Snacks

Ok... a friend of mine whom has a corn snake suggests that I feed my BP snacks. He feeds his snacks like crickets and goldfish etc. I come here for all my snake answers cause I think you all really got it together on the pro's and con's on a lot of issues. So what's up with snacks?

Thats pretty rediculous. BPs are rodent eaters. We should consider ourselves lucky that they eat rats cause thats not even their natural food. Fish and crickets are a no no...snacks are a human concept.

I've never heard of any such thing. In any event, Balls are imprint feeders so I doubt if you could get them to eat anything other than their normal prey item even if you wanted to. Although I'm not sure why you would want to, they already eat much more than they would in nature.

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Originally Posted by Toasty

Ok... a friend of mine whom has a corn snake suggests that I feed my BP snacks. He feeds his snacks like crickets and goldfish etc. I come here for all my snake answers cause I think you all really got it together on the pro's and con's on a lot of issues. So what's up with snacks?

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Please have your freind come here to receive the correct info concerning ball pythons and the proper foods for them.I have never ever heard of a ball python eating goldfish.I bet he is pulling your leg or just straight up lieing to you.Not being rude here just being honest ;) .

I have a corn too and I can tell you that even corns are not supposed to eat crazy things like crickets or fish. That is ridiculous and unhealthy! I don't even think these snakes will eat things other than rodents, will they? Snakes do not "snack"...especially bp's. If you feed a bp too much you risk triggering a fast and future feeding problems. I healthy feeding schedule for a snake (corn or bp) is ONE appropriately sized RODENT ONCE a week. You friend is probably doing his/her snake more harm then good with this silly idea of snake snacks.

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Originally Posted by CritterLover

I have a corn too and I can tell you that even corns are not supposed to eat crazy things like crickets or fish. That is ridiculous and unhealthy! I don't even think these snakes will eat things other than rodents, will they? Snakes do not "snack"...especially bp's. If you feed a bp too much you risk triggering a fast and future feeding problems. I healthy feeding schedule for a snake (corn or bp) is ONE appropriately sized RODENT ONCE a week. You friend is probably doing his/her snake more harm then good with this silly idea of snake snacks.

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Funny this topic came up....I was at the vet yesterday and she said that my corn could eat worms, fish etc. She was very uninformed about caring for snakes (any, and all kinds) so, I will be going somewhere else in the future. I will need a physical and fecal for my new BP soon, and won't set foot in that place again.

ACK!! A vet told you WHAT?!?!! Please tell me they did not charge you for this gem of wisdom :rolleyes:. That is truly frightneing that a vet would advise this. My snakes, corn and bp, eat mice. That is it. No snacks. No worms. Just mice. And they both seem to doing quite well with this system. My hunch is that there are other snakes here that are on a similar diet and also doing quite well. :snake:

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Originally Posted by sidhe

Funny this topic came up....I was at the vet yesterday and she said that my corn could eat worms, fish etc. She was very uninformed about caring for snakes (any, and all kinds) so, I will be going somewhere else in the future. I will need a physical and fecal for my new BP soon, and won't set foot in that place again.

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Wow this is truly sad :( .I bet she feeds the birds cat food :rolleyes: .

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Originally Posted by sidhe

Funny this topic came up....I was at the vet yesterday and she said that my corn could eat worms, fish etc. She was very uninformed about caring for snakes (any, and all kinds) so, I will be going somewhere else in the future. I will need a physical and fecal for my new BP soon, and won't set foot in that place again.

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Don't give her too much grief. Was she a specialist in herps, or a dog/cat vet who agreed to see your snake? If she doesn't specialize in herps, I wouldn't expect her to know the husbandry and care for all species of snakes. That's why it's important to locate a qualifed herp vet. There are links to finding herp vets in the sticky FAQ in General Herps.

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Originally Posted by sidhe

Funny this topic came up....I was at the vet yesterday and she said that my corn could eat worms, fish etc. She was very uninformed about caring for snakes (any, and all kinds) so, I will be going somewhere else in the future. I will need a physical and fecal for my new BP soon, and won't set foot in that place again.

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I always say, find a reptile vet... not just a vet!

Snacks? Yeah, yet another classic example of how people apply human mannerisms and habits, emaotions etc to an animal that doesn't have them!

i know you can feed garter snakes goldfish and worms (at least that's what i i used to feed my catch and release garters)

Well thanks for the advice all! I will be stopping by my friends house later and maybe i'll feed him a goldfish :O :P

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Originally Posted by CritterLover

ACK!! A vet told you WHAT?!?!! Please tell me they did not charge you for this gem of wisdom :rolleyes:. That is truly frightneing that a vet would advise this. My snakes, corn and bp, eat mice. That is it. No snacks. No worms. Just mice. And they both seem to doing quite well with this system. My hunch is that there are other snakes here that are on a similar diet and also doing quite well. :snake:

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i heard the same thing - from a vet from michigan state university - and they have the best veterinary program in the country. i am sure they have an idea of what they are talking about

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Originally Posted by bchapman

i heard the same thing - from a vet from michigan state university - and they have the best veterinary program in the country. i am sure they have an idea of what they are talking about

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The day a ball python or a corn snake eat worms or fish i will apologize to these people.For now i think the need a dose of reality:rolleyes: .I thought pet store employees(most) where brain dead at times, now these wannabe vets are in Michigan are loosing it when it comes to reptiles :rolleye2: .

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Originally Posted by joepythons

The day a ball python or a corn snake eat worms or fish i will apologize to these people.For now i think the need a dose of reality:rolleyes: .I thought pet store employees(most) where brain dead at times, now these wannabe vets are in Michigan are loosing it when it comes to reptiles :rolleye2: .

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I agree 100%, it is rediculous... feeding crickets and fish or worms to bp's or corns.

Makes as much sense as feeding lettuce to lions!

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Originally Posted by bchapman

i heard the same thing - from a vet from michigan state university - and they have the best veterinary program in the country. i am sure they have an idea of what they are talking about

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Apparently they don't - not regarding ball pythons eating crickets and worms.

If feeding crickets and goldfish to BPs was true, I'd train my two to go out in the garden and eat the caterpillars and slugs that keep eating my sprouts and brocollis ROFL.


Mind you, I do have a resident Slow Worm that does a good job on the slugs:D

Jokes aside, feed your BP what he's supposed to eat - rodents - and no extra rodents inbetween feeds;) Overfeed and you could end up with a very fat snake, not very healthy for the snake.

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Originally Posted by Lady Python

If feeding crickets and goldfish to BPs was true, I'd train my two to go out in the garden and eat the caterpillars and slugs that keep eating my sprouts and brocollis ROFL.

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Now don't you have to admit, that would be AWEsome? :)