A couple of question about feeding mice - Page 2

shaunyboy · 12-31-10, 09:30 PM

as said if you apply the same logic to feeding outside the tank as you are applying to feeding in the tank then surely the result will be they think they're getting fed everytime you take them out so get bitey outside the tank

the folk that say feeding in the tank causes the snake to be agressive everytime the tank gets open never cease to amaze me.

that being they only apply this logic to one part of the equasion...!!

the part that seems to back up their statment (not aimed at the op aimed at everyone who tells new folk this)

imo hoggies are in danger as much when they are adults from a large live mouse as at any other time after you give them small mice or larger

ive seen plenty hoggies eat

they dont care if they strike the head bang on like say a carpet or constrict powerfully

ive seen hoggies take frozen thawed mice from the middle of the mouses body and litterally fold the mouse in half as they eat it

im thinking a live mouse would be able to bite a few chunks out the hoggie before the mouse died if it was taken this way

I AM NOT AGAINST LIVE FEEDING AND DO NOT JUDGE THOSE WHO DO IT

i preffer to lessen any risks for my snake by feeding frozen thawed

re getting eggs thrown at you

i'm sure you'll find out once you get to know the folk on here we do not force our ways on others or throw eggs

if we do happen to have a go at someone its usually because a snake is suffering or someone is telling us to do something dangerous

we are a very passionate bunch

cheers shaun

NennaMeerkat · 12-31-10, 10:15 PM

As I said once she is older (I mean she is still a baby right now) I will probably still give her stuff like hoppers...they don't have their eyes open right?...that won't hurt her even if she has to eat several of them to get her full.

shaunyboy · 01-01-11, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NennaMeerkat

As I said once she is older (I mean she is still a baby right now) I will probably still give her stuff like hoppers...they don't have their eyes open right?...that won't hurt her even if she has to eat several of them to get her full.

imo a snake thats eating too small a prey size won't get the same nutrition as from something larger

hoppers ?with you saying their eyes are not open i'm assuming they are what we call rat pups or mouse pinkies

if so they don't have much nutrition for older snakes

their bones are not properly formed not much meat on them,etc

can i ask why you feel the need to feed live ?

i'm just curious thats all

if you don't wish to answer my question thats ok mate

cheers shaun

NennaMeerkat · 01-01-11, 01:35 PM

I gots no problem answering any legit question thrown my way. The reason I am choosing to feed live to this snake has many reasons. The main one being, that is what the breeder told me she was eating, I tried f/t and the snake showed no interest, she is indeed eating live with much vigor, and a few years ago we had a baby hognose that we tried feeding strictly f/t and for nearly a month never ate thus fearing that it would not make it gave it back to the breeder we got it from (we were told 2 days later it was eating again...interestingly enough live).

Also at a zoo I worked at they gave all the snakes (big and large) live/stunned prey. A lot of the snakes were big so it was rabbits and small chickens. Worked there for almost 5 years and never saw the snakes get bit or otherwise hurt from these live/stunned prey items. They even had a couple of full grown hognose (why and where I fell in love with them) and they were given live mice without problem or injury. The first snakes I ever had, which were 2 corn snakes, also ate live for the entire time we had them and they never had a problem with it. Though I know cornsnakes constrict and hognose do not.

~~~~~

Also isn't there different stages for mice/rats. Thought it went something like: Pinkies, Fuzzies, Hoppers, Full Grown. Though I could have sworn there were more stages...maybe not though. Whatever the case Hoppers have their eyes open are basically weaned from their parents and "hop" a lot. At the same time they may or may not have the bite force to hurt a snake. I also think the bones are good and formed and besides size (and possibly bite force) are just like adult mice.

totheend · 01-01-11, 07:09 PM

I agree with Shaun. Hoggies will eat from any end of the mouse.......legs, head, tail, side.....
So feeding live when adult could be a little dangerous for the snake. My females eat adult mice and sometimes more than one at feeding time. You are gonna have to feed alot of hoppers to make that up.

I have no issues with feeding live if done properly and find some snakes don't care to take f/t. But I do think that she will eat f/t eventually. Let her settle in, feed her 3 or 4 more meals and then try f/t again. No harm in trying. Have you tried feeding f/t since she started eating for you?

When it is feeding time for my hogs here they are up at the top of the cage waiting to take the f/t mouse off the hemostats. I think that you shouldn't worry about it now and just wait it out.

NennaMeerkat · 01-01-11, 07:44 PM

Quote:

I have no issues with feeding live if done properly and find some snakes don't care to take f/t. But I do think that she will eat f/t eventually. Let her settle in, feed her 3 or 4 more meals and then try f/t again. No harm in trying. Have you tried feeding f/t since she started eating for you?

I tried a few days before we fed her the first time and no interest, and this past time I tried the day before. Still no interest. She smelled at it and recognized that it was there, but moved away. I checked the temp of the pinkie and it was warm without being overly warm. I will continue to try and feed her f/t before the live but honestly I would much rather just feed her live.

So the next thing is if I could stun a grown mouse when it comes to that time would anyone consider that unsafe for a hoggie?

Reptile_Reptile · 01-01-11, 07:48 PM

lots of snakes dont have interest at firsst but its your job as the owner to how should i say... inspire interest you see, there are many ways you can get the little lady to eat w/e you want

totheend · 01-01-11, 10:00 PM

Once she gets eating on a regular schedule in her new home things will change. She will soon love to eat and f/t will be on her menu

I have started baby hogs on live and they do switch over. Many baby snakes like live food at first but swich over.

I see no problems in a stunned mouse at all. No harm to your snake.

Don't give up and don't get frustrated she will take f/t on her own time.

NennaMeerkat · 01-02-11, 02:53 AM

I will continue to try F/T however I hate constantly throwing away a mouse and eventually money every time she doesn't eat one. I know some people say there is no harm in refreezing but I personally wouldn't refreeze anything I eat thus not going to do it to her either. Though if she can and will eat stunned I really wouldn't have problems. Besides I have a feeling it is going to be a bit before I have to stun anything. She is still VERY small.

Maybe I will try to feed her f/t in a month or so, or maybe after she gets a little bigger overall and possibly not so finicky. I am not gonna stress one way or the other though cause I know I can keep her safe if she eats live her entire life.

Lankyrob · 01-02-11, 06:41 AM

Solution to save throwing away the mice - buy a young Carpet python - they eat anything and everything so instead of throwing the mice away you give it to the Carpet

dragunov.762 · 01-02-11, 10:41 AM

if you stun a mouse or pre kill it there should be absolutely no harm in feeding it. hoppers have there eyes open but usually don't have the strength to injure a snake. i have fed my king live hoppers before and it bit her as she was constricting it but it couldn't get enough of the snake in its mouth to injure it.