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Gerbils???

My old-man rosy boa used to get small ones once in a while in his youth (early '90s). They have much larger skulls than the typical mouse, so that has to be taken into consideration when determining prey-size. The old "1.5x snake girth" rule may not always apply with gerbils. I know nothing about how economical it is to raise them for food. Judging by the scarcity of committed gerbil-feeding-keepers, I'm guessing that they're not very economical.
 
Roy Munson said:
My old-man rosy boa used to get small ones once in a while in his youth (early '90s). They have much larger skulls than the typical mouse, so that has to be taken into consideration when determining prey-size. The old "1.5x snake girth" rule may not always apply with gerbils. I know nothing about how economical it is to raise them for food. Judging by the scarcity of committed gerbil-feeding-keepers, I'm guessing that they're not very economical.
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Thanks, good points, I read they average 40 pups per pair, per year. So not very economical. :) susan
 
From what I have read, they are considered a loss item in the pet trade. Small litters. Stores sell them to turn a profit on accessories. If want gerbils and only have a few snakes.
 
i dont know about the economical side but i dont realy imagine it would work out cheap, but i tried feeding my snake gerbils and he totaly refused to at them. he didnt eaven sniff them (actually seemed quite scared) . he is not normally a fussy eater or at least didnt used to be. i dont know whether this is related or not but i noticed after i offered him the gerbils he will not eat any more. i have managed to get him to feed three times since in about 10 - 14 weeks. i went to a better shop latley and got a realy nice f/t mouse and he ate it but this 1 actually looked like a mouse. soz i went a bit off topic but it sort of relevant and btw when you defrost the gerbils they stink!!!

:cheers:
lee
 
Roy Munson said:
Judging by the scarcity of committed gerbil-feeding-keepers, I'm guessing that they're not very economical.
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My big ball will only take gerbils :cry: . Not economical at all :shrugs: . My pine and Tegu on the other hand will eat anything. I gave my pine an egg once :puke01: (I read they liked eggs) and he ate it straight away :bang:
It's worth remembering that the snake might prefer it's treat :cheers: and :twoguns: refuse normal food if its given too often. Thats what happened with my big ball. :sobstory:
MIKE
 
i did breed alot not as feeders but as pets i had up too 120+ at once. there really easy but i had one female kill 2 of my others and its own young. if they start to fight put them in another tank i had about 5 tanks. 1 20 gal tanks for my 5 breeding males. then another 20 gal that fit like 4 females with pups. the rest i had two 15 gall for the 10 day old pups they can all go togather i had atlest 30 at a time in one they just love running around. then one for whatever ones where needing homes or i use the tank for more females to breed. they where not alot of money toocare for. but they can bite.
 
Have had good luck with them for stubborn feeders, either live 1 day olds or using them for scenting.

They are easy to raise but have small litters & do sometimes eat their young.
 
Gerbils as feeders

You must only offer pre killed gerbils as feeders. They are blazing fast and can kill or maim a snake much worse than mice or rats. Lee, did you put a live gerbil in with your snake? That might account for it being scared, or there might be a health problem with the snake causing it not to want to eat. Also, some snakes go off their feed during breeding season, they have other things on their minds other than eating.

I have not noticed much smell difference when thawing gerbils than mice or rats. Are you sure the stinky gerbils weren't spoiled? I sure wouldn't want to eat spoiled food, your snake does not either. Make sure they are not spoiled/rotten prey items. Gerbils in general smell way less than mice or rats whether they are fresh killed or FT, so I keep some as breeders even though they are not as prolific.

Maybe I'm lucky, but my corns don't care what prey items I offer them for dinner, they have eaten gerbils, mice, rats, newborn guinea pigs, and natal rats. They eat anything.
 
sorry forgot to say. they were f/t i would not feed live due to the risks involved. to be honest the gerbils were not spoiled but they were not as good as they could of been to be honest. they were still in good enough condition. i think it may of just been a coincidence but he definatley reacted differently. i have found a better supplier for f/t so befor my mice are ready for culling i may try a gerbil and see if he eats them. they would suit him more size wise. thanks for the advice but i realy can not find any factors that could cause this.

thanks,

lee
 
I am looking for alternatives to rats as I am not sure I could raise them, I have an irrational fear of rats. I have 2 colonies of mice but they are not prolific enough for all my snakes. My big guys will eat two feeders a week, which leaves no bulge in my biggest corn.
I think I will go back to hamsters as they get a little bigger than mice and I've raised them before.
If anyone has ideas for getting over my fear of rats, ideas are welcome, susan
 
The cost might overcome any fear.
Or pretend they're mice on 'roids...... LOL.
Super mice.............. thats it.........super mice , on 'roids. That's the way forward.
MIKE
 
do you know what the fear of rats is because of. is it the look of them, their tails, the fast movement of them or are you generally scared of them. would you be more willing to hold a young rat that may be a bit nicer? hope you can sort your fear out. my way of getting around fears does not work for every one but it works for me. i used to be scared of a few animals but now i cant actually think of one. the most effective way i think is to hold them. i used to be scared of spiders and sort of scared of mice so i started holding them and soon i was fine with them. hope this helps (doubt it will)

good luck with your fear!

lee :cheers:
 
yes if you do use them as feeders you must kill them. there bite really hurts! i had one of my females bit the tip of my sister finger off witch was a insane bite i still dont know how it did that. they can really hurt your snake if they bite. and they are really fast and take sometime getting them back in there tanks
 
snakeboy24 said:
do you know what the fear of rats is because of. is it the look of them, their tails, the fast movement of them or are you generally scared of them. would you be more willing to hold a young rat that may be a bit nicer? hope you can sort your fear out. my way of getting around fears does not work for every one but it works for me. i used to be scared of a few animals but now i cant actually think of one. the most effective way i think is to hold them. i used to be scared of spiders and sort of scared of mice so i started holding them and soon i was fine with them. hope this helps (doubt it will)
good luck with your fear!
lee :cheers:
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All of the above, I can't even look at them in a petshop most of the time. My Mom told me when I was a baby and we lived in Arlington VA, she had me in the back yard in a playpen, when she came back out rats were in the playpen. I wasn't bitten??? Later we lived in Chicago and the rats there are huge and at night I would see them running along the electric wires...
I've heard people say they are so sweet!
darkmorning the rat bit her finger tip off. I keep hearing how sweet they are!!! gads a finger tip :eek1: :puke01: nope, no way, susan
 
Time to stand up. Bite the bullet....an be counted, :rolleyes: (an any other cliche you can think of).
Come on , :twoguns: go get em girl.
MIKE
 
no the bite was from one of my Gerbils.but i did have a rat and she became snake food becuse she bit my mother finger really bad and was really nasty too everyone hated my rat even me. but the boa loved her! lol...for lunch..
 
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