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Can I have an expert elaborate?
I have been feeding my northern water snake live rosy reds, are those considered goldfish?

Is live better than dead?

Why EXACTLY are goldfish bad, that supid enzyme that blocks vit. b absorbtion right? What about wild snakes eating carp type fish.. do they die?

Also, how often should I feed my little guy? This is the one that had a broken back, paralyzed from the neck down if you guys remember, well, he has shed twice, and now has *almost* full mobility. This week, he is on his 5th minnow, how many is too much?
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0.0.1 Chrysemys picta picta (Eastern Painted Turtle)
0.0.1 Teliqua gigas (Indonesian Blue Tongue Skink)
0.2.0 Eublepharis macularius (Leopard Geckos)
0.0.1 Nerodia sipedon (Northern Water Snake)
0.0.2 Rhacodactylus ciliatus (Crested Geckos)
0.0.1 Python regius (Ball Python)
?.?.? Assorted goldfish, minnows and guppies
1.0.0 Ferret
1.1.0 Cats
1.0.0 Aussie Cattle Dog/ Border Collie Mix

Can I have an expert elaborate?
I don't if I qualify, or that expert is the correct term since much of your questions are a matter of educated opinion, here are mine:

I have been feeding my northern water snake live rosy reds, are those considered goldfish?
Rosy reds are minnows, they are a little cleaner generally but about the same.

Is live better than dead? When feeding fish, dead is a no-no, see the next question.

Why EXACTLY are goldfish bad, that supid enzyme that blocks vit. b absorbtion right? What about wild snakes eating carp type fish.. do they die? No, and eating goldfish is no more likely to kill your snake then any other food. In fact gold fish are very nutritious. Why they are bad is a matter of opinion, they can be infect with parasites, and if fed dead the thiaminase will destroy all the vitamin B within the fish. There are easy solutions to these problems, always feed healthy looking fish with no signs of illness, and never feed dead unless you froze them alive, freezing denatures and nutralized the thiaminase.

Also, how often should I feed my little guy? This is the one that had a broken back, paralyzed from the neck down if you guys remember, well, he has shed twice, and now has *almost* full mobility. This week, he is on his 5th minnow, how many is too much?
You have to look at him to judge this if what he has in his stomach seems to slow him down then he's had enough. With a healthy snake I'd say feed him a couple a day or as much he'll eat once a week. Your probably better with a few every day.

Thanks!

Would it be a good idea to mix up the fish? I work in a petstore, so I can always get fish. I was thinking of giving him a very coloful guppy or small platy as a treat... is this ok?

Better yet, what are fish NOT to feed? Thanks again!
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0.0.1 Chrysemys picta picta (Eastern Painted Turtle)
0.0.1 Teliqua gigas (Indonesian Blue Tongue Skink)
0.2.0 Eublepharis macularius (Leopard Geckos)
0.0.1 Nerodia sipedon (Northern Water Snake)
0.0.1 Rhacodactylus ciliatus (Crested Gecko)
?.?.? Assorted goldfish, minnows and guppies
1.0.0 Ferret
1.1.0 Cats
1.0.0 Aussie Cattle Dog/ Border Collie Mix

Actuallly platies, mollies and other tropical fish are much better if you have a good source for them. variety is always better. Tropical fish expecially live barers like those mentioned above rarely have dangerous parasites and are just cleaner in general. I would avoid catfish and others with sharp spines, not that the water snakes can't handle it, it'll just freak you out the first time you see your snake pass a spike right through his skin! They never seem to come to any harm from it, but it is freaky.

np
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0.0.1 Chrysemys picta picta (Eastern Painted Turtle)
0.0.1 Teliqua gigas (Indonesian Blue Tongue Skink)
0.2.0 Eublepharis macularius (Leopard Geckos)
0.0.1 Nerodia sipedon (Northern Water Snake)
0.0.1 Rhacodactylus ciliatus (Crested Gecko)
?.?.? Assorted goldfish, minnows and guppies
1.0.0 Ferret
1.1.0 Cats
1.0.0 Aussie Cattle Dog/ Border Collie Mix

nptest