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I picked up a common snapper from Utah Fish and Game about 3 years ago. It was the most grotesquely obese turtle I have ever seen. Rolls of fat hung out of his shell. You did'nt have to be a reptile person to know this was'nt normal.
It was of course perfect for my show. I named him Oscar. The kids immediately guessed the diet he had been raised on.
At the same time grateful parents appreciated the don't eat hotdogs every meal message. LOL
Being so obese every time I picked him up he would express his maleness to which I would respond,"Yep he's a boy."
Being totally raised on hotdogs he refused chicken, perch, crawdeads, and rodents. I was stubborn and knew with his fat that he should be able to go a year without eating. I refused to give in to hotdogs. He died about 4 months later.
I'm sure he would have lived longer if he had remained at the home where the confiscation occured. Eating hotdogs but with little external stress he would have lived longer but probably not much. He was doomed the day some careless person purchased him without doing any homework.
Bottom line there isn't one species hotdogs are healthy for. D.C.

I agree with you 100%, Danny. But damnit...they're cheap, quick and delicious!! :-D

Chris

>>I picked up a common snapper from Utah Fish and Game about 3 years ago. It was the most grotesquely obese turtle I have ever seen. Rolls of fat hung out of his shell. You did'nt have to be a reptile person to know this was'nt normal.
>>It was of course perfect for my show. I named him Oscar. The kids immediately guessed the diet he had been raised on.
>>At the same time grateful parents appreciated the don't eat hotdogs every meal message. LOL
>>Being so obese every time I picked him up he would express his maleness to which I would respond,"Yep he's a boy."
>>Being totally raised on hotdogs he refused chicken, perch, crawdeads, and rodents. I was stubborn and knew with his fat that he should be able to go a year without eating. I refused to give in to hotdogs. He died about 4 months later.
>>I'm sure he would have lived longer if he had remained at the home where the confiscation occured. Eating hotdogs but with little external stress he would have lived longer but probably not much. He was doomed the day some careless person purchased him without doing any homework.
>>Bottom line there isn't one species hotdogs are healthy for. D.C.
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My Website
www.herpfanatic.com

Does the same problem happen if they are fed only Gyro's

Truly,

Paul Bodnar
Crocodile Wildlife Conservationist

I caught my very first wild gator (then released) about 25 years ago at Okefenokee ... lured it in with Vienna sausages

They just cant resist them hot dogs!!

There are hotdogs and then there are ballpark franks (the best darn hotdog ive ever had)
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The road to hell is paved with good intentions....

I have heard that the hotdogs at Martinsville raceway are irresistable as well.
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1.0 Albino American alligator, "Smoke"
1.1 American alligator,"Al Bite Ya & Mollie"
1.1 Purple Albino Reticulated Pythons, "Gumbo & Abita"
0.1 Eastern Gaboon Viper, "Gabbie"

We have an alligator attraction here in Texas that uses hotdogs for their alligators. I keep telling them it is not the best idea and to switch to Mazuri. But alas cheap food wins the day.
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CDieter
'Reason, observation, and experience; the holy trinity of science.'

We have oodles of those types of attractions here. Tourists pay a few bucks for a little tray of hotdogs and a little fishing poll. Then when they are done they get to poke the gators, etc. Fun... The USDA cites facilities that works with mammalian exotics for such contact, but the FWC does no such thing for reptiles...pity.