Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have read a bit on switching rhynos over from fish to pinks. I was just wondering if anyone has heard of this having any effect their health? I don't own any rhynos, nor do I know much about them. So don't take this as an attack on your knowledge of this species.

Case in point, the North American hognoses regularly feed on amphibians (as well as lizards) in the wild. Western hognoses are endemic to the drier part of the US. Drier climates mean less amphibians, so the westerns have adapted to eating rodents as well. However this isn't true for the Eastern and Southern hognoses. I have read that feeding the Eastern/Southern hognoses a strict rodent diet causes problems with their liver or kidney, due to too much fatty build-up.

Obviously, fish are nothing like rodents in their genetic makeup. Aren't rhynos strictly fish-eaters? If so, wouldn't switching them to exclusively rodents cause long-term health issues? Has anyone heard of such a case?

Bry

My rhynos are doing great...they were switched about 2-3 months ago. The correlation between the hognoses is a nice comparison, but I don't think there is strong data supporting that statement. I actually think I read some data that doesn't directly link them, similar to cold weather and viruses. I'll look in my records but I haven't heard on any detrimental effects from rodents on rhynos

mgl

Good question. I've been breeding my rhinos for the past 5-6 years and have raised many babies. My theory is that while the juveniles may start their lives feeding on fish they eventually move to rodents or birds in the wild. As they undergo their ontogentic color change from grey to green they most likely move from the shores to the trees I believe they change feeding habits as well.

I do believe however that most arboreal snakes are not meant to be bulky of overfed. Thus is the dilemna witht the rhyno rats. They have such great appetites that they will gorge themselves if allowed. I do not believe this to be heatlhy for this species.

Just my two cents on the subject....

---glenn