Fish Killer :-(

[GrapefruiTgirl]

On the subject of trout, I came across a recipe for garter snake food on the net, on an apparently otherwise sensible website. The guy claimed it worked perfectly for him,.
The basic idea was to blend the (fresh, raw, gutted, whole) trout in the blender, and then mix it with enough plain clear gelatine to set it, and then score the stuff and freeze it.
When it's time to feed, break off a piece on a score-line, thaw and serve.
Well, I tried it, with a whole trout (minus two filets for me and the roommate) and used 2 packets of gelatine according to the directions.
Snaky wasn't enthused. She won't even look at the horrid stuff, and frankly I don't blame her.

So, if it works for you, that's great -- a decent form of food for the winter, and thiaminase-free. But just incase you haven't tried the recipe if you've been wondering about it, that's my experience with it.

LOL, now I have a frozen tray of fish jello.. Ugh.. Well, 'something' that lives outdoors will surely like it

[adamanteus]

I'm guessing that would be Alan Francis' recipe? I haven't tried it myself (on my Garters I mean!) but the idea is really good....the beauty of throwing the whole thing in the blender is that you get to give skin and bone to your snakes, rather than just lean meat. When I get around to it I'll give it a try.

[GrapefruiTgirl]

Indeed -- it is a great idea, nutritionally.
Something else I should have mentioned -- have a STURDY blender, maybe of a 1/2 horsepower atleast because a raw fish is TOUGH to blend. I could smell my blender burning up by the time I was done. It took a while, and isn't as easy as it sounds! Maybe chop the thing up small first...

[enigma200316]

you'd better watch out or your gonna be in trouble...............

[ssssnakeluvr]

that is Alan Francis's recipe, very good.... I just buy fresh trout, cut it into pieces and freeze it....thaw out what I need for feeding.

[adamanteus]

That's exactly what I do, Don.

[RZL36]

Though these garters are babies, would anyone consider them ready for rodents yet?

All that fish fillet preparing sounds like too much work. Aren't rodents the best food for garters anyway?


Are they big enough to take down a whole pinkie? If not, try scented (with whatever you are feeding them now) mouse tails.

IMO, that blender stuff sounds like it smells terrible. Nej tack.

RD

[GrapefruiTgirl]

Actually, the blender stuff doesn't smell at all, suprising enough.

And yes, mice are nutritionally complete, and are a healthy full-time diet for snakies.
As to whether snakies are big enough to eat pinkies yet, you'll hafta find out as time goes on, but I am suprised at what size an object mine can eat. Their jaws are separated, and held together by ligaments, and their bodies are really stretchy, so WITHIN REASON they can eat relatively large things. Before I learned about parasites, I put a frog in her tank. Eventually the frog hopped around a bit, and she nabbed it right out of the air and ate it! It took her a few minutes to get it down, but she apparently enjoyed it.

[RZL36]

I couldn't agree more grapefruitgirl. However, if you are from Nova Scotia, you probably can't smell fish anymore (j/k). In my opinion I would get them on rodents. Scented mouse tails or pinky bits are great for baby snakes.

[mikm]

Lori, One of my adult Pugets that is not too crazy about f/t pinks, recently chowed down on chunks of canned salmon. It was my very first attempt offering canned salmon so perhaps beginners luck

Best of Luck,