Pet Snapping Turtle

[z06boy]

Originally Posted by tommymac

Only problem is they havent invented snake chow yet

My critters oly get prekilled frozen rodents, they are better fed for the most part and are free from parasites. I lost 4 pythons from mites when I fed live food, and feeding my 13ft retic was usualy a big event in the neighborhood. Everyone would come by on feeding day to watch the carnage LOL

So true about the snake chow.

When I first got mine...the guy that had him fed him live only and I did at first as well and then converted him to eating prekilled...much easier for the both of us. I don't have to keep up with a live rodent running around and possibly getting loose and also don't have to worry about it biting/scratching me or the snake...or the mites/parasites you mentioned.

Originally Posted by tommymac

The pythons eating is usualy quick and easy, I dont see the sense in that esp since its a pita to clean up the tank after that. I had a few snappers back in the day and mostly fed them feeder fish and they actualy loved oscar pellets and turtle pellets, easier and a lot less messy.

Agreed...the person that put that video together seemed to really get off on the gore. Actually made me feel bad for the rat in a few of those clips.

Originally Posted by Curb

Totally agree. And I at least have the decency to have the rat killed before I feed it to my Boa

I do too now. I've got a local guy (Veterinarian) that has a 'rat factory' www.carolinarodents.com and I just email him and then swing by and pick up a few at a time on the way home every couple of weeks and put them in a cooler with ice in the back of my Jeep.

Originally Posted by Mudpuppy

actually i did recently learn that actually feeding any pet live food isn't as good for them (insert nutritious) as feeding them the factory made food (well at least the good food). Its kind of one of those things that after you hear it you go hmm yeah that makes sense I should have already known that.

I guess you're not talking about snakes. Captive born..raised and bred rats that are prekilled are very nutritious...safe... and clean for a snake as long as you freeze them until it's time to feed or feed them to the snake right after they've been killed...of course I guess the freezing part is good for killing off any of the parasites.

Ok enough about this...Happy Friday everyone !!

[tommymac]

Originally Posted by z06boy

So true about the snake chow.

When I first got mine...the guy that had him fed him live only and I did at first as well and then converted him to eating prekilled...much easier for the both of us. I don't have to keep up with a live rodent running around and possibly getting loose and also don't have to worry about it biting/scratching me or the snake...or the mites/parasites you mentioned.



Agreed...the person that put that video together seemed to really get off on the gore. Actually made me feel bad for the rat in a few of those clips.



I do too now. I've got a local guy (Veterinarian) that has a 'rat factory' www.carolinarodents.com and I just email him and then swing by and pick up a few at a time on the way home every couple of weeks and put them in a cooler with ice in the back of my Jeep.



I guess you're not talking about snakes. Captive born..raised and bred rats that are prekilled are very nutritious...safe... and clean for a snake as long as you freeze them until it's time to feed or feed them to the snake right after they've been killed...of course I guess the freezing part is good for killing off any of the parasites.

Ok enough about this...Happy Friday everyone !!

Some are tough to switch over if they have been started on live food, and some species are tough to start on as well. A few of my king and corn snakes would even eat right from my hand (but not try to eat my hand LOL) my northern pine usualy just ate when you intorduced the rat, he woul dlook at it for a few seconds, find the head and swallow from there. his response was so blunted when he struck at food he just pushed it against the side of the tank.

Now fungo on the other hand, hes 7 rys old, never had or saw a living rodent and his response is still as keen as ever and actualy has to strike and wrap a rodent or he wont eat it.

[the chi]

Originally Posted by L8 Braker

Isn't getting pleasure from harming animals one of the top traits of serial killers?

That was exactly my thought.

From what I understand for snakes, live food causes more aggression issues than the prekilled, frozen etc but its very hard to swap from one to the other. A friend used to feed his the frozen mice, but he had to nuke tham and warm them up before the snake would even show interest.

[z06boy]

Originally Posted by tommymac

Some are tough to switch over if they have been started on live food, and some species are tough to start on as well. A few of my king and corn snakes would even eat right from my hand (but not try to eat my hand LOL) my northern pine usualy just ate when you intorduced the rat, he woul dlook at it for a few seconds, find the head and swallow from there. his response was so blunted when he struck at food he just pushed it against the side of the tank.

Now fungo on the other hand, hes 7 rys old, never had or saw a living rodent and his response is still as keen as ever and actualy has to strike and wrap a rodent or he wont eat it.

Yeah that's what I had heard about switching them as well. I wasn't sure if it was going to work but luckily he took right to it after just a few try's. He still snatches it from me and wraps it up. Sometimes I'll even take the forceps and tug at the tail just to make him 'think' it's alive. He usually does a little quick jerk and wraps a little more.

I haven't and probably won't try to feed by hand...I'm a little chicken about doing that. I'm just a rookie compared to you...only owned a couple in my whole life and only one at a time.

[tommymac]

Originally Posted by z06boy

Yeah that's what I had heard about switching them as well. I wasn't sure if it was going to work but luckily he took right to it after just a few try's. He still snatches it from me and wraps it up. Sometimes I'll even take the forceps and tug at the tail just to make him 'think' it's alive. He usually does a little quick jerk and wraps a little more.

I haven't and probably won't try to feed by hand...I'm a little chicken about doing that. I'm just a rookie compared to you...only owned a couple in my whole life and only one at a time.

The smaller colubrids I have had I would sometimes hand feed, but th elarger pythons I always used forceps or just toss it in and slam the door shut and hope for the best. Sadly a few of my pythons have aquired a taste for my blood

[tallywacker]

Badass

[Mudpuppy]

yeah i don't know anything about snakes or their diet.. i was more talking in general.. my actual conversation was specific to fish when i was discussing this subject about live food vs. manufactured food.. i used to have about 10 tanks full of fish and i always fed them live food supplemented with some pellets or flakes.. guess that wasn't the best way to go..

as far as dog food i would only ever feed my dog Nutro Natural Choice - no corn or corn meal.. anything else is garbage.. Well except I heard there is some brand named Chicken Soup or something that is supposed to be as good or better than Nutro.. the cat well he gets whatever is on sale.. i hate cats..

But no idea on snakes, reptiles, snapping turtles, etc.

[Inferno]

If I catch one of these babies, the only live food will be feeder golds.

There are HUGE snappers out back, 30lbers at least...I'm gonna need a bigger boat

A few weeks ago I was walking the dog and saw something on the water that looked like a white trash bag...odd..I eyeballed it, it was moving. As I approached, I noticed it was a Goose and the movement were snappers quite litteraly tearing it appart. I sat there and watched for what seamed like five minutes in strange awe...these suckers...3 or 4 snappers where lopping off chunks of meat. I was wondering if the goose died anturally or did the snapper get it...they were easliy almost as big as the goose

[tommymac]

Originally Posted by Inferno

If I catch one of these babies, the only live food will be feeder golds.

There are HUGE snappers out back, 30lbers at least...I'm gonna need a bigger boat

A few weeks ago I was walking the dog and saw something on the water that looked like a white trash bag...odd..I eyeballed it, it was moving. As I approached, I noticed it was a Goose and the movement were snappers quite litteraly tearing it appart. I sat there and watched for what seamed like five minutes in strange awe...these suckers...3 or 4 snappers where lopping off chunks of meat. I was wondering if the goose died anturally or did the snapper get it...they were easliy almost as big as the goose

DONT FEED THEM GOLDFISH, you have ot use minnows or something else, goldfish are not good for turtles.

[defector]

Goldfish aren't good for anything, from what I can tell.