Reptile & Amphibian Forums

O.K. guys, here is a topic a little less " controversial " than most that I post on here. No matter how long you are in this Hobby, you always run into something that will " strike you as odd. " When it comes to feeding prey items, most of us could all agree " wich is rare " that feeding rodents and rabbits, is the most nutrient for our beloved snakes. However, sometimes these prey items are hard to get and inconveniant to order for some of us and after talking to some " food specialist " freezing these prey items is killing off alot of the nutritional value in them and off course their is the fear of attaining " chemically laced lab rats. " Truth be known, we have all been tempted at times to venture into the " Dark World " of Store Bought Chicken. However, our fears off " samonella and not being nutrient complete, " have kept us away from such " Evil Thoughts. " The other day, I met a local guy that has 4 pet Columbian Red Tails and they were the most beautiful and muscular and strong and vibrant Columbians that I have seen in ages! They were magnificent animals and I fell in the floor when he told me what he feeds them. They were all 7ft and 9yrs old and have eaten Store Bought Chicken Drumsticks " exclusively " since they were 1yr old!! Suddenly, I was filled with questions and no matter how I tried to " discredit " the situation, there was NO DENIEING the animals health and vibrancy. So here it is guys and gals, " Should we possibly re-think this possibility of a extreme cheap and possibly beneficial food source or continue to let fear rule?? " Do not get me wrong, " You guys already know how stubborn and set in my ways, I am. " I am not ready to go to the grocery store yet, but this is intrigueing and I would like to hear others input? "..........GOD BLESS.......Johnson Herp

back in the day, i have resorted to all kinks of crazy stuff i won't go into. but for me and my boas it's rats or rabbits. because there are to many drugs and hormones injected in the animals today. oh who am i kidding we eat the damn things. but as long as i can get home grown rats, i'll stick with that. later Brendan

I absolutely love the ease of feeding chicken parts.. I partially cook the chicken (to lower possible salmonella contamination) but I have not noticed any issues at all, other then snakes that gain weight back quicker then those fed on rodents or rabbits.
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Randall L Turner Jr.
www.aircapitalconstrictors.com

after talking to some " food specialist " freezing these prey items is killing off alot of the nutritional value in them

This is quite false. Unless you leave your whole frozen prey animal frozen for long periods of time, freezing prey animals may actually be making nutrients more easily obtained. Freezing causes cell walls to be broken by water turning to ice making it more easily digested.

I am a fan of poultry parts used to supplement some of the meals I feed to snakes, but I'm skeptical about using a 100% chicken drumstick diet being a good thing. It might be just fine, but instinct points me away from that.

Doug T
Doug Taylor Reptiles

I like the idea, and am willing to try it. I assume most boas catch birds in the wild, and get the whole nutrient package that way. I guess a quick parboil would knock down the bacteria. Seems like a drumstick would have a lot more bone/calcium than a rodent of the same weight. I wonder if scenting will be needed to switch them over. Interesting topic.

Every one I have fed chicken or chicken parts to do not require scenting.. They actually eat it more quickly and strike at it harder then when I feed rats or rabbits.
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Randall L Turner Jr.
www.aircapitalconstrictors.com

Wow! You actually use chicken parts? Do you just buy them at the nearby grocery store or get ones with feathers still attached? I'm soo dumbfounded I thought you were actually joking about using chicken parts!!! Makes you really think about what we can do to feed our pets when we're in a rush and don't have time to pick up mice/rats/rabbits at the nearby herpstores!

I buy frozen chicken from the grocery store, or when I can get them I get appropriate sized live chickens(then prekill and remove the feet and head.) (I would feed rabbits more frequently then chickens if all of my rabbit producers hadn't quit locally grrr..)
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Randall L Turner Jr.
www.aircapitalconstrictors.com

I have been feeding chicken and even turkey drumsticks for 10 years on my Boas. If I find Chicken necks or game hens (on sale) I will feed them also rodents as their mainstay, but I have always suplemented my snakes with chicken. I do partially cook the chicken before I give it to them, to try and help reduce any bacteria. I don't know if I would ever switch completly to poultry as I think the fur is like fiber in the snakes diet. That is why chicken part fed boas have runny stools. The vitamins content is not really an issue, you can get so many different reptile suplements that it seems like an obsolete question nowadays, but the fur or feathers in the diet is a problem.
Thanks for the less "hot" topic to share LOL
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Jim Hopkins "Hoppy"
Hopkins Holesale Herps
Hopfam1@aol.com