Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi there:

One of my local tropical fish stores has several varieties of eels and eel-like fish available. I sort of like the eels and find them interesting, but am considering offering one to a mud snake. The problem is, these guys are not feeders. They are meant for people to place in aquariums and enjoy, and for that I feel guilty. Also, what if the mud snake does not eat the eel? Then I am stuck with a beautiful suffocating live creature whos life is being wasted. I know it sounds stupid to like eels, but I really do. I was wondering if you think this would be a good thing to try. If not, how about chopped eel from the seafood department at the grocery store?
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DAVE

Western green toad
green treefrogs
mud snake
brown Anole
Mediterranean gecko
Oriental fire-bellied toads
American bullfrog
South American caecilian (Dermophis occidentalis)
Spanish ribbed newt
rough-skinned newt
golden Axolotl
Eastern ribbon snakes
red-cheeked mud turtles
dwarf peacock day gecko
Dubia day gecko
Sonoran gopher snake
rough green snakes
giant African black millipedes
White's treefrog
Okeetee corn snake
Albino African clawed frog
Kenyan sand boa
Argentine flame-bellied toadlet
African bullfrog
yellow * Everglades rat snake intergrade
Western hognose snake
fire salamander

Isn't the idea to get the snake to eat? If he doesn't eat the eel then you have an eel for a pet. Sounds kind of neat.

Muds eat AMERICAN EELS!! And really eels are more raindow food, but muds likely take them from time to time as well. That said, I don't don't imagine that just any eel-ish animal would work as these are scent driven feeders (from what I've read). If you want to feed eels I would imagine that anguilla would be the way to go. You may even be able to use them to scent more convenient prey.

Good Luck
Cam Hanna
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"I'm tired of being a wannabe bowler! I wanna be a bowler!!"
-- Homer Simpson

Hi there:

I got a new idea to stimulate feeding. The snake still has not come yet. I took a deli cup, and filled it with water from the aquariums and terrariums of 4 different species of salamanders. Next, one at a time, I placed each salamander in the cup uf the mixed waters, and let it splash around, with little skin particles, small amounts of urin and "gunk" from the urodelans floating off. Each had a "splashing session" in the water for about 15 minutes.
Next, I quickly and humanely killed a "bait fish". I feel guilty about this, but a snake or turtle would have eaten it anyway. So, I put the fish in the "amphibian water", and froze it. It is frozen solid, aging in my freezer until the snake arrives, with the taste of many salamanders and newts. No animals were harmed in any way, shape or kind, except for the fish. This is one of many attempts to get captive Farancia to feed.
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DAVE

Western green toad
green treefrogs
mud snake
brown Anole
Mediterranean gecko
Oriental fire-bellied toads
American bullfrog
South American caecilian (Dermophis occidentalis)
Spanish ribbed newt
rough-skinned newt
golden Axolotl
Eastern ribbon snakes
red-cheeked mud turtles
dwarf peacock day gecko
Dubia day gecko
Sonoran gopher snake
rough green snakes
giant African black millipedes
White's treefrog
Okeetee corn snake
Albino African clawed frog
Kenyan sand boa
Argentine flame-bellied toadlet
African bullfrog
yellow * Everglades rat snake intergrade
Western hognose snake
fire salamander

I think that is a pretty creative technique, but if the snake only wants live prey? If it doesn't take the fish, I suggest using that scent technique again but with a live fish, and don't freeze it.
Michael
Michael's Place

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Michael_Fedzen@hotmail.com
www.freewebs.com/mikesnake

How do you humanely kill a fish? I am a big fisherman and I am just curious, especially since you don't know for sure that fish feel pain.
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Andy Maddox
AIM: thekingofproduct
MSN: Poloboy32486@hotmail.com
Yahoo:surfandskimtx04
Houston Herp Key
The Reptizone

"Some things will never change. They just stand there looking backwards. Half-unconsious from the pain. They may seem rearranged. In the backwater swirling. There is something that'll never change-The Meat Puppets"

Hi there:

Of course, I don't know whether or not fish feel pain or not. Nobody really does. When I say humanely, what I mean is quickly. I quickly smashed the fishes head. This smashed its brain, so that no nerves could travel through the backbone telling the fish that it was feeling pain. Just a WHAM, and then it was over. I would rather quickly have my head smashed than let's say, be burned and chopped to pieces alive. Hey, nobody likes to do it, but sometimes we just have to.
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DAVE

1.0 Western green toad
1.1 green treefrogs
1.0 mud snake
1.0 brown Anole
1.0 Mediterranean gecko
1.1 Oriental fire-bellied toads
1.0 American bullfrog
1.0 South American caecilian (Dermophis occidentalis)
1.0 Spanish ribbed newt
1.0 rough-skinned newt
1.0 golden Axolotl
1.1 Eastern ribbon snakes
1.1red-cheeked mud turtles
1.0 dwarf peacock day gecko
1.0 Dubia day gecko
1.0 Sonoran gopher snake
1.1 rough green snakes
1.1 giant African black millipedes
1.0 White's treefrog
1.0 Okeetee corn snake
1.0 Albino African clawed frog
1.0 Kenyan sand boa
1.0 Argentine flame-bellied toadlet
1.0 African bullfrog
1.0 yellow * Everglades rat snake intergrade
1.0 Western hognose snake
1.0 fire salamander

You're willing to use an eel as a feeder but not Sirens or Amphiumas? Solely because they're herps!? That's a bizarre distinction to make.

It seems like you're dead set on finding a way around feeding amphibians to your Muds and that is commendable, but you're probably just making things a lot more difficult for yourself.
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Pierson Hill

Herpetology and Herpetoculture

In a setup like mine you can have a wide array of prey items lving in the enclosure with your Mud.

The guy we bought these Muds from claims they were eating the native misqueto(sp?)
fishes.

I went out and bought a few dozen feeder guppies and a couple of bullfrog tadpoles. Guess what the guppies are less in numbers and the tadpoles are GONE!!!
Chopped Siren is next.

Good Luck!
Mike
The Mud Hole

I have never seen them sold around here but in places that sell eels to eat (by people) are they sold alive? And are they smallish fish? I have wanted to know that for quite a while now.
I buy leeches (when they are available) and put them in my aquarium. It looks REALLY interesting to see them undulate thru the water and crawl thru the gravel. The only drawback is they "explore" the inlet tube to my H.O.T. Magnum water filter and clog up my filter with their macerated bodies. Some do live for a while though and if your filter doesn't have an impeller then they should survive. And bait leeches don't suck blood, they just eat gunk in the gravel and any snails you have (which can be a problem if you want the snails). I would think snakes would eat them too.