Alrock
24-May-12, 13:40
Hungry Garter snake... Waiting to get some pinkies... Quick bit of Googling & I found this very helpful tip on http://www.gartersnake.co.uk/maintenance.htm
Cat food
For the last few years I have increasingly used commercial cat food for most of my adult and sub-adult snakes. This appears to have been successful, and most of the snakes have taken readily to it, and have appeared healthy and have bred successfully. I was given this 'tip' by a garter snake enthusiast in Liverpool who has used the food for years. It is worth experimenthing with different brands of food, and the fishier varieties tend to be better tolerated. My present food is Whiskas 'Oh so fishy' which is available from Tescos. In the past I found Asda's 'Tiger seafood selection' better, and to have a higher fish content, but I have no local source for that. For smaller snakes the cat food can be cut into smaller pieces, but I find that most babies do not take readily to it. I therefore feed smaller snakes on strips of my home made food, and during their second year find that most will readily switch to cat food. The main advantage of the cat food is that it is less expensive both financially, but more importantly in terms of time and effort spent making my home made food.
Gave her some Whiskas "Oh so Fishy" (Salmon) & as soon as I put it in her viv she made a beeline straight for it & started gobbling it up straight away.
Cat food
For the last few years I have increasingly used commercial cat food for most of my adult and sub-adult snakes. This appears to have been successful, and most of the snakes have taken readily to it, and have appeared healthy and have bred successfully. I was given this 'tip' by a garter snake enthusiast in Liverpool who has used the food for years. It is worth experimenthing with different brands of food, and the fishier varieties tend to be better tolerated. My present food is Whiskas 'Oh so fishy' which is available from Tescos. In the past I found Asda's 'Tiger seafood selection' better, and to have a higher fish content, but I have no local source for that. For smaller snakes the cat food can be cut into smaller pieces, but I find that most babies do not take readily to it. I therefore feed smaller snakes on strips of my home made food, and during their second year find that most will readily switch to cat food. The main advantage of the cat food is that it is less expensive both financially, but more importantly in terms of time and effort spent making my home made food.
Gave her some Whiskas "Oh so Fishy" (Salmon) & as soon as I put it in her viv she made a beeline straight for it & started gobbling it up straight away.