Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello Pituophis fans, no other Kingsnake Forum recently have I had such favorable/friendly replies (thanks People...especially you Gregg) So, I thought I would share another picture of my "normal Kingsville Bull" outside. She has never hissed (yet Ha0 or rattled, what a treat.

Quick story, my 13 year old daughter and I found a freshly hit squirrel on the road yesterday, thought only of my Bull, she said get it Dad!! So, I picked it up, and put it in a plastic bag and in an Ice Chest I had in the back with ice. Latter that evening, we took it out and much to my surprise, I decided not to feed it, it was a large male squirrel that was a tad bit to big. No Chondro would be able to consume it either. My daughter was bummed. Any similar experiences??

Ken Diehl
Central Texas

Asides from the possibility of introducing pathogens and the possibility of it bering illegal to collect roadkill in your state (it is in most, I believe), I'd recommend AGAINST feeding the squirrels to your bullsnake. Back when we were new to snakes and were "re-habing" squirrels (legal license, etc.), one younger one didn't make it. We fed it to a black pine in out infinite wisdom. Needless to say: it was a bad idea. I've never seen a snake smile like I did on that day - he liked it to much that my adult male black pine refused to eat ANYTHING else. Mice/rats just weren't good enough, I guess. 3-4 months later, he STILL hadn't wanted to eat any mouse or rat, so we brumated him. Luckily, in the spring, he was ready to eat anything. Thank goodness brumation "reset" him.....or just thanks that he was so stupid that he "forgot" about squirrels while chilled down!

KJ

Yep...I think about it every year when those pesky fuzzy tailed creatures are eating up all my sunflower seeds at the feeders, and the poor black capped chickadees can't come to the feeder cause some big furry butt and tail are in the way... Oh well! But no, even my Big Girl, my six and a half foot Northern Pine would have a tough going on an adult squirrel. I had it happen last year where I had a couple large male rats to get rid of. Well, she ate two of them, spaced out about a month apart, but then she wouldn't eat a thing for most of the summer! That fall she did eat another weanling rat before brumating but I wonder if feeding those oversize meals upset her system, and also affected her breeding for this past year. Cause she produced less eggs this year than she has in the two previous years. Now I won't let her have anything bigger than small rats. Another point to consider, is what that squirrel could be carrying that can possibly get onto you, I've seen them crawling with fleas...yuck! But yes, as KJ has pointed out, there are certain laws in place to prevent too many people from having their fill of all the road killed venison and whatever else they wish to try just once...or twice...oh heck, that possum sure tastes good Ma, letsa hava sum morn uh tat.... he he he...
Russell Keys

Oh No!!!! Laws, really???? Now I'm gonna have to throw that stew out!!!! Should I bury it??? LOL

Pat G-C

n/p

Pat G-C

That bull still blows me away Ken, I don't have any of those or any hypo bull lines, but with pics like the recent ones posted i may have to break down and pick up some more bulls.

Have a good one,

Gregg F.

>>Hello Pituophis fans, no other Kingsnake Forum recently have I had such favorable/friendly replies (thanks People...especially you Gregg) So, I thought I would share another picture of my "normal Kingsville Bull" outside. She has never hissed (yet Ha0 or rattled, what a treat.
>>
>>Quick story, my 13 year old daughter and I found a freshly hit squirrel on the road yesterday, thought only of my Bull, she said get it Dad!! So, I picked it up, and put it in a plastic bag and in an Ice Chest I had in the back with ice. Latter that evening, we took it out and much to my surprise, I decided not to feed it, it was a large male squirrel that was a tad bit to big. No Chondro would be able to consume it either. My daughter was bummed. Any similar experiences??
>>
>>Ken Diehl
>>Central Texas
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Gregg F.

www.greggsrb.com