her her first full grown frozen mouse (which she ate about as fast as she would a fuzzy My question is: what other foods will Bull snakes take? might I put fish in her large water bowl for a snack? and once she gets big enough would a raw chicken leg be a bad thing? Also she's rejected f/t several times and I'm curious if there is a safe way to feed her live full grown mice (perhaps holding one by the tail). She's not an adept killer (she's bitten the wrong end about as many times as the right end) but she seems to enjoy doing it and I'd like to give her the option if I can make it safe. All thoughts welcome.
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Ron

"What we do is but a shadow of what we want to do..." Peter Weiss

I doubt if she will take fish. Chicken leg...probably/maybe. As far as getting her to take f/t. Have you tried fresh killed?
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Martin Whalin

"It is foolish to let singleness of purpose deprive one of the joy and delectation of the many wonderful sights and sounds incidental to the quest."
-Carl Kauffeld
My Email

If she won't take a f/t mouse, then why would she take a chicken leg? And would a chicken leg be good for her? I could understand a whole bird might be a good meal, but just a leg seems inadequate to me. It wouldn't have any of the organs and other internal stuff that the snake digests along with bones and meat. And that single, long bone of a chicken leg seems like it would be VERY hard on a snake's digestive track. Relative to the bones of a whole animal of the proper size, that chicken bone would be HUGE.

As for her refusing f/t mice...it sounds like she's taken them before? Maybe you just need to make sure they're warmed up enough to be appealing? A mouse that is mearly room-temperature may not attract her. I personally wouldn't switch to live mice if any other option were available.

Just my .02.
Judy
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1.0 red cape gopher (Caesar)

>>If she won't take a f/t mouse, then why would she take a chicken leg?

I'm not sure I understand your logic. A chicken leg is not a f/t mouse.

>>And would a chicken leg be good for her?

Well not as a diet but I don't think once in a while would hurt. I'm not reccomending this, just answering a question.

>>I personally wouldn't switch to live mice if any other option were available.

Me neither, I said fresh killed. I didn't get the impression this snake had ever eaten f/t.
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Martin Whalin

"It is foolish to let singleness of purpose deprive one of the joy and delectation of the many wonderful sights and sounds incidental to the quest."
-Carl Kauffeld
My Email

I wasn't trying to say you were confused, just that I was confused by the logic of the original questions. I really should have replied directly under his question because that is who I was addressing, but I hit the "reply" button in the wrong place and there is no way to fix that once it's done.

If a snake won't eat a f/t mouse...which is essentially pre-killed meat...then why would it eat a chicken leg, which is also pre-killed meat. I imagine that if a snake is a picky eater, then it expects to recognize something specific in its food (such as scent, warmth, movement, size, shape, etc.) and a chicken leg doesn't seem to fulfill any of those normal expectations, except maybe warmth if its presented right. So....my question...if a snake doesn't recognize a f/t mouse as a legitimate source of food, then why would it recognize a chicken leg?

And I would still question the value of feeding one. I know you weren't recommending it, just answering someone else's question. But why feed anything that doesn't offer optimum nutrition? And I also still question whether a bone that big relative to a snake's normal prey would even be safe. But that's just a question...I'm no expert and would definitely be interested in any other thoughts on the matter.

Hope that clears up what I was trying to say.

Judy
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1.0 red cape gopher (Caesar)

if you want to let her kill [bulls do seem to treat this as sport] is to offer her stunned live mice. the snake will get the same 'effect' w/out all the [possibly dangerous] fight. just drop the mouse nose first in front of her......that way she gets the face first and eliminates any biting reflex that may be left over. be careful though! you're best bet is feeding f/t however. no thawed mouse has ever bit a snake yet..............

Try using hemostats with a thawed mouse. I like to dance the mouse around in front of my bullsnake's hide. His tail starts buzzing and within seconds he comes out and hits it like a tiger musky hits a topwater. Never fails to scare the bajeebers out of me. That is a lot safer the using a live mouse.
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Tim