Feeding Chondros Birds?

This may seem like a silly question, but I will admit my ignorance regarding GTPs. They're not really my cup of tea, they're my boyfriend's little side project. This question is more for his benefit.

Does anyone feed their chondros F/T or live birds? Ever heard of anyone doing it? Is it ok, or one of those kind of taboo subjects? If not, what kind of birds?

Thanks :)

I know there are videos of people doing it floating around on the net, but everything I've read indicates that it's a terrible idea. It puts your GTP in unnecessary danger, wont be as nutritious as mice and will be much more expensive.

I've only ever seen anyone recommend it if your chondro absolutely refuses to feed on anything else to the point of weight loss.. Even then, only farm raised chicks which are raised for this purpose. This usually only happens if it's a wild import. Considering that most are captive bred these days, I see no need for it.

Gotcha. Thanks, guys! :)

as in chicks, are a good variety imho and not dangerous. Larger birds that could be a danger, I see no need for. The only cases I've seen them fed were by people just doing it to make and broadcast a "let's see what the snake can eat".. video.
I see nothing wrong with variety?
And talking morelia in my case, but have thought about doing it in the spring for my JCP girl that's a pain about thinking rats are as edible as DIRT and only taking mice when she needs something much larger than the biggest mouse.

I've read they can get stuck on birds (can't find the thread though). I've also read that the deifications after they eat chicks is very smelly and can be runny. Not worth the hassle imo.

Feeding chicks or quail makes snake poop STINK to high heaven. I dont know if anyone else has noticed a smell increase. But I would never do avian prey, unless totally necessary for the snakes health. IMO

I could very well be wrong but something I read gave me the impression that birds aren't really a large portion of their diet in the wild.

Wouldn't lizards and other tree dwelling things be more a part of their diet? Don't laugh if I'm wrong because I know nothing about these guys. I know eyelash vipers eat lizards. I saw a special on tv where they filmed them eating during the day for the first time ever to prove they are not nocturnal and every single one grabbed lizards running up the trees towards them.

What DO chondros eat in the wild?

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Contrary to popular belief, Chondros rarely prey on birds. Switak’s examination of the stomach contents of 1,000 animals suggests a wild diet of small mammals, such as rodents and sometimes reptiles. This explains their habit of descending to hunt. Prey is captured by holding onto a branch using the prehensile tail and striking out from an s-shape position. Their explosive speed and agility when striking is nothing short of awesome.

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That is what I read. From here.

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Originally Posted by Dabonus

It puts your GTP in unnecessary danger

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Agree

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Originally Posted by Dabonus

wont be as nutritious as mice

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Disagree

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Originally Posted by Dabonus

and will be much more expensive.

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Depends on the birds.

Really the only affordable feeder bird for the most part are f/t chicks (as in chickens). Birds are highly nutritious feeders, and in I wish that more species were available in more sizes. Many morelia species prey on birds, though some more than others. I'm not an expert on GTP prey items.

I've seen the videos of feeding live birds (usually finches) to GTPs. These are vids of someone getting a kick out of seeing an animal die, and to a lesser degree, the hunting capabilities of a tree-dwelling snake. IMO it's a bad idea, and too many of those people are just getting a sick thrill from seeing death and suffering. Also it has the potential to injure your snake. Especially living in a walled-in enclosure, getting GTPs to strike at flying birds can be dangerous, particularly from the snake colliding its head with the cage. Birds can be quite capable of defending themselves as well, and beaks can make for surprisingly bad eye injuries.

If you want to feed your snake a bird diet, or want to try birds because of a feeding strike, go for it. Just give F/T or pre-killed a shot first.

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Originally Posted by Foschi Exotic Serpents

Wouldn't lizards and other tree dwelling things be more a part of their diet? Don't laugh if I'm wrong because I know nothing about these guys. I know eyelash vipers eat lizards. I saw a special on tv where they filmed them eating during the day for the first time ever to prove they are not nocturnal and every single one grabbed lizards running up the trees towards them.

What DO chondros eat in the wild?

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From my understanding, in the wild they eat birds and mammals. I would imagine that they eat more birds than mammals though, since they hunt from branches.

The one guy had it right. Though they can and will eat birds in the wild, their diet still is mainly rodents. but you can feed them either one just F/T is still the best way to go. Personally I would feed them rodents.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morelia_viridis