Can you feed a ball python degus?

[jason79]

People like you give good snake owners bad rep. No reason to do this at all, what if it has a disease and your BP dies??? All because you were to damn cheap to buy a $4 rat this week. Do whatever you make me sick...

Im pretty sure that there are no diseases that can transfer from a rodent to a reptile except for internal parasites. And how would you know if the rats you feed have them or not? I also would not recommend doing it in case your BP decided it only wanted to eat those that would be an expensive mistake but its you choice its your snake.

[Vypyrz]

Such hostility on a Friday afternoon. All he did was ask a question and for opinions on feeding something out of the ordinary...

[steveboos]

Dont immediately knock the guy down, honestly i thought about the same thing cause the size is perfect for a 2500 gram female. I then thought about the whole list of cons and decided against it, but they are basically a guinea pig/gerbil mix and they bite HARD. It would just do more bad than good.

[Kaorte]

People like you give good snake owners bad rep. No reason to do this at all, what if it has a disease and your BP dies??? All because you were to damn cheap to buy a $4 rat this week. Do whatever you make me sick...

That was a big uncalled for. He asked a question, and he accepted the answer.

It is not people like him that give the reptile community a bad reputation. It is irresponsible owners that don't do their research that give the community a bad name.

[bman123]

Call it how you want to kaorte. Snake owners get bad rep from getting pets off craigslist and feeding them to snakes. I dont like the idea of it at all I am sure they would mess a BP up if it got a bite in.

[bman123]

Sorry for blowing up but I dont think people should look on craigslist for free food. It may have disease, could be someones pet or it could hurt your snake. Also if it refuses to eat rats again then what?

I'm not trying to be a ass and I'm sure I came across that way, but there are too many what if's here. I dont think it is worth it to save on food cost because it may backfire in his/her face

[ElwoodG]

Wow i didn't expect this to turn into a heated thing lol. i really was only asking the question more hypothetically and theoretically than seriously. my brother used to keep them as pets and he was getting atleast one litter a month, and they were pretty large litters so lots of babys. i was more just curious if it was possible and if it was safe, because there could be something bout the degu's body content that is bad for a bp. i know that if my bp liked them it would possible be hard to switch her back if at all. but like i said it was more a question out of curiousity and in theory than im gonna do it if i get the green light. yes im newer to the ball python part of the herp hobby but im not stupid. i don't get a "genius" idea in my head and go do it. i take my time to do my research and study, weigh pros and cons and decide whats best first for my snake then for me. i love my girl and i want to see her reach her full potential in every way and hopefully have her for 30+ years. so yes maybe some of the questions i ask may be stupid, but i've always had a problem with curiosity killed the cat. i like to think of every possible scenerio on things and research them all ask questions and get opinions. no matter how dumb sounding or even if i never plan to do it. i just like to know things and know the answers to these things, no matter how random or legit a thought or question is. thanks again for the help everyone, you've been a lot of help to me since i joined the bp.net community. i look forward to expanding my knowledge and learning more from everyone and their experiences. hope y'all have a great weekend.

[dembonez]

Dont immediately knock the guy down, honestly i thought about the same thing cause the size is perfect for a 2500 gram female. I then thought about the whole list of cons and decided against it, but they are basically a guinea pig/gerbil mix and they bite HARD. It would just do more bad than good.

i have 2 guinea pigs!!

[bman123]

Once again sorry for the attitude. I just dont want to hear of someones BP getting the crap bit out of it or the owner not being able to get the snake to eat rats again.

I should of said if it aint broke dont fix it. I like to keep a routine with my animals and a different food type could be a big headache.

Sorry kaorte also. In my area people are getting puppies, kittens or whatever else that is free off craigslist and using it for snake food. I just dont want a pet to be fed to a snake.

ElwoodG I am sorry too. I feel bad now as I should for all this.

[Raptor]

Sorry kaorte also. In my area people are getting puppies, kittens or whatever else that is free off craigslist and using it for snake food. I just dont want a pet to be fed to a snake.

When you sell/give away an animal, unless the receiving person signs a legally binding contract, you lose all rights to the animal. It sounds harsh, but it's the truth. When you sell/give away an animal, it's part of reality that it could wind up dead or it could have a great home. That's why it's the sellers responsibility to be thorough. Ask questions, even go to the future home. In the end, if you sell your baby rabbit to the first person who comes along, you really can't whine or complain if they use them for snake food.