Chicks for snakes

[MCB]

I've sort of posted this type of question before but I've recently been given access to an unlimited supply of week old chicks, I have to humanly kill them but I'm ok with that.

My question is does anyone else feed chicks or alternate between mice/rats and chicks? Does anyone know the nutritional valve for and against?

Just seems a shame not to use these as feed as they'll just end up in the bin or on the fire.

[jpsteele80]

I've never used them but I'll be interested in hearing what others have to say that have researched the nutritional facts as compared to rats

[Batessi]

Fowl has two main concerns, one being runny feces and the other being hollow bones. You will have to include a rodent regularly otherwise you risk having a Ca deficiency. As far as nutrition goes you are what you eat, as long as the chicks are fed a nutrient rich diet there should be no problems.

[Sublimeballs]

I feed chicks to my yellow anaconda(i will for my kalatoas when theyre big enough) every so often, and chickens to my retics. Not something I'd feed as a stable food item but a good meal.

Rodentpro has a chart for fat, protein, etc content. If I remember correctly chicks are higher in fat then rat, but lower in protein. After the chickens grow a bit theyre higher in protein and lower in fat then jumbo rats. guinea pis are higher in fat and lower in protein then rats, and rabbits are highest in protein and lowest(by far in fat). This is just what I recall don't take this all as fact. I personally like switching things up for the Retics(I know mine aren't going to food imprint). Mostly rabbits for my jamps with chickens, GPs, and jumbo rats every couple feedings.

As for the runny poo.... I haven't had anything too bad from my Retics form the chicken, a little runny but not any worse then a normal cleaning. BUT... My yellow anaconda has left me some HORRIFYING suprises from the chicks. But anyone that's kept a anaconda will tell you cleaning time for an Annie is always the worst.

[millertime89]

Chicks, chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, mice (and the odd goat...) if my snake will eat it, I let it. The piglets were by far the worst though... the chicks weren't too bad just a bit runny coming out the other end. I switch it up based on what I pull from the freezer. I try and keep a variety stocked. I was feeding my big ones just piglets for a while and I'll never make that mistake again.

[Roman]

As much as I know the running feces are primarily caused by the yolk sac in day old chickens, which is not yet completely degenerated. If the chicken are at least two days old the yolk sac is empty and there should be no problem any longer.

Roman

[MCB]

As much as I know the running feces are primarily caused by the yolk sac in day old chickens, which is not yet completely degenerated. If the chicken are at least two days old the yolk sac is empty and there should be no problem any longer.

Roman

That's interesting, thanks.

[guyabano]

Throw in something furry every other feeding. Snakes need their "fiber" too. :)

(probably more for the keeper actually. nobody likes smelly and possibly runny poos)

[Silvicen]

Years ago I do remember reading about nutritional deficiencies in boa constrictors that had been fed a steady diet of day old chicks. With them being a week old and on starter they should be better. Now my question would be MEDICATED or NON-MEDICATED starter? I don't know if I would want to dose my snake with amprollium especially since we don't give it to baby waterfowl cause it is too harsh. To increase the nutritional value I would feed the chicks something like a 30% protein unmedicated game bird starter to sorta gut load them before they go to freezer camp.

[Little Wise Owl]

My boa happily eats both rats and chicks. The birds she only gets occasionally though (when the tegu doesn't eat them).

[franks]

Fascinating question. I have been wondering this as well since I am ordering chics for my monitor. My only concern is that I end up with a snake that prefers chics to rats.

[Silvicen]

I used to have a BP that would make me dip her rodents in chicken broth before she ate them. It took me ten months to figure out that is how she wanted to eat.

[UwabamiReptiles]

I give a varied diet. I feed mostly mice and rats but every now and then I'll give chicks to my carpets and atbs. They eat them like anything else. I have also noticed that my colubrids go nuts for any type of poultry. My Japanese rats go freaking nuts for anything chicken related (every now and then I'll give them a chicken neck with a rat). They will strike the chicken stuff everytime and I have to just leave the rat in with them to get them to eat those.

Day old chicks don't have the nutritional that a rat does but I feel like it is fine to work them into a snake's diet as long as they are not used as the main part of the diet. The runny stools come from just feeding chicks and not giving the snake a rat or mouse. Its the fur from the rat or mouse that keeps the stool together and not runny. So as long as you don't just feed chicks exclusively, the runny stools shouldn't be too much of a problem. That's been my experience anyway.

[fedupdon]

I use chicks on rescued snake seems to easier on the digestive system and most will eat chicks before the do rats or mice feed my western hog nose chicken heads off the ones that lose theirs

[shaunyboy]

watch your snake doesn't get a taste for chicks only mate

ive heard that the snake poop is runny and really smelly when they've been eating chicks


cheers shaun