Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello All,
I've searched through the KS forums and really couldn't find anything solid, so I thought I'd ask about it here. I was flipping through a Reptile magazine and saw an ad for these "snake sausages". T-Rex makes these and I think another company or two. They're suppose to be just as good as a rodent diet and I myself could handle feeding a sausage, as a opposed to a rodent. Has anyone had experience with these? How easy is it to get a snake to eat these sausages on a regular basis? Also, I'm sure not all snakes would go for this, especially not my favorites, Ball Pythons. What kind of snakes readily eat snake sausages? I've read something about Corn snakes eating these, but are there any others? Any info on the snake sausages would be great, especially if someone has had experience in feeding them. Thanks in advance.
-Cathy

I've never understood these things and I HIGHLY doubt that they are as nutritionally balanced as a rodent. First of all, they are almost definitely cooked. I'm no expert but I know that cooking meats destroys a lot of valuable enzymes. I've also never understood how people think this is "less gross" than feeding rodents. A dead rodent, to me, is a lot less disturbing than one that has been dumped into a meat grinder, ground to a paste, and then packed into a piece of intestine.
I also highly doubt that a snake would eat one. Remember, you don't need to feed a snake a live rodent. It's actually much better to feed frozen and then thawed rodents. People are disturbed by the strangest things. A snake swallowing a dead rodent whole will gross them out. However, most people don't think twice about eating a chicken wing. I love seeing these people tear through ligaments as they rip the bird limb from limb and then tear through the flesh with their teeth while liquified fat-bodies drip down their chin. Nothing left after but a pile of bones on the plate. Then they say that it's cruel to humanely euthanize a mouse for snake food. So many people have moral issues with things if they have to see it or think about it but have no problem with it as long as their cow pre-butchered. I'll never understand people. That's why I stick to studying animals.

P.S. I don't mean to attack you. You just brought up a subjest I find incredibly interesting.
-----
Martin Whalin

"Science stops at the frontier of logic. Nature does not, she thrives in areas as yet untrodden by theory."
-Carl Jung

"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

Oh, thanks a LOT. Meijer had better still have rotisserie chickens on sale, or you're going to be in trouble, because you made me really hungry!
-----
Eryx - All the fun of a boa in a convenient pocket size!

LOL, I made myself hungry. Sorry.
-----
Martin Whalin
My Email

Quotes from guys named Carl:

"Science stops at the frontier of logic. Nature does not, she thrives on ground as yet untrodden by theory."
-Carl Jung

"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

I was a little squirmy about feeding snakes when I first wanted one. I checked into the snake sausages too and found out they would not be so good in the long run. I feed F/T as apposed to live. I cringe at the thought of tossing in a live prey. F/T is no different then us pulling out frozen meat for us to eat. Doesn't bother me a bit.

I don't know how likely it'd be that a Ball would eat one. I have enough trouble with BPs that go off feed for the winter, and that's feeding rats, which they are used to eating! I'd stick with rodents (frozen/thawed).
-----
"One man's pet is another man's feeder."

I can't imagine any snake (I could be wrong) readily accepting a sausage - especially with Ball Pythons as they can be difficult feeders. If I'm not mistaken, the even has instructions for force-feeding them to snakes..probably because it's a problem getting them to take it and you almost have to force them.

When I found out you could feed FT rodents to snakes I was so happy. In my opinion, if you have a problem feeding an animal what it's natural prey is then I believe you should rethink getting that animal. There are snakes you can get that eat insects, worms, etc. If that makes you more comfortable.

Here's an interesting (idiotic is more like it) story about these sausages:
www.glocktalk.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=218670
-----
Check Out My Albums

1.0 Ball Python
"Aragorn"

1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa
"Gimli"

0.1 Australian Cattle Dog/Pointer
"Kira"

Hello Again,
I must say that you guys have really good points. I also did wonder about the nutritional value of the sausages and wondered if it would be healthy long term. See, I used to have 3 snakes, 1.1 Ball Pythons and a Florida Kingsnake. All whom which I adored very much. When I got them they were on live, but at the time, I had gotten one of the BP's and the KS to switch to FT. The male BP was still refusing FT. I never had a problem feeling guilty or being squeamish for feeding them. I started working at a pet store and befriended a few co-workers there. They were totally against the whole feeding the snakes thing. In all honesty I let them guilt me into finding homes for my snakes, because I thought it was "the right thing to do". I even have pet Rats and mice. I realize now that I shouldn't let someone influence me like that. I really regret it too, because I miss my snakes so much. Don't get me wrong, they have great homes, which I'm happy about. The female BP is up to 48 inches now and such a beauty. The truth is I love snakes, especially BP's. They are my "first love" with reptiles if you will. I'm sure you guys can relate to that. I even had long term dreams of breeding BP's, but threw them away at the illusion that finding them homes would somehow make me a better person. The points that you guys have brought up have really made me look at it in a different light. I've been wanting a BP again very much lately and when I saw the ad for the sausages, I automatically thought this was a solution, but you guys are right, it's not good for em and the points you made were logical. If I eat PK or FT chicken, why can't I feed snakes PK or FT food. Makes me feel like a hypocryte. The fact that I used to PK food for them as an inbetween stage to FT, makes me feel even more like a hypocryte. I'll get another BP one of these days and say, I don't give a hoot what you guys(my co-workers) think about feeding them rodents. I really don't think they would hate me for having a few snakes. I'll just do it the FT way, which is much better for many reasons anyways. Thank you guys for shedding the light so to speak on me.
-Cathy

Do me a favor. (Seriously) Ask your coworkers what they think should be done about all those wild predators out there, eating all those fuzzy little animals. Should we kill all the wolves to save the bunnies? Strilize the tigers so they go extinct and stop eating the poor deer (or indians or whatever they eat in the wild, I'm not sure)? I've always wanted to ask one of these people. On the other hand, unless they're all vegans, I can't begin to imagine what they are thinking or why I would care...

As for your actual question, I've never tried the sausages, but 2 of the 3 snakes I've tried it with (a boa and a burmese) gobbled down chicken legs like they were candy, so I wouldn't be two surprised if they would take a sausage if it smelled right. And before anyone freaks, I did this briefly to suplement thier diet when I was having trouble finding appropriate food.
-----
Larry D. Fishel
Side effects may include paralysis
and death but are generally mild.

Pet store employeees that don't believe feeding an animal is "the right thing to do"? That makes absolutely no sense to me. Life subsists on life and nothing else. Also, life only exists to feed itself. Don't let them impose their weird morals on you. There's plenty of room for all God's creatures...right next to the mashed potatoes. Good luck with your new snakes.
-----
Martin Whalin
My Email

Quotes from guys named Carl:

"Science stops at the frontier of logic. Nature does not, she thrives on ground as yet untrodden by theory."
-Carl Jung

"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

I take it that the store you worked in didn't or doesn't carry snakes.

I also have worked in pet stores, and I truely love the jerks that just can't stand the idea of me feeding the snakes. I worked with one girl who would freak when I went to grab mice to pre-kill them to feed. She would actually start crying. Drove me nuts. Then one day she walked in the store with a leather coat on. Man did I let her have it. Tell your employees to shut the heck up, people like that drive me nuts, just like the stupid people who make their dogs eat a vegitarian diet.