Quote Originally Posted by mor View Post
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
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