Do NOT feed Goldfish. A Must read for fish-eating snake keepers!

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Originally Posted by mor

I am a bit confused to tell you frankly
so searching on and on...my question is:

Is it safe to give my corn snake > Guppies (fish) for the long run ?
Can you or any one let me know?
Would appreciate a direct feedback with an educated and studied answer..
thx

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I found this page useful:
http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?is...03325X&page=64
(it says for fox and mink diets, but essentially, this can be used for snakes as well)
I would stick to a mice diet. It's much healthier for a corn, and it's thier natural diet, unlike a diet based on fish. Your snake cannot grow and live it's healthiest life if you feed it fish most times than mice. Please, for your snake's sake, stick to mice.
BUT if you HAVE to feed it fish, the link above is very informative.

The first list on that page, "Alewife-Whitefish" lists fish known to contain Thiaminase. Fathead minnows(Rosy reds) and Carp(Goldfish) are on the first list (what you would typically get as "feeders" at a pet store).
The second list "Ayu-Yellowtail" are those without thiaminase. This includes Trout (wild caught or farm-raised) which is easily found at your grocery store for cheap. Guppies and Gambusa (Mosquito fish) are not on either lists, but I believe neither contains Thaiaminase. (I couldn't prove one way or the other definitaively, until there is CONCRETE information on whether or not Guppies contain Thiamanese I would just use them on occasion to feed you snake, to be on the safe side.)
If you like to go fishing in streams or creeks, chubs make great snake feeders (make sure they are on smaller size though) If you fish in lakes or ponds, crappies and bass are also great to feed snakes Just make sure the water they are from isn't polluted or smell bad. (why is the smell important? because the smellier the water, the more likely it is for the caught fish to have not only parasites but higher mercury/chemical levels as well)
If you must use fish, use non-thiaminase containing fish like trout (and maybe guppies, bass, crappie, and gambusa). Don't feed goldfish or rosy reds to you snakes if possible, if you have to make sure they are not frozen or dead. Give your snakes feeding breaks with access to vitamin B1 laced water. I have heard of people using Reptosol as a vitamin supplement
Hope that page helps you. Good luck with your herp :)

you can also buy a male and female mouse and breed them. Storing a variety of sizes and even feeding live food to your corn instead.
meant to post this in my last post.... sorry. lol.
THAT is much simplier to do. believe it or not.

My dad is comeing home with some minnows three ik some pll say they r ok but idk plz tell me and plz do pics like u did with the guppies plz thx :)

Thank you for the great info!

THANK YOU so much for this. We sell garters at work and I've been telling anyone who buys them that rosy reds and gold fish are not safe. But I didn't know about the others, or that they should eat twice a week. This has not only helped me, but the people who have or will get a garter in the future.

My snake just gave birth and she wasn't eating.
I fed her one goldfish, although she loved it and I will not continue feeding it goldfish, will she be okay if she's just had one and I feed her other food to clear out her system?

Most of your links are out of date.

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Originally Posted by Spicey

Most of your links are out of date.

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That's because this thread is 11 years old:D

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Originally Posted by Toad37

That's because this thread is 11 years old:D

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Ya think? :rofl: