Reptile & Amphibian Forums

As of this week my snake take pinkie ! I'm glad cause now i wont have to search the town for fresh live fish. I plan to give him two or three pinkie a week with some trout piece. What do you think ? Should i vitamin his trout still ? When can i switch him to fuzzies ?

Mizar

I'm interested to hear what the board has to say on this topic too.
-----
Tim

That's great, amis! I should think (he's 12" long right?)that your feeding regimine noted should be just fine. As far as fuzzy mice are concerned, depending on his size ratio to theirs, offer one as soon as you think he's large enough to eat it without difficulty. There will be more food value such as calcium and vitamins as well in this "more mature" food item.

Mice are a whole food item, offering everything he needs including (I theorize only), roughage from the hair. This, since he isn't collecting much if any natural, coarse material that might cling to his food in the wild. Many people are now feeding mice only to their nerodia with no evidence of negative results. One potential of note is the likelyhood of obesity if overfeeding occurs so, caution should be used. Since nerodia are famous for being heavy feeders (due to lower energy "cold-blooded" food), their willingness to wolf down too much of anything is inherent in them.
I think you're wise to offer some variety such as trout, whole or peices. This will reduce the risk of obesity (if common sense prevails). Besides, despite the blanket statement above "everything he needs ..." I chose to err on the side of caution. Variety is the spice of life. Anyway, doctors tell us that eating fish once every few meals can reduce stroke and prostate cancer. Love your snake, feed him fish and steak! Sorry, mice didn't rhyme.
With a variety of food being offered, added vitamins are probably not necessary, however again, once every 2 - 3 months won't hurt as a precaution.
Michael

That's interesting to hear that Nerodias have been switched successfully to rodents. I would have thought that doing so would be somewhat risky, since they are not known to prey on rodents in the wild. I figured that if they don't eat mice normally, then mice must not provide them with their nutrient requirements.

Isn't it better, in general, to keep a snake on a diet of whatever it feeds on naturally? michaelb

From what i read of the natural habitat of the nerodia, its very possible that nerodia can have some little rodent in their diet. They dont live in the water but near it . Its just my opinion from what i read, i'm curious to hear what the other think about this !?

Mizar

Yes and no. Mizar21 is correct that nerodia are known to take rodents and occasionally birds in the wild so, it's not too great a stretch for them. I suspect that it may be a case of degrees. If either is acceptable, then the ideal is to provide them the appropriate balance/meal.
I say "suspect" above as I do prefer (like yourself) a more "natural" diet however this is virtually impossible to provde! A natural diet would be, from the wild including all the variety that exists in every form. This also includes the whole insects in fish stomachs, the nutrients in theirs etc, etc.
So, by experimentation and observation, from neonate to breeding adult some people have been successful with mouse diets indicating that they may be sufficient.
I am not one of those people. I provide a mainly fish diet, interspersed with mice (adult rat on occassion) and home made "snake sausages". If I could access a much broader variety of fish I would give them that as well. However, I do not feed my snakes either frogs or salamanders.
Does this help at all?
Michael