Starting my research

[DNACurtusK]

Consider the sources of your suggestions please OP.

Hey Joe....why the sarcasm man? Just because someone doesn't agree with your suggestion of feeding groundhogs doesn't mean you have to get your panties in a wad.

Here goes my opinion....

Rats are wonderful. I breed my own, and they are kept in nice roomy cleaned daily enclosures. And......when they produce for me, the offspring are just as good as free.

[SteveySingle]

Where/how are you starting your research?

Also, woodchucks (groundhogs) are suitable feeders. And they're free. Think outside the box.

..um, well I was starting my research on the internet. More specifically the "Blood Pythons" section of www.Ball-Pythons.net

Woodchucks, eh? Never thought of that, but I ain't got the time for groundhog hunting/trapping/or any other form of obtaining them for free-even if I did, I'd probably rather not feed wild animals to my pets-who knows what they've gotten into. Especially around here on the dirty ol' beach lol.

Thank you for the suggestion, though....


I'll probably stick to getting rats from a local breeder. Thanks to all who have given me useful information, keep it coming.

[JoeNapoli]

..um, well I was starting my research on the internet. More specifically the "Blood Pythons" section of www.Ball-Pythons.net Woodchucks, eh? Never thought of that, but I ain't got the time for groundhog hunting/trapping/or any other form of obtaining them for free-even if I did, I'd probably rather not feed wild animals to my pets-who knows what they've gotten into. Especially around here on the dirty ol' beach lol. Thank you for the suggestion, though.... I'll probably stick to getting rats from a local breeder. Thanks to all who have given me useful information, keep it coming.

best place for internet research = youtube

have a look see @ this Blood eating chicken legs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAFff4ryq3s

[aldebono]

The problem with chicken legs only, is it is not a whole prey consisting of organs.

When feeding mammals (I would imagine reptiles are similar) raw, the diet has to consist of portions of muscle, bone, and organ to get the proper nutrients.

Feeding whole chicks or chickens would be fine IMO. You could get them from a local person who is working with a flock of chickens (personal hobby). They need to get rid of extra roosters and many times are too small to bother cleaning for human consumption.

I also think that once bloods, like balls, when they get to a certain size, they do not need as large of a prey item. My 3000 gram adult females never get large rats, mostly small/medium and they stay well conditioned.

[KMG]

Ryan and Kara have an awesome website with tons of information on bloods. If you don't know them check out some of her past post of what they produce. They are insane! DNACurtusK has also produced some lookers. Check out Lava. http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ce-not-always-)

This is Ryan and Kara's site.
http://bloodpythons.com/cms/index.ph...ces/intro.html

[DNACurtusK]

Bloodpythons.com, and Curtusforum.org are both very good sites for information in their own rights in regards to this species. BE CAREFUL going off of YouTube videos. I HAVE seen a couple decent ones about this species, but I have also seen quite a few that made me cringe, lol. Best things to do are talk with experienced keepers of the species and gain as much knowledge straight from the source.

[JoeNapoli]

The problem with chicken legs only, is it is not a whole prey consisting of organs.

When feeding mammals (I would imagine reptiles are similar) raw, the diet has to consist of portions of muscle, bone, and organ to get the proper nutrients.

Feeding whole chicks or chickens would be fine IMO. You could get them from a local person who is working with a flock of chickens (personal hobby). They need to get rid of extra roosters and many times are too small to bother cleaning for human consumption.

I also think that once bloods, like balls, when they get to a certain size, they do not need as large of a prey item. My 3000 gram adult females never get large rats, mostly small/medium and they stay well conditioned.

I agree whole prey is best. Hair, bones, etc, have been going thru their digestive systems >100million years and adaptations have occurred that can't be reversed. (Now if Americans could only learn to keep the fiber intact with their meals maybe 2/3's of them wouldn't be overweight LOL). It is nonetheless, an interesting video. Few Bloods are tame enough so as to not bite the hand that feeds it while that very hand is feeding it.

And I agree with not needing large prey. I personally very much favor frequent, small feedings vs infrequent, large feedings. Ex: a 50gram feeder daily vs a 350gram weekly. The initial post I replied to read, in part, "... I don't want to have to feed guinea pigs or rabbits, due to their size, and price ..." and so my replies have been targeted to the "price" aspect, which both woodchucks and chicken thighs do in fact address.

However, the "size" aspect may be addressed as well. Small, infrequent meals conclude my daily handling sessions, and my Bloods are well on their way to becoming PR animals. I would not feel comfortable handling them with a large lump in their gut (which weekly feedings would cause), not sure they would be comfortable either, and it can't be conducive to digestion.

Weekly feedings are however more advantageous to large scale breeders, who have large "collections" (as they refer to them), don't have tameness as a high priority, and haven't allocated the time required for daily feedings.

[bwt501]

Joe, you oviously have a lot to learn about about snake physiology and thier evolution. daily feedings?
larger infrequent feeding is bad for a snakes digestion?
YOUTUBE is a good source for information?
Ive seen your youtube videos of your undersized snakes.

[OsirisRa32]

Joe...lack of fiber in the American diet has NEARLY NOTHING to do with most Americans being overweight...rather it is due to our lazy lifestyles coupled with increased fried and fatty foods and most foods being super over processed that make most Americans fat.

Meanwhile the rest of your above post makes me /facepalm....

[JoeNapoli]

Joe, you oviously have a lot to learn about about snake physiology and thier evolution. daily feedings?
larger infrequent feeding is bad for a snakes digestion?
YOUTUBE is a good source for information?
Ive seen your youtube videos of your undersized snakes.

oh yes i have so much to learn from u expert master

ur just pissed coz i didnt bid on ur garbage last month

hahahaha!