Crickets for bp?

I know a guy with a very old male bp and he sometimes puts a few crickets in the cage between regular meals. He said this is beneficial to him because it stimulates him having a live prey item to hunt and provides extra protein in his diet. On all the care sheets iv read I never saw anything about crickets for bps. In fact, most of them say rodents are the 'only' acceptable food for them. But the old male I mentioned before was always very happy and healthy and has actually exceeded life expectancy. So I thought id seek out the experienced opinion of the forum members. Iv got my own baby bp, about 16 inches long. Do you think she would benefit from cricket treats?

I didn't even think they'd eat crickets....don't really know anything about the subject beyond my own unfamiliarity with it.

I can honestly say that ball pythons have no benefits from crickets. These snakes eat a rodent based diet and I have never heard of a ball python eating crickets. So, no, I do not think your snake would get any benefit from this theory whatsoever.

Alright, that's kinda what I expected to hear. Just curious tho, thanks anyways.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ballpythonluvr

I can honestly say that ball pythons have no benefits from crickets. These snakes eat a rodent based diet and I have never heard of a ball python eating crickets. So, no, I do not think your snake would get any benefit from this theory whatsoever.

---

Agreed 10,000% and not just because it's a super moderator opinion. :P

I've seen MANY people try to pass this off at pet stores Because crickets bring them in a better profit. (Most of the time) I overhead someone buying a 4 ft RTB being told to feed it 10-20 crickets EVERY OTHER day... that blew my mind. I pulled the person off to the side and corrected it. But the truth still stands. They. Should never eat crickets. It might make them.more active, but I just can't see it.

I know we're all have our own opinions and maybe someone who agrees will join in. But regardless, I'd stray clear myself.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by zeion97

Agreed 10,000% and not just because it's a super moderator opinion. :P

I've seen MANY people try to pass this off at pet stores Because crickets bring them in a better profit. (Most of the time) I overhead someone buying a 4 ft RTB being told to feed it 10-20 crickets EVERY OTHER day... that blew my mind. I pulled the person off to the side and corrected it. But the truth still stands. They. Should never eat crickets. It might make them.more active, but I just can't see it.

I know we're all have our own opinions and maybe someone who agrees will join in. But regardless, I'd stray clear myself.

---

yea more active because 1 it has bugs crawling on it and 2 because its hungry!

My BPs won't even look at rodents that are on the small size for the snakes size. I can't believe that they would even notice crickets.

Forget the crickets :colbert:.

Yeah it's hard enough to get them to eat rodents lol

My fist BP I owned came to me as a hatchling from a client who was told to feed him crickets instead of rodents by a chain store employee...

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using Tapatalk

I smell a Troll. I honestly thought there were no stupid questions but I stand corrected. Who would even consider feeding a cricket to a ball python. The ball python probably wouldn't even see it. Not to mention they are constrictors so how are they supposed to wrap a cricket.

Not to be rude but come on people...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rat160

I smell a Troll. I honestly thought there were no stupid questions but I stand corrected. Who would even consider feeding a cricket to a ball python. The ball python probably wouldn't even see it. Not to mention they are constrictors so how are they supposed to wrap a cricket.

Not to be rude but come on people...

---

Exactly, ball pythons see heat. I think the guy that told that to the OP was just messing with them lol

I too, find it hard to believe that a BP would eat them, but I guess it's not out of the realm of possibilities. Could just be a rarity or an extremely hungry BP. Even then I'm still doubtful.

I'm more interested in the "exceeded life expectancy". How old is the BP that 'eats' crickets in between regular meals?

1. I'd like to see a video of the BP eating crickets.

2. How old is the "exceeded life expectancy" BP that's "very old"?

It doesn't say that the guy fed it ONLY crickets, but that it fed it some inbetween. If this isn't a troll and the guy talking to the OP wasn't just trolling HIM, then perhaps the crickets escape and he thinks it's eating them.

Crickets as prey? Of course! They are the next best thing to raw ground sirloin and Corn blended together. Get on the band wagon!


Really though, I have heard of pet stores recommending stuff like this, but, we are all smart enough to research our animals husbandry and diet before we purchase right?
Sent from my T7575 using Board Express

Considering ball pythons can live for 40 years plus, just how old is the one that has "exceeded live expectancy" eating crickets ? 100 ?

Gale

Once again... the OP said "sometimes puts a few crickets in the cage between regular meals" not that the BP ate only crickets.

Plus, if you use 40 years as the regular life expectancy, then anything over 40 is "exceeding" it. So 45 years is "exceeding" the normal amount. No one said "over doubling the expectancy".

I'd still like to see that BP eating crickets.

Just tossed a cricket in one of my bp tubs. Snake laughed then gave me the finger:tears:

I would not be shocked by a pet store employee recommending this. I WOULD be shocked to see a ball python actually eat them, unless is was appallingly starved, and even then, I think it would be a stretch.

But let's just say some crazy snake actually DID eat crickets. Just because it will doesn't mean it should. You will eat french fries, but you shouldn't. Your snake should get all of its protein and other nutrients from the rodents you give it. There is just no reason to feed a snake crickets, whether it will eat them or not.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bagged1

Just tossed a cricket in one of my bp tubs. Snake laughed then gave me the finger:tears:

---

:snake::crix:

:rofl:

Crickets....no!
Try Chocolate Grasshoppers....lol....just kidding!!!!

I have a girl who hits anything you throw in the tub, so I figured I would try. I dropped a cricket in and she moved then she let out a huge fart and took a dump. Guess she told me what she thought of that.

Now I want to see a video of the snake with fingers.

heh heh...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by wolfy-hound

Now I want to see a video of the snake with fingers.

heh heh...

---

Show me a video of a bp that eats crickets and I'll post my video of one with fingers right after lol

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MrBig

I have a girl who hits anything you throw in the tub, so I figured I would try. I dropped a cricket in and she moved then she let out a huge fart and took a dump. Guess she told me what she thought of that.

---

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by wolfy-hound

Now I want to see a video of the snake with fingers.

heh heh...

---

Close enough? :D

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/863...cks-scientists

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Salamander

Close enough? :D

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/863...cks-scientists

---

Not quite, although bizarre. My theory on that based on the picture is some sort of feeding gone wrong with a snake with a prey item that mummified partially outside the snake(or the woman hitting it burst the belly, letting the leg of a recently eaten prey stick out, then she pickled it that way).

Still bizarre looking.

Next up, USGS will use that picture to prove that Burmese are evolving hands to open people's doors to get into their houses and eat them in their sleep... after stretching out beside them to make certain they're the right size, of course.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by wolfy-hound

Not quite, although bizarre. My theory on that based on the picture is some sort of feeding gone wrong with a snake with a prey item that mummified partially outside the snake(or the woman hitting it burst the belly, letting the leg of a recently eaten prey stick out, then she pickled it that way).

Still bizarre looking.

Next up, USGS will use that picture to prove that Burmese are evolving hands to open people's doors to get into their houses and eat them in their sleep... after stretching out beside them to make certain they're the right size, of course.

---

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

That photo is pretty old and I think it turned out to be a hoax.
I can't recall exactly what the hoax was but I do think it involved the snake swallowing something lizardy that 'fought back' after being swallowed.

I'll have to check it out and get back to you.

[my male Pastel likes to stretch completely out on my propped up legs....what's he really up to?]

:O

I laughed so hard while reading this entire thread, I about peed myself........