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& Feeding Terms
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Husbandry & Frozen Reptile Food Suppliers who utilize humane euthanasia
procedures. These are simply links to some of the places online where frozen
food for your pet may be purchased online & shipped to you. These prices may
get steep for someone with just a few snakes. Fortunately, at many reptile shows
& sales around the country, there are often purveyors of food present, so it
may be more economical, feasible & practical to purchase a smaller quantity. Take along a
cooler and ice packs, so you can keep the food frozen on the way home. Food
which is frozen and thawed repeatedly loses nutritional value, and may lead to
other health issues with your pets. Many pet stores also carry frozen
food.
Personally, as our collection is sizeable,
we keep a few non-cornsnakes to give un-eaten food to when a snake does not
feed. These include Kingsnakes & Milksnakes, as they typically have
voracious appetites hence they're handy 'garbage disposals'.
Places that sell snake food online:
Rodent Pro
Mice Direct
There are many reasons a pet snake might not feed:
- The food is too cold or smells like something you have been handling.
Please wear gloves when handling food items. While there are no confirmed
cases of humans actually contracting any disease from frozen snake food,
it is still better to be on the safe side. The food needs to warm up to room
temperature. Then we place the food in an old pyrex bowl which has written
with permanent marker on it what the sole purpose of that bowl is
for...and wash it off a couple of times in cold water so the food is all
nice and fresh scented. Finally, when the food item is pliable, we give it a
soak in hot water. For a larger quantity, it may be necessary to change the
water and give it a second heating via water.
- It has just arrived. Newly acquired pets usually need a week to settle
down into their new habitat. Sometimes they take a little longer. They
might not feed if there are new and unfamiliar fragrances or vibrations or
lots of visible activity about. For these reasons, they need a place to
hide. After they become more familiar with their new surroundings, they will
begin to come out, usually in the evenings or mornings. When this behavior
is observed it is appropriate to feed them.
- It is "in the blue", that is, it is getting ready to shed its
skin. The shedding process usually takes about 9 days, sometimes more,
sometimes less. The snake's skin will typically darken a bit in color, its eyes will
turn blue, then clear up, and finally shed, revealing new layers or enhanced
color. It is normal for many snakes to look more drab and to blend into
forest backgrounds when they are smaller and more vulnerable.
- They are too cold. We keep our snakes at 78-83 degrees Fahrenheit.
- It is an adult male. It is not uncommon for adult males to stop feeding
for a couple of months sometime between late Spring and Autumn. They have
something else on their minds. And because they are males, they can perhaps shed a few
ounces without harming themselves, as they are not going to be producing eggs.
- It is an adult female, and the time of year is between late Spring and
Autumn. Some female snakes will produce a clutch of eggs even though they
have not been introduced to a suitor. These eggs will usually be
yellowish in color, not stick to each other, and get smelly in just a very
few days. It is best to remove them so mold does not grow and lead to other
problems. Unless you are feeling crafty,
it's probably best to dispose of them. Pregnant females often stop feeding
after a shad, before they lay. Generally, they do not resume feeding until
after a 'post-lay shed'. They will shed again fairly soon after laying their
eggs, and then should be offered a couple of rats of an appropriate size.
Rats contain more fat then mice or chicks, and are handy for the ocassional
treat, or for putting weight back on. Too many rats in their diet can lead
to an obese snake. This is not advisable.
- Someone has been using bleach, Lysol, or other heavy-duty-especially-for-a-snake
cleaners, aerosol air fresheners, or other dangerous chemicals (the bug man)
in close proximity to your pet. Personally, we use Ionized Water (no
chemicals) for as much of our household cleaning as possible, including
cleaning the vivariums. But the $330.00 price tag of the ActiveIon
sprayer may be a bit much for some people. Chlorahexadine: An alternative to
bleach for sterilizing enclosures, and does not create fumes like bleach
does, so it is safe to re-introduce your REPTILE pets to their enclosure
right away, thus speeding up cleaning time. Available from Reptile
Basics; click on "cleaning products". We do not
know if it is safe for Amphibians.