Mice alterative?

[I want a corn]

Hi, my parents just caved and decided I could get a snake, and I decied I would like a corn. But one problem, i dont think my mom would like it if I fed my snake mice... Are there any alteratives to mice? Such as frogs, worms, so on and so forth? If not, im sure i can convince her, and if she still wont say yes about mice, what she dont know won't hurt her if ya know what i mean :cheers:

Alittle off topic here :-offtopic , but I figuered it wouldnt hurt. Should I go with a private breeder to get my snake, or a petshop/reptile shop? And again, I know this is WAY off topic :-offtopic

Thanks for your help, from your help i will be able to finnaly get my corn snake!! :) :dancer:

[Cody60]

i'd suggest sticking with mice, they offer the necessary vitamins and such

[mugsydugsy04]

hi. i only give my snake mice and i'm not sure if he would take anything else. other species eat fish, small reptiles, even other snakies, but i think corn snakes prefer and only require mice for the nutrients they need. you're right...if yo' mama don't know, it won't inflict her :) BUT...frozen/thawed mice are best to feed your new friend because then you know you won't have to worry about any bacteria. how would you get away with keeping dead new born micie-woo's in the freezer without her mistaking them for tater tots or some other food and pouring it into her frying pan? i'm joshin',eh, i'm sure you'll be fine. she probably knows it's gonna eat some type of rodent.

now...i bought my snake from a petstore. a lot of folks will say GO WITH A PRIVATE BREEDER because you have a better chance of getting a healthy, well cared for reptile. i agree with that fully, but i got my snake from the pet store the day it arrived, it was eating, it was might free, it was healthy. i did this because i knew that if i didn't take him he may end up dead if not bought soon enough. in the future though...i plan to get my snakes from breeders. do some research, see what you can find. if you do decide on the pet shop DO NOT go to PETCO, they are eeeeviiil!!!! enjoy your new pet :) tata.

[Amanda E]

Boy, sorry I can't help out more, but I was trying to think of a good beginner snake that wouldn't need rodents, but I'm one of those people that only likes the rodent eaters, so I couldn't come up with anything other than maybe a garter snake, but they aren't great beginner snakes, and even they are better off being fed mice.

If she still wont say yes about mice, what she dont know won't hurt her if ya know what i mean

Be careful! You don't want to get a cornsnake and then have to get rid of it later once your mom finds out it eats mice. And she will find out, I'm sure of it.


Should I go with a private breeder to get my snake, or a petshop/reptile shop?

Some small "mom-and-pop" petstores can be good, or so I've heard, but every store I've been too isn't up to my standards. I'd definitely recommend finding a local breeder instead.

[Jicin]

I know this is gonna cost me my reputation points again. Corns need mice to supply a healty diet. If you cannot provide that you shouldn't buy a corn. Period. Don't go looking for alternatives like worms or frogs. They need mice. Either convice your mom or buy another pet. Simple.

[Flygning]

Jicin, it really is good advice--corns do need mice. There are other alternatives out there, but those food sources are hard to come by, are more expensive, and aren't as nutritious. Corns won't eat crickets, worms, frogs, fish, etc. I wouldn't advise going behind Mom's back about the mouse thing--your best bet is to just explain it to her up front. Moms are pretty understanding--just bat those baby blues and she'll see it your way. Good luck!

[Jicin]

and aren't as nutritious.

Exactly. In other words, you can't give the corn the care he/she needs. Then don't start. And what of all the other problems. Like refusing to eat. Only eating 1 special creature and refusing the others. Not to forget health issues to to lack of right nurishment. imho you should let the snakes benefit go before your own pleasure of owning one.

[rachel132002]

There are soo many new products out there for mice alternatives but mice are the best thing as they have all the calcium etc your snake needs and i have two adults that i moved on to rats which have an even better supply but i wouldn't make that change until your snake is on large mice. If your mum won't be happy about them being in the freezer etc then you may have to go through the dramas of buying the right amount every four days but if you keep them in something she can't see through and it's properly sealed there'll be no problem really!

Hope you enjoy the corn snake you get and I've bought from both shops and breeders and find breeders better as it seems ot be a more personal service and of the two i've used ive been taken round their entire snake collections too!

Rachel

[mugsydugsy04]

a snake that doesn't eat mice...ribbon snakes, they eat gold fish. you can give them mice if you want for an alternative, but fish provides enough nutrience.

[babbaloo99]

But one problem, i dont think my mom would like it if I fed my snake mice... Are there any alteratives to mice?

There are snake sausages that you could feed your snake. I haven't tried them myself, but they are mentioned in Kathy Love's book. Maybe you can get a copy of the book and take a read (it's a very quick read) and then you will have an overall better understanding of the snake's requirements before you get him. Plus you could see more about the different morphs, decide on what you like and then come back here on the forum to find a breeder that can sell you what you want. Good luck!

[Jicin]

What if the snake doesn't accept the sausages?

[Flygning]

I've read bad posts about those sausages--Some say they are bad for snakes' health. Its up to you if you go that route, but I'd read this thread first.

http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14298

[I want a corn]

Alight guys and gals, thanks a bunch. A special thanks to whoever told me to go righ tup to my mom adn tell her! It worked! :dancer: Yay! So that means I'm going to be able to get my corn... and I'v already chosen which morph I want (milk), I'v also read up a bunch on corns, so I think im ready... I'v even got the tank set up, my old salamander's 55 gallon. My last and final step is I guess to find a breeder in Davenport, IA. Thanks again for all your help! You can count on me being back to these forums. :cheers: :)

[Flygning]

I'm happy for you :-D Enjoy your new snake!

[Amanda E]

I've even got the tank set up, my old salamander's 55 gallon.
That tank is going to be WAY bigger than your snake needs/wants, at least as a baby. If I were you, I would go ahead and use it, but for the first few months, keep it in a shoe box or sweater box sized sterilite/rubbermaid container, inside the 55 gallon.

This way, the snake will feel more secure in a smaller enclosure, and a cage inside a cage will be extra security against escapes.

I guess if you don't want to use the extra sterilite cage, you could just heavily decorate the 55 gallon tank with tons of fake plants, hides, etc. so it has MANY places to hide and then when you feed it just put it in another container, so it can easily find it's food.

Not being secure enough to come out into the open to thermoregulate and not being able to find its food are the main reasons corns dont do well in large tanks, IMO.

[I want a corn]

Alright, I think ill go with the box inside a box concept. Thanks again!

[MegF.]

I think someone else had a mom who wasn't keen on the mice part, but after she saw the snake, and how it fed, she was pretty fascinated by the whole thing and had no problem with it. She was happier with the f/t mice as she didn't want to watch the snake kill the poor thing. I don't know about the f/t mice you get, but mine come in a white plastic tub with no markings on the side, only the lid. It's discreet, and small and fits into the freezer with no one the wiser as to what it is. She may like something like that better, but I agree with Rachel, you should tell your mom.