Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My former Cal King (common banded) loved variety. Across time, he had enjoyed 4 species of rodents, 4 species of lizards, 2 species of snakes, and a chick. He fed on non-rodent prey long before he was an adult.

My current Cal King (desert phase) should be prone to prefer reptiles over rodents, as if often the case with desert dwellers. However, he has rejected every reptiles prey given. He recognized the last Garter Snake as soon as he struck, and ignored it thereafter. He strikes & eats mice eagerly.

He may outgrow his Rodent phase later, but I'm intrigued by his behavior. Is he likely finicky just because he's accustomerd to mice and has not yet dared to try something new?

What is the experience of other Cal King owners who live feed? How often do your animals demonstrate a preference for rodent or reptile??

My adult cali kings... refuses reptiles 90% of the time but will take a mouse as soon as you throw it in...

I was running low on hoppers a little while ago, so instead of giving one to my adult male cali king, I thawed out a 17" garter snake... which he ate as soon as I put it in. About 2 weeks later I offered him a live 10" garter snake.... which he refused and is actually still living in the enclosure LOL. He grabbed a mouse from my hand like a day after I offered the live garter.

My adult female has yet to show any interest in snake prey... she too lived with a garter snake for about a week that was intended as prey lol. And she has quite the appetite when it comes to feeding time.

Mike
Michael's Place

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KingPin Reptiles Inc.
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All I feed my snake is live rodents. I haven't tried any other reptiles as of yet, although one day, I intend on feeding her a skink, and maybe a garter snake or something, but I'm fairly sure she's happy with the enormous amounts of mice she consumes!!

Boy, I wish sometimes I could keep my mouth shut but I never received much tact as a gift so here goes--at the risk of starting a fire storm I have just one question: you love that snake of yours so why risk introducing a parasite by feeding another reptile to it? If that is the only thing they will eat I can see it if done with care but why bother with your brooks? One of my Hypo Brooks is 3.5 years old and has never had anything but f/t rodents. She still hits them with the same gusto that she did as a neonate. Talk to Tom Stevens about how much "fun" it is to deal with a pesky parasite infection. And he wasn't even feeding reptiles to his critters!!! Give it some consideration.

Pat

Pat

I agree with your statement but I thing Kinglvr was taking advice from Herperhelmz who is a "known" snake feeder . Not that I have anything against feeding snakes or other reptiles I just don't think feeding reptiles and amphibians to mouse feeders is a good idea because of the possible parasites that can be transferred.

Maybe the question should be more directed towards HerperHelmz. ..Mr Helmz what do you think?

I 100% disagree with feeding reptiles to anything... unless absolutely needed. Most of the time, it's not absolutely needed, but I may use reptiles anyways, such as if I'm short on mice and would rather use them for another snake, I'll not give the mice to the snake that should've been getting them and give it a snake instead.

If you have your snake feeding on unscented rodents... there's no reason to feed it anything else...

I'm lucky... I've used probably hundreds of snakes as feeders, as well as dozens of lizards, skinks, frogs, toads and salamanders, and have yet to have my collection be infected with ANY parasites.

Mike

Michael's Place

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Michael's Place has updated, better caresheets
KingPin Reptiles Inc.
Helmz777@aol.com
www.freewebs.com/mikesnake

This contradiction:

"I 100% disagree with feeding reptiles to anything... unless absolutely needed."

"I'm lucky... I've used probably hundreds of snakes as feeders, as well as dozens of lizards, skinks, frogs, toads and salamanders,"

You have me wondering what exactly you meant.

Ok... it's not that hard to see what I said.

I don't like using reptiles as feeders unless I have to. But I've used them as feeders plenty of times.

I've only done a few pointless snake-snake feedings, so all the snakes I've used for feedings were a good asset to my studies.

?
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Michael's Place has updated, better caresheets
KingPin Reptiles Inc.
Helmz777@aol.com
www.freewebs.com/mikesnake

PastorPat, I'm not sure but were you directing your post towards me? I never said anything about feeding my snake reptiles, much less it being "fun." I feed my snake nothing but mice. I said maybe one day I'll do it, but probably not. No offense at all, I'm just lookin' for clarification.

Mike, what kind of snake is that? (The green one), and what is it eating?

It's a Regal Ringneck Snake eating a Shorthead Garter Snake....
Michael's Place

-----
Michael's Place has updated, better caresheets
KingPin Reptiles Inc.
Helmz777@aol.com
www.freewebs.com/mikesnake