thawd out chicken for ball pythons?

I read somewhere that you can feed your ball python thawd out chicken breast or a thawd out chicken leg. Is this true :confused:

I would highly doubt you would have any luck getting the BP to eat it. They're such finicky eaters in the first place, I doubt they're going to eat processed chicken meat.

If they just so happen'd to eat it is it well healthy?

There is a big difference between eating an animal whole and just part of an animal. A plain chicken breast is only meat. No bone, no hair, no organs and not very much water comparatively. You are better off feeding a whole rodent than just a piece of a chicken. The snake will get all the nutrition it needs from the whole rodent.

Ball pythons thrive on whole rodents so it would probably be wise to just stick with that :)

:weirdface

If they ate raw chicken (I wouldn't feed it bones) it's probably not going to hurt it. Like others have said tho, it's not nutritionally complete for your snake so it's not something you should feed on a regular basis. I have read threads on other boards where people have occassionally fed raw some sort of meat to their exotic snake as a treat.

it is possible for some individual snakes but don't expect all of them to be so cooperative on this department.

I'm just curious though if feeding chicken heads would be "healthier" than feeding raw breasts/drumsticks....

If it's not broken, don't fix it!

Try it and report bak. Make a video please.;):D

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Originally Posted by seeya205

If it's not broken, don't fix it!

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I agree. Bps are known for eating trouble and personally I would not risk it, and especially for something that is not nutritionally balanced.

WHen I first read this thread, I did not think he/she was serious. If you decide to do it, place your attempt on youtube.

Ive heard of burms eating raw chicken, and seen a video of it as well. Dont know how it compares nutritionally.

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Originally Posted by pavlovk1025

Ive heard of burms eating raw chicken, and seen a video of it as well. Dont know how it compares nutritionally.

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Yep, Big Gunns just happens to know someone with a Burm that's about 13 feet long that's only eaten raw chicken(a couple live ones) it's whole life and is perfectly healthy. This includes the bones. She has a Blood that also only eats the same.

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Originally Posted by Big Gunns

Yep, Big Gunns just happens to know someone with a Burm that's about 13 feet long that's only eaten raw chicken(a couple live ones) it's whole life and is perfectly healthy. This includes the bones. She has a Blood that also only eats the same.

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Pretty cool. Since BP's are so picky might have to get them KFC or Popeye's.

I cant believe you people are encouraging him!!! NO IT CANT BE DONE!!!!! Dont put it on youtube you will embarrass yourself. Please tell me you haven't tried putting beef jerky in the cage yet.

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Originally Posted by oswhiteboy

I cant believe you people are encouraging him!!! NO IT CANT BE DONE!!!!! Dont put it on youtube you will embarrass yourself. Please tell me you haven't tried putting beef jerky in the cage yet.

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Why do you say it cant be done? Have you tried?

Here's a burm eating raw chicken thighs.
YouTube - Python Eating Raw Chicken

Considering that ball pythons eat more than just rodents, there is a possibility of it being feasible.

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Originally Posted by pavlovk1025

Considering that ball pythons eat more than just rodents, there is a possibility of it being feasible.

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However, I think that possibility is slim to none. Have you ever heard of anyone successfully feeding raw chicken to a ball python (I haven't)? Are there any videos of a ball python eating raw chicken?

To the OP, the chances are very slim, and I'd almost hazard to say impossible that you'll be able to convert a ball python to a diet of raw chicken. Stick with rodents.

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Originally Posted by rabernet

However, I think that possibility is slim to none. Have you ever heard of anyone successfully feeding raw chicken to a ball python (I haven't)? Are there any videos of a ball python eating raw chicken?

To the OP, the chances are very slim, and I'd almost hazard to say impossible that you'll be able to convert a ball python to a diet of raw chicken. Stick with rodents.

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Hey Im with you there, it's a small chance. But they do eat chicks, and I have seen that, and I can't imagine the scent being completely off. Which is another thing. If it was scented in rodent bedding it might stand more than a slim to none chance. I have 3 BPs that dont strike their F/T, instead I just stick it in the tub and they eat it when they feel like it. I can imagine that it might work. Still worth a try for someone who really wants to try it, no?

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Originally Posted by oswhiteboy

I cant believe you people are encouraging him!!! NO IT CANT BE DONE!!!!! Dont put it on youtube you will embarrass yourself. Please tell me you haven't tried putting beef jerky in the cage yet.

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It was nothing more than a simple question my ball pythons diet consists of mice & rats and thats pretty much all he will eat for the rest of his life.

Thanks :D

The video is cool. I doubt I will see a ball python do that. I haven't even seen a bp eat a chick yet.

Hypothetically speaking, if you do get your BP to eat raw chicken and it is nutritionally acceptable that is all well and good but, with a BPs tendency to imprint on one food type I wouldn't even try it.

If something were to happen where you couldn't care for your snakes and couldn't pass on the necessary information to the new owner what kind of havoc would that be?

I don't think you were asking permission or if it is a good idea, just looking for information.

My two cents.

Mike

YES YOU CAN! 2 stories to share....

#1. I have a female ball that I've fed live medium rats to for 3+ years. My routine is to take her out of her cage to feed her, put her in the bathtub where the food is waiting for her. She knows that bathtub = food. As soon as she's in the bathtub I stay away because she's ready to strike. It took a while for her to figure this out, but she knows it now.

So recently the nearby pet store where I bought live rats closed and it's been a pain to get them. I'd contemplated going with pre-killed but I really don't like keeping dead rats in my freezer or thawing them. So I thawed a piece of raw chicken and then put her in the bathtub. She quickly got into "striking position" of course. I used tongs and dangled the chicken strip over the edge of the tub for her and she immediately struck at it, constricted around it, and then held it for a number of minutes until it was obviously dead, and then swallowed it. SUCCESS! I do plan on giving her rats as well however she'll eat a lot of chicken as well. I may also try to give her a whole fish. Note: I also warmed an egg, smothered it in the chicken to add a scent, and left that in the tub for her as well but she wasn't interested in that at all.

#2. When I was a poor college student I bought a beautiful 7' Red Tail Colombian female for $60. She was fantastic. I'd buy her a large rat from the pet store to kill and eat. While she was swallowing the back end of the rat I'd take her and push a thawed (raw) chicken drumstick down right after the rat. She got a sizable meal and I was spending less on food for her. She never complained....although I'm sure I'll pick up some criticism for that one in the comments to follow. :)

I agree with what others have said...snakes need more than just chicken meat to be healthy.

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Originally Posted by hibby76

YES YOU CAN! 2 stories to share....

#1. I have a female ball that I've fed live medium rats to for 3+ years. My routine is to take her out of her cage to feed her, put her in the bathtub where the food is waiting for her. She knows that bathtub = food. As soon as she's in the bathtub I stay away because she's ready to strike. It took a while for her to figure this out, but she knows it now.

So recently the nearby pet store where I bought live rats closed and it's been a pain to get them. I'd contemplated going with pre-killed but I really don't like keeping dead rats in my freezer or thawing them. So I thawed a piece of raw chicken and then put her in the bathtub. She quickly got into "striking position" of course. I used tongs and dangled the chicken strip over the edge of the tub for her and she immediately struck at it, constricted around it, and then held it for a number of minutes until it was obviously dead, and then swallowed it. SUCCESS! I do plan on giving her rats as well however she'll eat a lot of chicken as well. I may also try to give her a whole fish. Note: I also warmed an egg, smothered it in the chicken to add a scent, and left that in the tub for her as well but she wasn't interested in that at all.

#2. When I was a poor college student I bought a beautiful 7' Red Tail Colombian female for $60. She was fantastic. I'd buy her a large rat from the pet store to kill and eat. While she was swallowing the back end of the rat I'd take her and push a thawed (raw) chicken drumstick down right after the rat. She got a sizable meal and I was spending less on food for her. She never complained....although I'm sure I'll pick up some criticism for that one in the comments to follow. :)

I agree with what others have said...snakes need more than just chicken meat to be healthy.

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Please vid this. I need to see to believe. Even if this is possible I don't think it is a good idea unless you are getting your chickens from a farm. The amount of saline injected into chicken can be pretty high and I doubt ball pythons are equipped for a high amount of salt.

For what it's worth I've got a couple of Royals that are ravenous eaters and have both eaten defrosted chicks over the years - no problems .. They'd take two or sometimes 3 at each meal . All warmed up with the hairdrier .
Day old frozen chicks only cost 10p each ( 12 cents ?)

I don't keep them in nowadays ..
They're just something I tried a few times .. usually when I'd read an article on varying your snakes diets with mice / rats. /chicks and varying the period inbetween feeds and also giving them random sizes .... supposedly to replicate their feeding in the wild !?!?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hibby76

YES YOU CAN! 2 stories to share....

#1. I have a female ball that I've fed live medium rats to for 3+ years. My routine is to take her out of her cage to feed her, put her in the bathtub where the food is waiting for her. She knows that bathtub = food. As soon as she's in the bathtub I stay away because she's ready to strike. It took a while for her to figure this out, but she knows it now.

So recently the nearby pet store where I bought live rats closed and it's been a pain to get them. I'd contemplated going with pre-killed but I really don't like keeping dead rats in my freezer or thawing them. So I thawed a piece of raw chicken and then put her in the bathtub. She quickly got into "striking position" of course. I used tongs and dangled the chicken strip over the edge of the tub for her and she immediately struck at it, constricted around it, and then held it for a number of minutes until it was obviously dead, and then swallowed it. SUCCESS! I do plan on giving her rats as well however she'll eat a lot of chicken as well. I may also try to give her a whole fish. Note: I also warmed an egg, smothered it in the chicken to add a scent, and left that in the tub for her as well but she wasn't interested in that at all.

#2. When I was a poor college student I bought a beautiful 7' Red Tail Colombian female for $60. She was fantastic. I'd buy her a large rat from the pet store to kill and eat. While she was swallowing the back end of the rat I'd take her and push a thawed (raw) chicken drumstick down right after the rat. She got a sizable meal and I was spending less on food for her. She never complained....although I'm sure I'll pick up some criticism for that one in the comments to follow. :)

I agree with what others have said...snakes need more than just chicken meat to be healthy.

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Insert criticism here.

I'm just kind of speechless at this whole post. You revived a 7 year old thread for this.

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

Insert criticism here.

I'm just kind of speechless at this whole post. You revived a 7 year old thread for this.

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One post from this person and its on a thread from 2010 lol

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Scroll up. The question was never answered very well and not by anyone with first hand experience. My post was at least useful. You show up to criticize me posting something useful. Want to know what that's called? I'll give you a hint....It starts with "U" and it rhymes with "oosless".
In any case have Ball Pythons evolved that much in the last 7 years??? :rofl:

Just WoW.........

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Originally Posted by hibby76

Scroll up. The question was never answered very well and not by anyone with first hand experience. My post was at least useful. You show up to criticize me posting something useful. Want to know what that's called? I'll give you a hint....It starts with "U" and it rhymes with "oosless".
In any case have Ball Pythons evolved that much in the last 7 years??? :rofl:

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I'll criticize this one, why not. You state your BP will be getting a lot more chicken, you do realize how they process chicken parts correct? Saline solution, hormones, etc etc etc. Do you, as a snake owner, think its even remotely healthy to stuff processed and incomplete food items down a snake's throat? Its not.

Whole chicks are one thing, as they are at the very least the whole animal and less is done to a whole critter in terms of preserving them etc. Feeding a BP raw chicken breast is just bad practice and one that probably shouldn't be preached on a forum where new snake owners come to learn the correct way of taking care of their new pets.

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Originally Posted by hibby76

In any case have Ball Pythons evolved that much in the last 7 years??? :rofl:

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Apparently they evolved enough to move away from their natural food items and start eating raw, processed chicken and drumsticks. And I'll have to agree that unless you provide a VIDEO of this and an actual explanation of why this ISN'T bad or unhealthy for a snake so that new owners don't come here and see this post and decide to try it themselves, your "answer" starts with "U" and rhymes with "oosless".

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hibby76

Scroll up. The question was never answered very well and not by anyone with first hand experience. My post was at least useful. You show up to criticize me posting something useful. Want to know what that's called? I'll give you a hint....It starts with "U" and it rhymes with "oosless".
In any case have Ball Pythons evolved that much in the last 7 years??? :rofl:

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I didn't actually criticize you at all. I didn't comment to be helpful. I commented because I was, and still am, in DISBELIEF.

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#1. I have a female ball that I've fed live medium rats to for 3+ years. My routine is to take her out of her cage to feed her, put her in the bathtub where the food is waiting for her. She knows that bathtub = food. As soon as she's in the bathtub I stay away because she's ready to strike. It took a while for her to figure this out, but she knows it now.

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I love that you think you are doing your snake a favor by feeding it in a bathtub. I won't even get into this one because what follows is just so unbelievably pointless.

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So recently the nearby pet store where I bought live rats closed and it's been a pain to get them. I'd contemplated going with pre-killed but I really don't like keeping dead rats in my freezer or thawing them.

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So what you are saying here is that you are too lazy to thaw rats and that... you don't like having them in your freezer? Why? Does it gross you out? Why do you even have a snake? This is kind of part of the deal...

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So I thawed a piece of raw chicken

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Oh so its fine to keep raw chicken in your freezer but not a rat? Whats the deal? Oh and suddenly its not a big deal to thaw a piece of chicken??????

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and then put her in the bathtub. She quickly got into "striking position" of course.

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Sigh.

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I used tongs and dangled the chicken strip

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Just listen to yourself. A CHICKEN STRIP.

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I do plan on giving her rats as well however she'll eat a lot of chicken as well.

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Okay so she eats rats... what is the point of giving her chicken at all? Why? Just for fun? Just so you can say you did it? This is not really a good reason.

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I may also try to give her a whole fish.

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WHY. WHY. :confusd::confusd::confusd::confusd::confusd:

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Note: I also warmed an egg, smothered it in the chicken to add a scent, and left that in the tub for her as well but she wasn't interested in that at all.

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You don't say. Shocker.

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#2. When I was a poor college student I bought a beautiful 7' Red Tail Colombian female for $60.

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Look, we've all been poor college students.... but if you are getting to the point where you don't have enough money to feed the animal... Maybe you shouldn't have an animal. And honestly...frozen rats are incredibly inexpensive. Probably less expensive than raw chicken...

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I'd buy her a large rat from the pet store to kill and eat. While she was swallowing the back end of the rat I'd take her and push a thawed (raw) chicken drumstick down right after the rat.

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What was so wrong with just feeding her the rat? Was the meal really that small without the extra CHICKEN DRUMSTICK :confusd::confusd:

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She got a sizable meal and I was spending less on food for her. She never complained....although I'm sure I'll pick up some criticism for that one in the comments to follow.

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Gee I wonder why the snake never complained. :confusd: You know exactly why you are picking up criticism. Its obvious.

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I agree with what others have said...snakes need more than just chicken meat to be healthy.

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Or perhaps... no raw chicken meat at all? Whole prey only???


This question was answered pretty well I think. It is generally an unacceptable practice to feed RAW CHICKEN to a snake. A chick is one thing. Snakes need whole prey items to get the correct nutrition and hydration. A chicken drumstick???? A chicken strip???? A FISH.

FISH.

Sincerely hoping this is just a troll post. I am just baffled.

Your proposed diet for your ball python is deeply inappropriate for the species and I sincerely hope you'll change your decision on this.

The biggest difficulty in altering the diet from the "tried & true" is that there is not a solid answer on the exact nutritional needs of the ball python. However, there is some information available on the wild diet (see this link for a 1997 study http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/1...50009809386744).

Some issues with each of the items you've chosen:

- strips of raw chicken:
1) As has been previously noted, much chicken is injected with saline solution, I believe up to 15%. Snakes generally do not have the ability to process those kinds of salt levels. While I do not know at what point the salt will have severe effects on a ball python, excess salt has been known to kill garter snakes whose keepers fed frozen fish with added salt.
2) As has been previously noted, commercial chicken generally contains hormones. These have been known to have a wide variety of negative effects even at significantly sub-lethal dosages on a wide variety of animals which ranges from the more expected reproductive issues to significant immunosuppressive effects (citations avail -ask). The dosage you are giving a snake will be significantly higher than the dosage you are consuming yourself.
3) Most commercial chicken has antibiotics in it. The use of antibiotics to promote growth in livestock has been implicated in the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. Effects of these antibiotics on snakes' natural and necessary gut flora? Unknown.
4) Raw chicken breast is only muscle meat and will naturally be significantly lacking in calcium and a variety of other nutrients compared to whole prey. Likely higher protein and lower fat than either the wild diet or the regular captivity diet. Will this fit actual dietary needs? Unknown but unlikely.

- Raw fish:
1) Not ever identified as a prey item for wild ball pythons.
2) Even keepers of fish eating snakes need to be careful of the fish species fed as many fish contain thiaminase which can cause a lethal vitamin deficiency
3) Effects of feeding fish to ball pythons = unknown. Likely to be negative due to vast departure from wild diet

-Egg
1) Not ever identified as a prey item for wild ball pythons
2) Species that eat eggs are often anatomically specialized to do so. Many of them crack the shell with their muscles after swallowing and then spit the shell back out
3) Effects of feeding eggs to ball pythons = unknown. Likely to be negative due to vast departure from wild diet

This is not comprehensive but hopefully helps you to reconsider your chosen diet in favor of something more species appropriate.
Whole chicks and quail may be appropriate for ball pythons as at least the study linked above found that 70% of prey items for male ball pythons were birds. However, even this is something that should likely really be attempted by more experienced keepers as exact nutritional needs are unknown and the all rat diet has been shown to appropriately support this species in captivity.

Tl;dr - please just buy some rats.

Also, even for those who do feed WHOLE prekilled or F/T chicks, they usually only feed it as a treat as part of enrichment, because... well, I have been told on numerous occasions the poop smell afterward is HORRENDOUS compared to their usual BMs.

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Originally Posted by hibby76

Scroll up. The question was never answered very well and not by anyone with first hand experience. My post was at least useful. You show up to criticize me posting something useful. Want to know what that's called? I'll give you a hint....It starts with "U" and it rhymes with "oosless".
In any case have Ball Pythons evolved that much in the last 7 years??? :rofl:

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Funny how the one who isn't taking proper care of their snake and is encouraging others to try these absurd methods is calling everyone else's posts useless.

If you can't handle feeding your snake rats, then maybe a snake isn't the right pet for you.

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Originally Posted by Lizardlicks

Also, even for those who do feed WHOLE prekilled or F/T chicks, they usually only feed it as a treat as part of enrichment, because... well, I have been told on numerous occasions the poop smell afterward is HORRENDOUS compared to their usual BMs.

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Yes that's what I found to be honest on the odd occasions I resorted to using chicks . I presumed it was to do with the change if diet rather like our neighbours experience when she tried her dog on some vegetarian tinned dog food - not a positive experience at all ;)
Although I guess their systems may get used to the diet change in time ...

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

Yes that's what I found to be honest on the odd occasions I resorted to using chicks . I presumed it was to do with the change if diet rather like our neighbours experience when she tried her dog on some vegetarian tinned dog food - not a positive experience at all ;)
Although I guess their systems may get used to the diet change in time ...

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Maybe - I think it's much more common in the UK to use birds frequently. I also don't know how similar day old chicks are to the sunbirds, weavers, starlings, and juvenile African grays that were found in their wild diet. If I had to guess, quail might be more similar nutritionally since they're older, but it's really just a guess, I haven't looked into it specifically. And as noted, who really knows exactly what bps dietary requirements are? Which is why I think switching it up even with chicks should be done by those who know how to tell if the diet is working ok and the snake is healthy and not by new keepers. The default of rats is fully adequate and the least risk since it's been fully and extensively trialled.

Now vegetarian dog food -- highly questionable, but at least it's not vegetarian cat food.

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Originally Posted by Kcl

Maybe - I think it's much more common in the UK to use birds frequently. I also don't know how similar day old chicks are to the sunbirds, weavers, starlings, and juvenile African grays that were found in their wild diet. If I had to guess, quail might be more similar nutritionally since they're older, but it's really just a guess, I haven't looked into it specifically. And as noted, who really knows exactly what bps dietary requirements are? Which is why I think switching it up even with chicks should be done by those who know how to tell if the diet is working ok and the snake is healthy and not by new keepers. The default of rats is fully adequate and the least risk since it's been fully and extensively trialled.

Now vegetarian dog food -- highly questionable, but at least it's not vegetarian cat food.

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Pretty sure the veggie dog food was created by Linda McCartney ( Paul's wife ) ...

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

Pretty sure the veggie dog food was created by Linda McCartney ( Paul's wife ) ...

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Really I guess highly questionable is the wrong words to use. Dogs are omnivores so it can be done. I probably wouldn't myself, but really I think it's mostly tainted in my head by the people who want to try to put cats, who are obligate carnivores, on vegetarian diets. Didn't mean to be overly critical about it-sorry!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kcl

Really I guess highly questionable is the wrong words to use. Dogs are omnivores so it can be done. I probably wouldn't myself, but really I think it's mostly tainted in my head by the people who want to try to put cats, who are obligate carnivores, on vegetarian diets. Didn't mean to be overly critical about it-sorry!

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No .. I didn't take any offence of anything :)

It just came to me that it was Paul McCartneys wife who invented / created it ...

Lololol you guys kill me! This thread went from feeding raw chicken to snakes to "Paul McCartney's wife made veggie dog food".

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Originally Posted by SKO

Lololol you guys kill me! This thread went from feeding raw chicken to snakes to "Paul McCartney's wife made veggie dog food".

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Yeah this thread is killing me. I kind of regret posting on it in the first place. Curiosity made me want to see a vid of a ball eating a chicken part, but it is really, really not a good idea. Now we have gone to talking about vegan dog food. I am actually wanting a deadline from a client at this point so I stop getting sucked into this stuff. LOL

Sorry guys and gals ..... I'm easily distracted :)

I'm sticking to rats and putting the chicken on the grill.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Chicken is only good fried. Gotta be beef for the grill!

And the decline continues...... LOL

Incorrect, grill everything.

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Originally Posted by Lizardlicks

Incorrect, grill everything.

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I'm gonna grill up some rats for my snakes. Add a little chicken seasoning

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Originally Posted by Lizardlicks

Incorrect, grill everything.

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Us southern boys like it fried or smoked. I think I'd kill for some fried chicken and some good Texas beef BQ right now.

So back on track.... So the culmination of this thread is I should not feed Popey's to my snake?

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Originally Posted by JodanOrNoDan

So back on track.... So the culmination of this thread is I should not feed Popey's to my snake?

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No, it's too expensive and delicious to be given to a snake. :D

It's common to feed whole organic/free range poultry (chicken, quail, etc) to snakes, especially to burms, retics, anacondas, etc. I wouldn't feed them processed chicken from the grocery store.

Okay, ACTUAL question time: which snake species would get large enough to eat a whole turkey? We saw that ARP that ate the hyena...