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Live????
- Thread starter mandi72
- Start date
mandi72 said:
This would make it nearly impossible to get some stubborn hatchlings to feed...of MANY different species.
How could that be true?
I don't feed live unless absolutely necessary...even new snakes that only ate live previously got there first feeding F/T...and if I can't convert them in the first 3 feedings...I'll get some live and start over...
Never had one yet that refused a F/T for more than once or twice.
Joejr14
Grand Bubble Burster
Just wanted to chime in here.....
They are great pics. Have you thought about feeding your snake outside of it's enclousure?
Feeding on the substrate isn't the best of ideas, due to ingestion of the bedding. I also think feeding in the tank associates something coming into the tank as food, thus increasing your chances to get bit when you're trying to handle.
I feed all of mine live, shrug. I dont see what the big deal is. People get all in a tussy about that, but guess what, in the wild snakes eat live prey.
Now granted when they moved off hoppers the mice get pre-whacked before feeding, but to each their own.
They are great pics. Have you thought about feeding your snake outside of it's enclousure?
Feeding on the substrate isn't the best of ideas, due to ingestion of the bedding. I also think feeding in the tank associates something coming into the tank as food, thus increasing your chances to get bit when you're trying to handle.
I feed all of mine live, shrug. I dont see what the big deal is. People get all in a tussy about that, but guess what, in the wild snakes eat live prey.
Now granted when they moved off hoppers the mice get pre-whacked before feeding, but to each their own.
DdotSpot
The Snewbie
I do have a separate viv for feeding...
This was the first time that I fed C.B. inside her viv, and I did so because I got some new substrate. Before I had really small substrate that easily could have been ingested, but I changed to reptibark which has bigger chunks of wood and it is less likely to be injested. Because she is so small, its not so much of a problem with the repti-bark, but as she gets older, I may revert back to feeding her in a separate viv.
As for her associating my hand with feeding time, I was aware of this and made sure she was in her hide when I dropped in the pinky(thus she didn't see how it got in there).
I have heard both sides of this issue regarding the snake associating your hand with feeding - e.g. I've heard that if you take the snake out of her viv and put in a separate viv, the snake will associate you removing her from her viv with feeding time, and become more restless when you hold her / on the flip side I've heard that if you put your hand in their viv and deliver the food, they will associate your hand with food....
Anyways, I think I'm doing ok so far with C.B. I closely monitored her last feed in the viv and all went smoothly, she didn't even come close to getting any of the substrate in her mouth(it seems she realizes which is food, and which is not)
Thanks for the reply!
I feel like I hijacked this thread, sorry mandi72
This was the first time that I fed C.B. inside her viv, and I did so because I got some new substrate. Before I had really small substrate that easily could have been ingested, but I changed to reptibark which has bigger chunks of wood and it is less likely to be injested. Because she is so small, its not so much of a problem with the repti-bark, but as she gets older, I may revert back to feeding her in a separate viv.
As for her associating my hand with feeding time, I was aware of this and made sure she was in her hide when I dropped in the pinky(thus she didn't see how it got in there).
I have heard both sides of this issue regarding the snake associating your hand with feeding - e.g. I've heard that if you take the snake out of her viv and put in a separate viv, the snake will associate you removing her from her viv with feeding time, and become more restless when you hold her / on the flip side I've heard that if you put your hand in their viv and deliver the food, they will associate your hand with food....
Anyways, I think I'm doing ok so far with C.B. I closely monitored her last feed in the viv and all went smoothly, she didn't even come close to getting any of the substrate in her mouth(it seems she realizes which is food, and which is not)
Thanks for the reply!
I feel like I hijacked this thread, sorry mandi72
cowtownherper
New member
I am in no way going to bash anyone for feeding live. Just remember as the size of the prey increases, so does the chance for injury. We recently purchased a three year old Red Tailed Boa from an individual. He got the snake four months before from a friend who was shipped to Iraq. The first time he fed it he gave it a live rat. The rat promptly bit it in the nose crushing one of its nasel cavities. We took it to the vet but there was too much scar tissue and she was unable to clear it. Other wise its a perfectly healthy beautiful snake. It just cant breath through its nose like it should. We are feeding it smaller prey so it doesnt have as much trouble while its mouth is full of rat. Just be carefull and always supervise your feeding.
cowtownherper
New member
Sorry more
I should also say she is on frozen and eating like a pig.
I should also say she is on frozen and eating like a pig.
JaqC
New member
Hi all - I'm new...
I've got a 3+ year old corn that I've pretty much fed live her whole life. I've fed her f/t a few times before when I couldn't get live, but I really disliked it - Mostly because frozen feet and tails snapping off and piling up in the corner of the bag was just about the grossest thing ever... Plus I always worried about the mice not being thawed properly or something like that, and having her get sick/injured (mistakes can happen).
She's had no problem eating the adult live mice I've fed her. I know there's a risk of her being bitten, but like someone else said, that's how they survive in the wild. She's not the most gorgeous thing in the world, so it's not like I'm going to have a tizzy fit if she gets a mark on her.
Obviously, I don't want her to be seriously injured - But I've never had a problem so far. She nabs them as soon as she sees them, and gets em' by the face which prevents them from biting her.
I used to feed her in her viv when she was my only snake, and had no problems with her eating the substrate. Now that I have more than 1 snake in the viv, I will be feeding them all in separate containers.
**I am not encouraging anyone else to do things the way I do them - Just stating what I've done so far that's worked for me**
I've got a 3+ year old corn that I've pretty much fed live her whole life. I've fed her f/t a few times before when I couldn't get live, but I really disliked it - Mostly because frozen feet and tails snapping off and piling up in the corner of the bag was just about the grossest thing ever... Plus I always worried about the mice not being thawed properly or something like that, and having her get sick/injured (mistakes can happen).
She's had no problem eating the adult live mice I've fed her. I know there's a risk of her being bitten, but like someone else said, that's how they survive in the wild. She's not the most gorgeous thing in the world, so it's not like I'm going to have a tizzy fit if she gets a mark on her.
Obviously, I don't want her to be seriously injured - But I've never had a problem so far. She nabs them as soon as she sees them, and gets em' by the face which prevents them from biting her.
I used to feed her in her viv when she was my only snake, and had no problems with her eating the substrate. Now that I have more than 1 snake in the viv, I will be feeding them all in separate containers.
**I am not encouraging anyone else to do things the way I do them - Just stating what I've done so far that's worked for me**
cowtownherper
New member
I used to think feeding live was easier too. But as the collection grew I decided keeping a freezer full of mice is easier than a rack full of mice. We are currently feeding 24 snakes. My freezer currently has four different sized mice and three different sized rats in it. It is definatley easier for me to pick up the phone and have my mice delivered to my door than it is to have to mess with breeding mice and rats. Also my mice guy would have to go out of buiseness if I started breeding my own.
JTGoff69
New member
Thanks ddot for the explanation. I, myself, feed f/t for reasons that work for me as you feed CB live for reasons that work for you. I am always curious as to how each person comes to their decision so I can see both sides of the fence.
P.S. I STILL say you need to get into some kind of freelance photography, you have alot of talent there!
P.S. I STILL say you need to get into some kind of freelance photography, you have alot of talent there!
Alias47 said:
It's only mice and things like that, not crickets. When we first went and got our sons snake, that was my first worry "would he have to feed it live food" the pet shop owner told us that it was illegal, and also as the prey got bigger the chances of the snake getting hurt also rose. I am sure there are some people in the U.K that do feed them live food, but I could not think of anything worse. I dont mind seeing it on the t.v, as you can switch it over, and I dont mind watching her eat the frozen mouse.
I know it's nature but I just couldnt do it. :crying:
mandi72 said:
Baby snake hatchlings eat mice...day old mice...and some may not eat well off of frozen thawed the first couple of times.
I don't know if you meant feeding the hatchlings CRICKETS or not...but that should NEVER be done IMO.
Cornsnakes are NOT insectivores...they are carniverous and feed on mostly mammals and avians.
Uncloudy
New member
Live?
My corns are so domesticated I don't know if they could eat a live mouse. When I put them in feeding containers they don't constrict the mice, they just smell them and open up and swallow. I do have some stubborn kings that in the winter time ,since I don't burmate, will only eat live and I don't like to do it because they can get bitten and I've seen it happen. I breed my own mice and have about 30 right now and I've been biten by mice over 20 times and snakes only 4 times over the last 6 years of keeping boas, corns, and kings. For me frozen/thawed is the simpilist way to go and I strive to have all my snakes on f/t. Basically, I just don't know if my corns could do it since they don't show any signs of being aggressive feeders whatsoever.
Happy Herping,
Uncloudy
My corns are so domesticated I don't know if they could eat a live mouse. When I put them in feeding containers they don't constrict the mice, they just smell them and open up and swallow. I do have some stubborn kings that in the winter time ,since I don't burmate, will only eat live and I don't like to do it because they can get bitten and I've seen it happen. I breed my own mice and have about 30 right now and I've been biten by mice over 20 times and snakes only 4 times over the last 6 years of keeping boas, corns, and kings. For me frozen/thawed is the simpilist way to go and I strive to have all my snakes on f/t. Basically, I just don't know if my corns could do it since they don't show any signs of being aggressive feeders whatsoever.
Happy Herping,
Uncloudy
Uncloudy said:
Seems that way sometimes...but don't underestimate them...live mice can elicit one heck of a feeding response...even in the ones that seem so casual about eating...I only have one that wraps up F/T...even my kings readily swallow F/T casually...but put a live in there and they will go to TOWN...
I never feed live if I can help it...but have on occasion...and their instinct definitely takes over!!
JTGoff69
New member
DdotSpot said:Yes, but only if you take a pic of one so I can see what it looks like!! Sounds cool JT. Also I wouldn't mind being in the small print on your ad
Thanks ddot, I wouldn't think of selling your hard work, strictly for my own personal bracelet, but sure I'll send you a pic when I finish it!
princess
Cornaholic
I feed frozen, even when I was breeding my own mice, I still killed the mouse before feeding it to the snake 1- to not put the mouse through the terror of being hugged to death and 2- because of the injury risk to my snakes. These days I have the bottom drawer of my freezer reserved just for mice which I have in sizes from tiny pinks to retired breeder females (enourmous).
It costs me about 1/3 of what it would cost me to buy live mice and on top of that there's the inconvenience of going to the herp shop and buying mice every time I need them. I might breed again this summer but I'll continue to feed only pre-killed food to my snakes for their sake and mine.
It costs me about 1/3 of what it would cost me to buy live mice and on top of that there's the inconvenience of going to the herp shop and buying mice every time I need them. I might breed again this summer but I'll continue to feed only pre-killed food to my snakes for their sake and mine.
Uncloudy said:
When my sons snake had the mouse in her tank, she would check it out and then just eat it, but since she hasnt eaten for quite a while maybe I should try a live fuzzie, but it turns my stomach to even think of doing that.
She hasnt eaten for at least a month now, but she is quite active, we tried again today with a smaller mouse but she hasnt touched it.