Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just want to mention this-as I see alot of posts of feeding Easterns.

I have 5 easterns -1 just over 2 years (CB), 4 just over 4 years (CB) and 1 that is 8 years (WC).

Here's what they eat-the 2 year old will eat anything-no scenting-fish, mice, and other things.

The rest are slightly more picky-they eat fish, mice and farm raised frogs (and yes, you can buy farm raised frogs-it just takes some looking to find them)

As to the old belief-if you have one eating mice and give it a toad-they will never eat a mouse again-not true.

Here's a good one for going against the "rules"-I have a 4 year old WC Western that was given to me as a gift-he only eats fish-he refuses all other foods, he's in excellent health and eats everytime-rather aggressively. Offer a mouse of any size, or a frog, or a toad, and he'll refuse it everytime-but I keep trying, in hopes that he will be like the other western (CB) I have that eats mice.

I think the point is-you never know for sure what a hognose will and won't eat-until you use every option (some options, of course, being more preferable and healthier)

Last point-an CB is ALWAYS best to work with

Enjoy your hoggies (and other critters too) and Happy Holidays to All

Langly 2112

What kind of fish do you use??
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1.1 Kenyan Sand Boas (new)
0.1 Rubber Boa
1.0 Eastern Hognose 2003 super red
0.2 Eastern Hognose Snakes
4.4 Western Hognose Snakes
1.1 Womas
Spadefoot
Black Knobbed Sawback
Northern Diamondback
Florida Redbellied Slider
Western Painted
Southern Painted
1.0 African Hedgehog
1.0 Sulcata

1 Pleco
2 Silver Dollars
3 Bosemian Rainbows
1 Cory Cat
1 Upside Down Catfish
2.0 Fire Guramis

uhh... I think that is it.

I've used catfish, trout, minnows, mostly any fresh-water fish-except goldfish, whole or in parts. (no salt water fish-ever)
If you happen to be a fisherman-you can use species you catch too. (bass, pickeral, sunfish, perch etc) Take care to remove any large bones when filleting them - clean and fillet them as though you were going to eat them.

I do freeze them for a few weeks or more before using them knowing that fresh fish - no matter what the source - can carry parasites. If I buy them prefrozen-it's not an issue.

I've never had a problem.

Couple things here:
No one here has made the claim that a hog will refuse mice after eating toads, although I think it is safe to say that they are much more likely to refuse mice if they think toads are available. After all, mice can fight back viscously, why take the chance?

Why do you not use saltwater fish? I understand the logic but the facts don't support it. Saltwater fish have no more salt concentrations than freshwater fish! What you should avoid are oily fish like capelin.

You are only feeding it fillets? If so, that is a horrible diet for ANY animal. Where do you think all of the nutrients are? In the viscera and head! That snake is heading towards some serious nutritional deficiencies (including Vit B), please consider using only whole fish.

Food must be frozen for at least 30 days to reduce the parasite potential.

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...the oldest task in human history: to live on a piece of land without spoiling it."
Aldo Leopold (1938)

"Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us."
Calvin and Hobbes (Scientific Progress Goes 'Boink', 1991)

as far as the toads vs mice perference and so on-it has been mentioned in the past.

I have seen an Eastern trying to catch a mouse in the wild-I don't just keep them as pets, mind you-I observe them in the wild as well. As I've seen them take roadkilled amphibians-(frogs, toads, salamanders) I think they are pretty opportunistic feeders and would more than likely take dead or dying mice, a nest of baby mice and/or fish on the shoreline.
I have yet to see one go swimming to catch fish.

as to salt water fish-I guess I'm going be the old standard of not giving salt water fish to fresh water reptiles. Just like not giving hognose any toad not native to the US. I'll have to find out where I got that reference from and post it later.

I thought it might come up that I wasn't specific enough on the freezing time of fish or that I use fillets and whole fish and vitamin suppliments-I guessed someone would ask and then I could go on. When I was speaking of cleaning large fish-I put down the best way to use them -I should have mentioned that some fish such as sunfish, perch etc (panfish) have no size limits (fishing laws in my state) and can be whole and should be. Minnows of course should be used whole. Fillets are the things that I have and use when nothing else is readily available. Also as some hognose really like fish, it can be used to scent other items such as mice (unfortunately my one western can see through that one)

and before you get into it-some farm raised frogs are too big to use all at once-they are taken apart (yeah, gross I know) and used in peices till the entire frog (cuts, bones and all) are used. and I also freeze those before use as well.

I assumed if anyone had any questions they would ask

If I have time over the holidays I'll take some photos of my hoggies and you can tell me how healthy they look. (I have lots of older photos but it's not the same as seeing them NOW-if you know what I mean) (that's not meant be mean or "fresh" or rude - it's just make sure you know that my hoggies are being cared for properly since a picture speaks a thousand words)

again

Happy Holidays to all.

PS-Colchicine-I hope the part about taking apart the frogs doesn't offend you-as I recall you keep frogs as pets if you're who I think you are. I'm sorry about that part.

I have fed my Eastern Hognose Bullfrog Tadpoles before (frozen first, or course). They are readily available at most bait shops. Also, I have gotten him to eat scented mice, but not fish yet.

Ok, I don't get the whole provoking a debate thing, but at least you made this forum a little more interesting! I guess that you do have a hold on things just fine.

I am not offended, I am not one of those animal rights people driven entirely by emotion. I understand animals place in the ecosystem. I only ask that people give consideration to wild animals, and in the case of these frogs that they are dispatched humanely.
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...the oldest task in human history: to live on a piece of land without spoiling it."
Aldo Leopold (1938)

"Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us."
Calvin and Hobbes (Scientific Progress Goes 'Boink', 1991)

In any case, I have seen hognose around the beach and know they are found there. Sand dunes, after all, are a great place for them and there are PLENTY of toads that live in the dunes right above tideline. So are saltwater fish out of the question now?
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Andy Maddox
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