Posted by:
Bluerosy
at Tue Apr 13 10:30:21 2010 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by Bluerosy ]
Seems like everyone thinks a "stuffed sausage" is healthier for some reason. I can assure them this is not the case, no matter how much people want to argue this.
Doug,
Herpetoculture is what we do and we look to breeding successes as a measuring rod to guage a snakes health. In other words we cannot provide optinum conditions. But if a snake reproduces we have done the best we can do for the snake. Reproduction success can be measured in many ways which i will go into below. Again this info is not really for you (because you know it already)but for other readers to undertsnd or misunderstand by your comments.
First off, for someone who denies feeding often you seemed to have raised the high yellow brooksi you got from me at daytona in record time.
The arguement never was to have a "stuffed sausage" but that snakes need to eat WHEN they want and giving them choices. With the exception of FULLY GROWN-CAPTIVE snakes. A growing young sub-adult or small adult needs to get stuffed . This will not hurt them. Also as breeding efforts continue we are seeing more double and even triple clutches females. So to clrify it is the females that need to be fed if you want to support the snake. Also an adult KINGSNAKE in a cage that is not used for breeding will get obese. That is a fact die to almost zero excerise and no expenture of calories. Expenditures like calcium and protien have to produce at least 2 clucthes during the summer. Going off feed as well as the males who smell pherones and can go off feed for 2-3 months. Not to mention the FORCED brumation people put their snakes into for an additional 3 months out of the year.
It has also been my experience that those with limited feedings (ie "schedules" end up with snakes that remain finicky all their lives. They never seem to take off and stay healthy or live as long as those fed when the snake wants... again, taking into account the snakes are :
growing
Brumated
Bred
Remember that captive conditions in general are a far cry from the wild. So we need to support the snake in any way we can. With the years myself and you have been doing this i am sure we both see more snakes that do not live long because of weekly or bi-weekly feedings. Some make it. Most don't live long and healthy lives. So which is the better route? On a public forum people get the wrong idea as they think weekly feedings of one or two mice a week is all the snakes need. Same goes with kingsnakes we see pop up here all the time that are 2-3 years old and still feeding on fuzzies. Most of those have the bones sticking out on their back and will never really take to feedings as their poor systems and unhealthy condition will keep preventing them from eating and reproiducing.
Of course this does not apply to every species. But we are on Kingsnake forum and such applies to common kingnskes in general. Though i would prefer to include ratsnakes, pits and Milksnakes in this catgagory.
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www.Bluerosy.com
A king may move a man, a father may claim a son. But remember that, even when those who move you be kings or men of power, your soul is in your keeping alone. When you stand before God you cannot say "but I was told by others to do thus" or that "virtue was not convenient at the time." This will not suffice.
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RE: LMAO!! - Bluerosy, Tue Apr 13 10:30:21 2010