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CrazyHedgehog · 01-11-2007, 07:23 PM

Not a total expert but here goes...

Garter snakes need vitamin B to be generally healthy and digest food.

Thiamane seeks and destroys any trace of Vitamin B

So A snake fed on Thiamine rich fish not only get no Vitamin B from it, but any they had in their body is getting actively destroyed.

Whitebait, mackeral, goldfish all have thiamin...

Trout has no Thiamine.

Another source of B1 is gained from sunlight, but the weather in Britain is so un predictable that there is either not enough sun, or enough in 10 minutes to totally cook your snake..not good...

I think that mice are the best food source hands down, always had healthy snakes on just mice, but trout adds another food source that is readilly available and I am sure variety is the key!

Years ago, my first snake had a B1 deficiency fit, well several, a few injections and then the inclusion of suppliment powder, and a full recovery....but it was because I was feeding purely on whitebait..:-( that was what the store keeper had suggested at the time...
(OK, you lot, please correct anything if I have got that totally wrong)

01-11-2007, 07:23 PM	#77 (permalink)
CrazyHedgehog "Fourth shed, A Success" Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 823 Country:	Re: first shed... Not a total expert but here goes... Garter snakes need vitamin B to be generally healthy and digest food. Thiamane seeks and destroys any trace of Vitamin B So A snake fed on Thiamine rich fish not only get no Vitamin B from it, but any they had in their body is getting actively destroyed. Whitebait, mackeral, goldfish all have thiamin... Trout has no Thiamine. Another source of B1 is gained from sunlight, but the weather in Britain is so un predictable that there is either not enough sun, or enough in 10 minutes to totally cook your snake..not good... I think that mice are the best food source hands down, always had healthy snakes on just mice, but trout adds another food source that is readilly available and I am sure variety is the key! Years ago, my first snake had a B1 deficiency fit, well several, a few injections and then the inclusion of suppliment powder, and a full recovery....but it was because I was feeding purely on whitebait..:-( that was what the store keeper had suggested at the time... (OK, you lot, please correct anything if I have got that totally wrong)