Anything other than mice?

[StuDude]

My Mom (and I) was wondering if corn snakes could eat anything other than MICE. something that is dead (not dead mice), maybe raw ground beef. I told her they probably wouldn't eat that, but I need more food options. That is one of the reasons that she wont let me get one...

[SnakeyJay]

I'm afraid snakes may not be for you then.. Almost all snakes need WHOLE prey items as this gives them the mix of protein, fats n nutrients that they need... Garters can be fed worms etc and there's egg eating snakes but it can be hard to get the right eggs for them... There's no substituting food for snakes I'm afraid. Not healthy

If you have 5?! Wild caught snakes then you should have an idea about this already.

[youngster]

Jamie is right. There's rats, but that not much different.

Definitely not, it's the reason you don't need to add vitamin and calcium supplements to snakes' food like you do with many lizards.

[StuDude]

at this moment I only have 2, and yes, I had a wc corn snake that I fed mice.

[SnakeyJay]

at this moment I only have 2, and yes, I had a wc corn snake that I fed mice.

But if you've had 5 then you should know some basics like what corns can n can not eat.. Not meant to be insulting but it's the animals health that's priority, not what we'd prefer to feed them. Maybe a hognose snake? They can eat small lizards, however this can become costly compared to mice, and obviously may bring parasites in if you catch lizards to feed the hoggie. :D

[StuDude]

what kind of snakes eat eggs, and what eggs do they eat? chicken eggs? lizard eggs? frog eggs?

[SnakeyJay]

Google egg eating snakes... I think quail eggs and other really small eggs is what they eat.. Can be hard to find somewhere that sells the eggs... Chicken eggs are too big I believe.

[alessia55]

No, corn snakes should only be fed mice or appropriately sized rats.

Also... if you've had WC snakes before... didn't your parents seen you feed them mice? What's the difference now?

[KORBIN5895]

Maybe he had to release them because of the mice thing and if he wants one he has to get something that doesn't eat rodents.

[infernalis]

No, corn snakes should only be fed mice or appropriately sized rats.

Also... if you've had WC snakes before... didn't your parents seen you feed them mice? What's the difference now?

There are a couple options.

Garter snakes do fine on fish and worms (Their natural diet anyways) and Dekayi or red belly snakes feed exclusively on worms, snails and slugs.

I teach my garters to take mice, it's not their first food choice.

Tropical snakes I would not recommend, for instance the Cylophiops Major of Asia eats worms, but have very tricky husbandry requirements, and all specimens sold in the USA are wild caught in Asia and shipped here as pets, nearly all of them die in the first year.

[Valvaren]

I'm still going to say I think you should put aside the idea of owning a snake for now until you can BUY one. This way you can get whatever you want and be able to feed it what it needs.

I know a lot of people on here say its how they got into the hobby and how they got where they are but I honestly feel like it isn't the best idea right now, at least not for the snake, and in my honest opinion that should matter above all else.

[infernalis]

I'm still going to say I think you should put aside the idea of owning a snake for now until you can BUY one. This way you can get whatever you want and be able to feed it what it needs.

I know a lot of people on here say its how they got into the hobby and how they got where they are but I honestly feel like it isn't the best idea right now, at least not for the snake, and in my honest opinion that should matter above all else.

So naive to assume that garter snakes are not captive bred....

http://www.thamnophis.net/Gartersnakes/images/eat4.jpg

http://www.thamnophis.net/Gartersnakes/images/snowie.jpg

http://www.thamnophis.net/Gartersnakes/images/xmassnow.jpg

[Valvaren]

His parents rule it he has to catch something, he cannot buy it. And i'm not naive I'm quite aware of your vast collection and breeding projects, i've read most of your threads and am quite aware of a lot of the animals you've had past.

I'm fairly certain I even stated in one of the threads concerning your collection that I wish to buy from you.

[KORBIN5895]

I so want a garter this year! I may have to drive down to pick one up.

[Valvaren]

Infernalis : http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/field-herping/91031-finding-wild-snakes.html


OP
I really do like snakes, and I want a Corn snake, but my parents say I cant buy one. the only snakes I'm allowed to have are the ones I find in the wild. I know some of you people are against keeping wild snakes, but I REALLY want a corn snake. Any ideas of how and where to catch one?


Edit : I didn't take what the OP meant as his Mother would let him buy one if it didn't eat worms, I took it as he could catch and keep one if it didn't eat mice, the following post up until that point had been about his WC animals.

I apologize for my goof but think this will be my last post on this forum.

[infernalis]

I apologize for my goof but think this will be my last post on this forum.

No, I should be the one apolgizing here..:hmm:

Stu, you really need to have a long talk with your parents....

[KORBIN5895]

Valvaren if you go you will be missed. I know it was a misunderstanding but we all do that. It honestly wasn't your goof either.

[Skumbo]

to the OP:

Just tell them its illegal to catch local snakes (it actually is in some areas) or buy a garter (usually cheap) and say you caught it. Unless they "go hunting" with you, how would they know?

Im not saying you should lie to your parents (BAD IDEA!) but wild caught snakes dont adapt well to being captive and many die while others will never be "tame" and usually be very defensive.

As for feeding, other than what infernalis said, you MUST feed whole prey to snakes. They digest the bones and organs of the mice/rats and thats where they get their micronutrients/vitamins/etc from aside from just calories. Its their equivalent of a well balanced diet. The problem will just feeding meat is that you will cause your snake to develop nutritional deficiencies and get very sick and die (if it even feeds on just meat, most snakes arent going to eat it because its not something they eat in the wild)

as for eggs, id avoid it completely. Eggs could be a health risk (especially hard shelled eggs) and will be much more expensive and not have the same nutritional value as a mouse (and cause the same issues as not feeding whole prey)

if your parents wont budge after you explain all this... just wait. I didnt get my first snake until recently because my mom hates all reptiles. Dont let an animal suffer just to "have a snake"

[Lankyrob]

to the OP:

Just tell them its illegal to catch local snakes (it actually is in some areas) or buy a garter (usually cheap) and say you caught it. Unless they "go hunting" with you, how would they know?

Im not saying you should lie to your parents (BAD IDEA!) but wild caught snakes dont adapt well to being captive and many die while others will never be "tame" and usually be very defensive.

Isnt this a major contradiction?

[KORBIN5895]

Isnt this a major contradiction?
Plus one!!!

[SnakeyJay]

Lol.. We're going in circles here.. :D I told him all this in the first couple of posts.
@ skumbo... I wasn't suggesting feeding a corn an egg. I was suggesting to purchase an "egg eating snake" .

@valvaren... Don't leave because of a mix up, I know the atmosphere has changed on here recently but it does this from time to time. :D

[StuDude]

to the OP:

Just tell them its illegal to catch local snakes (it actually is in some areas) or buy a garter (usually cheap) and say you caught it. Unless they "go hunting" with you, how would they know?


I'm NOT GOING TO LIE

[StuDude]

Maybe I should get another gecko instead
:o

[Johnny23]

Garters are the best way to go for you! all you got to do to feed them is go in your back yard and dig up worms every now and then, and somtimes go to a pet shop and buy some guppies, they're cheap compared to rats.

[SnakeyJay]

Garters are the best way to go for you! all you got to do to feed them is go in your back yard and dig up worms every now and then, and somtimes go to a pet shop and buy some guppies, they're cheap compared to rats.

Spot on... It's definately better than substituting another snakes food. If you definately have to catch one then a garyer fits exactly what you need Stu.

[Lankyrob]

I'm NOT GOING TO LIE


Kudos to you!! :)

[Jenn_06]

Maybe I should get another gecko instead
:o

What kind of gecko you have now?

[exwizard]

My Mom (and I) was wondering if corn snakes could eat anything other than MICE. something that is dead (not dead mice), maybe raw ground beef. I told her they probably wouldn't eat that, but I need more food options. That is one of the reasons that she wont let me get one...

How old are you 17? If this is the case, you dont have long to wait until you are legally able to make your own decisions. I would just bide my time for now. In the meantime, I agree, Garters would be your best bet as they thrive on fish, not mice. In addition they are very handleable and have beautiful patterns.

Corn snakes are beautiful, I agree with that as well. I have one myself and had another one before. The variety of morphs is unmatched, even by Balls, and they are awesome eaters. All of that having been said, you know what you want and you know when you could get it. I would wait until then to get one. :)

[UwabamiReptiles]

Isnt this a major contradiction?

Like a starburst? Or a scott korean?

[Skumbo]

Like a starburst? Or a scott korean?

Hehe :D


I was basically saying, well this is an option, but I don't really suggest it, if he wanted to he could, and I wouldnt blame him, but i threw that in there to be like "yeah but youre better off waiting cause lying is bad"