Dwarf hamsters for BP ?

I have a new BP which is around 7 months old. And just would like to know if its ok to feed it with dwarf hamsters? I have a petshop local to me which sells dwarf hamsters for a nice price to me. He eats em very well once a week.
Thanks

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Originally Posted by djann

I have a new BP which is around 7 months old. And just would like to know if its ok to feed it with dwarf hamsters? I have a petshop local to me which sells dwarf hamsters for a nice price to me. He eats em very well once a week.
Thanks

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Why would you feed that over rats ?

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Originally Posted by KingPythons

Why would you feed that over rats ?

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Because there is not a petshop around which sells rats/mice, since feeding snakes around here not really common. Only one place sells em online as far as i know which is in another city and a bit pricey with the shipment.

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Originally Posted by KingPythons

Why would you feed that over rats ?

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I concur with this statement. Hamsters are really not a good prey item for your snake because the snake has most likely imprinted on hamsters now. I would never feed my snakes hamsters over rats or mice. Hamsters have very sharp teeth and can do some serious damage to your snake. You are lucky if you can even get your snake to take rats or mice now.

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Originally Posted by djann

Because there is not a petshop around which sells rats/mice, since feeding snakes around here not really common. Only one place sells em online as far as i know which is in another city and a bit pricey with the shipment.

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Your ball python might just stay stuck on hamsters now. I don't know if they are anymore fatty and if there's benefits to feeding hamsters.

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Originally Posted by djann

Because there is not a petshop around which sells rats/mice, since feeding snakes around here not really common. Only one place sells em online as far as i know which is in another city and a bit pricey with the shipment.

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Where are you located? You should be able to find rats and mice somewhere. Yes, the shipping can be expensive for purchasing rats and mice but I would rather have my snake eat these items versus being bitten by a hamster.

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Originally Posted by ballpythonluvr

I concur with this statement. Hamsters are really not a good prey item for your snake because the snake has most likely imprinted on hamsters now. I would never feed my snakes hamsters over rats or mice. Hamsters have very sharp teeth and can do some serious damage to your snake. You are lucky if you can even get your snake to take rats or mice now.

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Well, it is ok for her to be imprinted on hamsters because i can find em everywhere around and dwarf hamsters doesnt seem really agressive to me, she just strikes in the second i put the feeder into her cage. But i am wondering if feeding hamsters may lead to a health issue for my Bp in the future.

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Originally Posted by djann

Well, it is ok for her to be imprinted on hamsters because i can find em everywhere around and dwarf hamsters doesnt seem really agressive to me, she just strikes in the second i put the feeder into her cage. But i am wondering if feeding hamsters may lead to a health issue for my Bp in the future.

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I don't have direct experience with it, so I can only share anecdotal information. I've read in past discussions here, that even f/t or pre-killed - hamsters have longer teeth that can often cause internal damage while being ingested. The folks that reported it said that they had witnessed the damage first hand.

Again - I don't have direct experience with it, but you asked if there was any health issue, and this was what I remember from a similar discussion.

I would imagine though, that dwarf hamsters wouldn't be much more than a bite sized snack for an adult ball python. Do you have a back-up plan?

Where are you located?

I ve fed her the 3rd one yesterday since i got her. She just looks feeding very healthy and regular.. I'm located in Turkey / Istanbul

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roborovski_hamster
These guys they are

Well, it is difficult to tell someone in another country not to feed something to their snake if that is the only food item they have available for it.

I do agree that you may need to find something else to supplement it with though. What does everyone else feed their snakes in your country?

Can you find a pet store that sells regular rats and get a pair to breed your own?

Other snake feeders also feed their snakes with hamsters most commonly in my area (%90) and some choose to buy mice online which is pricey.. I would breed mice/rats but since i am not living alone and ppl i live with is not lookin good to that idea. and i have only 1 BP which makes the breeding idea unnecessary

In that case, I can't really tell you not to do it since you seem to have no other choice.

In America we prefer to feed regular Norway rats or mice because ball pythons can be picky eaters. If someone from here wants to feed hamsters we tell them no, it is not a good idea because their snake can become stuck on them and never want to go back to rats or mice.

Your case is a little different though. If you have no choice and that is what 90% of snake owners feed in your country, then I guess that's what you have to do until you are in a better living situation and can feed something else if you want.

That's quite interesting lol.

Have you tried asking your pet store's manager if they'd be willing to stock frozen mice/rats? Depending on the demand, they could probably do it quite easily since they'd get at wholesale.

I dunnno man. Even with one bp and u feed it once a week (depending on prices) can still run ya 30-40 bucks in feeder mice or rats a month. I only have 3 snakes and i breed my own mice. I chose mice over rats becouse i kinda turned it into a side project and i can have alot more mice more quickly and all sizes. u might want to buy a 10 gal tank and throw a few females and a male mouse in there and try it. it def cuts down on cost.

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Originally Posted by Salodin

That's quite interesting lol.

Have you tried asking your pet store's manager if they'd be willing to stock frozen mice/rats? Depending on the demand, they could probably do it quite easily since they'd get at wholesale.

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Hehe thats only a little shop that sells few fish few equipments and some hamsters for living run by only one man and there is no source for him to get frozen mice/rats in this whole city also. Though i asked him yesterday while im getting my feeder and he said he will check it out but i dont think that he will do that only for me. When i told him these hamsters for my python he said WoooowW you feed a python at your home? Well you get the rest of the story.. People do not really feed snakes around here (generally in country) so i do not think any petshops will do that favor only for me :)

The problem is they breed far too quickly for one snake to keep in check. Then he's eventually left with a lot of mice, of mostly the wrong sizes, with nothing else to use them on.

That, plus he lives with other people and they don't want to put up with a mouse colony in their home.

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Originally Posted by Bill T

I dunnno man. Even with one bp and u feed it once a week (depending on prices) can still run ya 30-40 bucks in feeder mice or rats a month. I only have 3 snakes and i breed my own mice. I chose mice over rats becouse i kinda turned it into a side project and i can have alot more mice more quickly and all sizes. u might want to buy a 10 gal tank and throw a few females and a male mouse in there and try it. it def cuts down on cost.

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I'm sure that could work out for me but as i said people are not looking good to that idea =/
Just wanna know if feeding dwarf hamsters would lead to a health issue in the future.For ex. they are much more furry than a rat/mice, that would be a problem for snakes internal stuff in long-term? If not im ok with hamsters, they cost like 2 $ each :)

They don't have gerbals. that seems like it would be better for the ball

I can understand your frustration at not being able to obtain rats at a reasonable price. I've lived overseas and can remember "do the best you can" all too well. In particular, having a dog in a country with no vets at the time.

Is there any possibility that you can obtain a few rats, even though they are relatively expensive? Rats aren't that tough to breed and feed, even if you can't provide them optimal (AKA commercial) feed. We had a whole barn full of them and they ate what they scrounged. If you can get a few rats and set up a colony then you're set to feed your snakes what they would do better on and possibly even sell a few to recoup your expenses.

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Originally Posted by djann

I'm sure that could work out for me but as i said people are not looking good to that idea =/
Just wanna know if feeding dwarf hamsters would lead to a health issue in the future.For ex. they are much more furry than a rat/mice, that would be a problem for snakes internal stuff in long-term? If not im ok with hamsters, they cost like 2 $ each :)

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That's what I was going to bring up. Hamsters in general, especially the dwarf varieties, have a very thick plush coat compared to rats and mice. Perhaps if you can't get mice or rats, are there any species of gerbils, that might be more available due to location? They are likely to be more meaty and less fur and bones. Other than that, there isn't much you can do but to feed robos. At least robos have tiny tiny teeth (and I've rarely been bit by them... when I do, they never seem to be able to break the skin).

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Originally Posted by Anatopism

That's what I was going to bring up. Hamsters in general, especially the dwarf varieties, have a very thick plush coat compared to rats and mice. Perhaps if you can't get mice or rats, are there any species of gerbils, that might be more available due to location? They are likely to be more meaty and less fur and bones. Other than that, there isn't much you can do but to feed robos. At least robos have tiny tiny teeth (and I've rarely been bit by them... when I do, they never seem to be able to break the skin).

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Gerbils do live in deserts as far as i know and we dont have a desert here infact im in the Europe part of Turkey so hamsters as pets and feeders is the most common around here. I will order 10-15 live pinky mice over internet from another city and freeze em up that will be less pricey for me, looks like i dont have any other choice if you guys are telling me feeding hamsters would lead to health issues in the future.

This is just a thought, but have you approached your local petstore owner and asked him if he would be willing to carry rats if he had a reliable customer for them?

Some will work with you if they know that they can count on a steady customer to buy stuff that they wouldn't otherwise carry.

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Originally Posted by djann

Gerbils do live in deserts as far as i know and we dont have a desert here infact im in the Europe part of Turkey so hamsters as pets and feeders is the most common around here. I will order 10-15 live pinky mice over internet from another city and freeze em up that will be less pricey for me, looks like i dont have any other choice if you guys are telling me feeding hamsters would lead to health issues in the future.

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I don't think robos specifically would cause health problems, it's more that when full grown they only weigh around 18 grams, whereas an adult ball python is going to be needing a meal between 150 and 250 grams or more, depending on the snake. that $2 a hamster is going to add up really really fast.

Ask the stores manager if they could order frozen rats/mice for you if you kept going to them for business. Also ask him if he'd be willing to post signs, etc, showing that they are for sell. That might bring in more business from the snake owners who want a better food for their snakes.