how often should I feed my gator

J3000 · 04-19-04, 02:42 PM

Hey everyone I have a question how often should I feed my gator he seems he is always eating I mean always he is eating feeder fish chicken everything. every day he goes threw a dozen feeder fish it seems every day...Can you please help me

KrokadilyanGuy3 · 04-19-04, 03:01 PM

Well, I personally feed my animals as much as they will eat in one setting every 3-4 days.. Adults and juveniles. I would cut down on the fish and feed something else for a few feedings..
~Xain

J3000 · 04-19-04, 07:29 PM

I do I feed him cooked chicken rolled in a calcium and lean cuts of meat also jumpers and pinkies the only time he gets the fish is when I work a long weekend I work nights twelve hour shifts so I work and sleep then work and sleep this is only every other week

snakers55 · 04-19-04, 08:17 PM

Use raw chicken..

K1LOS · 04-19-04, 08:33 PM

why raw?

Geoff

KrokadilyanGuy3 · 04-20-04, 01:09 AM

Quote:

why raw?

I'd guess it's thought that the heat will kill off some nutritional value in the meat. I personally don't know how true this is, bever seen a nutritional analysis on this subject or know of anyone that has.. So, it's more like a preference issue really.
Some time ago the same things were being said with freezing would ruin the nutrients in an animal, but i'd guess that is long gone...

Personally, I most often feed whole animals unless it's with pig and deer..
If I were to use beef or chicken I would cook it because there is so much Salmonella in mass-processed chicken and there is potential of E.coli in raw beef. Even though some food items crocs eat tend to be a tad, eh.. ew.. I would rather not take any chances..
Ya' know?
~Xain

lakeridgekennel · 04-26-04, 09:06 AM

well said KrokadilyanGuy3!!
What he said.

sparkon16 · 04-29-04, 09:44 PM

Raw chicken is completely fine to use the only time that I will cook the chicken is when some is left over so that it can still be kept! Other than that samonella from the chicken I believe will not hurt them unlike turtles etc...

Shaggy Shane

KrokadilyanGuy3 · 04-30-04, 12:31 AM

Really? Explain your reasonings, please.

Bighead · 04-30-04, 12:56 AM

I thought that salmonella was harmless to turtles? Not really a turtle guy though...

anacondaman · 04-30-04, 05:53 AM

i always say..lay off the feeder goldfish...alot of them are covered with chemicals that can effect your Caiman/Alligator/Crocodile's growth and organs

my 2 cents

adam

J3000 · 04-30-04, 07:50 AM

the only time I feed my gator feeder fish is when I will be gone for a long period of time or when I work the weekends I work twelve hour shifts every other week plus my job consists on me leaving for this weekend I tried to bring him once with me I put him in the bath tub of the motel I was staying about two hours later I got a call from the state police asking for my presents at the police station because the cleaning maid passed out when she saw it. I usally feed mine cooked chicken and lean cuts of meat raw trout and squid which he loves smelt, pinkies and whole mice which he tears apart in no time..

KrokadilyanGuy3 · 05-02-04, 02:31 AM

I ask because, well being there are over 2000 strains of salmonella bacteria you would think that at least one may infect a crocodilian.
I know some strains are species specific and some are not. Some will cause severe illness and then again some may not and and some do not cause symptoms in one host but may make another species quite ill if the bacteria is one of those that is able to infect another species..
My saying is, most strains are cacapble of transfering from animal to animal, affecting them or not. So why take the risk? Also, being there are very many strains of this bacteria I doubt they have all be throughly studied; Much less studied on crocodilians so again, why take that chance?
Plus who knows, maybe one of your animals that you are feeding is ill to start with and being with a low ammunity during that time, who knows? Safe is always better than a maybe.
Most reptiles are affected by salmonella, turtles included..

Not only are Goldfish a bad feeder choice (Good if fed sparingly) but most fish contain large amounts of thiaminase in their bodies and frozen fish have a higher concentration of it.. If you feed prekilled fish, cooked is a good choice, heat I hear kills thiaminase.
B1 vitamin suppliments wouldn't be a bad idea..
Also, some fish cause vitamin E deficiency, so it's an all out fun thing to play with.. A few good choices I would use are small bass, catfish, perch (Ocean perch are great) shad and minnows..
That and insects living the the terrarium aren't that bad of an idea, as long as the insects that fall into the water can easily get onto dry land if they arent eaten within minutes..
Xain