Reptile & Amphibian Forums

well ive seen many redbelly waters and ive decided it might be time for me to keep a pair. i have enough info on caging requirements, i have a 4 by 2 cage, at least 2 hides will be provided, a large soaking/water dish and possibly another shallow dish for the snakes to fish in at least untill/if i can get them on mice

my question is regarding diet, what fish are the best, especially for an adult? i know goldfish are bad but can i use frozen fish?, what should i use or avoid and also should i provide any dietary supplements when feeding fish? if so, what should be added and how often?

thanks for the help

Hey there, nice to hear about your Red Bellies. Cage size sounds good because these snake can get pretty big!
Frozen/thawed fish are fine. I've been feeding (all) my snakes this for quite some time. I do intersperse with live goldfish very regularly and do not consider it a problem at all. They are in fact just another member of the minnow family. The bulk of the food I offer however is trout. These have always been frozen/thawed as I get them at a fish hatchery and I do not have a licence to transport live game fish. My snakes will also accept frozen/thawed rats, mice, pinkies, chicken wings and shelled prawns (for the Mangroves, Gulfs and occasionally, Greens). All of the above save for the chicken and prawns, have been fish scented prior to feeding.
My nerodia range in size from (approx) one foot to a little over five feet in length and have been fed variations of this diet for years.
My only "advice" is that, if you chose to offer rodents, keep the snakes warm during digestion (this will assist in moving the hair through their gut). Perhaps I just have a problem about swallowing hair ...
Michael