You CAN teach an old snake new tricks!

anji1971 · 10-20-2007, 06:40 AM

Deejay tried something new!
Last night, while out grocery shopping, I came across some salmon fillets that were reduced half-price, as the best before date was today. I remembered reading in some posts that people feed their garters trout strips, and some had also mentioned salmon.
Now, when Deejay was first born, I fed her little earthworms for the first few weeks, and then took the pet store's advice and tried live fish- guppies, and rosies. Well, she wanted nothing to do with 'em! And I just ended up with a bowl full of pet fish I hadn't wanted in the first place!

Then I tried frozen ones, and I even broke down and tried pinky parts. Again, no luck! So then I gave up and went back to earthworms, which she had been happily munching on ever since!
So when I saw the salmon I thought, 'Yea right, that'll go over well!'
But something made me decide to buy it (what the heck, I won't go broke for $1.50!)

Well what do you know?? the little turkey LOVED it!!!! She took a few seconds to taste it a bit and then- YUMMMM!!!
I'm absolutely thrilled! I don't have to save buckets of nightcrawlers in the basement all winter, and this stuff is super-cheap- even my husband will approve!!!

I ended up with 30-40 little strips, so it should last at least a month at a time. Go Deejay!!!

enigma200316 · 10-20-2007, 06:51 AM

glad to hear it and good luck with that, I also think a Repti. Vit. should be used every so often.....but every one else will let you know for sure.....

drache · 10-20-2007, 07:27 AM

congrats
that must be a relief
I've never tried to feed salmon, but my vet recommended it because he feels its nutritionally superior to trout
after your experience, I'm feeling more motivated to freeze some for them

mikm · 10-20-2007, 07:30 AM

Hey Anji ... You can also try canned Salmon. It is a HUGE hit here at my house so much so that I keep a few cans stacked right along with the dog & cat food.

Best,

Lori P · 10-20-2007, 07:55 AM

Well way to go Anji! I need to try that too. I keep forgetting everytime I'm at the grocery store to pick up trout or salmon. Mordecai just ate one pinky and two large guppies... he is HUGE... lol

It was also my first time taking him out of their tank and putting him into a seperate container to eat, and it went great-- I thought the process would scare him, but after he explored for a minute he went right to the food and snarfed it all down!

adamanteus · 10-20-2007, 12:46 PM

That's great news, Anji.

anji1971 · 10-20-2007, 04:17 PM

[quote=mikm;30126]Hey Anji ... You can also try canned Salmon. It is a HUGE hit here at my house so much so that I keep a few cans stacked right along with the dog & cat food.

I wondered about that! How do you feed it to them? Doesn't canned salmon just flake all apart, or can you cut it into chunks or strips? I don't think Deejay has the patience to pick up a zillion little flakes!!!

mikm · 10-20-2007, 04:28 PM

It looks kind of like tuna actually ... To me it has a slightly salty smell so I was surprised when they went crazy for it. Yes, some of it flakes but you get more chunks then tuna. Most of it it stays together in clumps and I do break some of the chunks into smaller ones. I mix up some f/t pinks in to add a side of mouse meat, lol

Best,

anji1971 · 10-20-2007, 04:32 PM

I'll have to give it a try sometime! Don't know if I'll try pinks again, it was pretty hard on me the first time- too many reminders of little mousey pets of the past!!!!

Lori P · 10-20-2007, 04:35 PM

I got to the store today and was going to buy canned salmon, but it all has salt added to it. Not so sure how good that is for the snakes? I guess as an occasional treat it's ok... I ended up buying a piece of salmon and choppng it up, but so far no takers. Miriam has glided over it a couple of times but hasn't seemed to realize it's food. Mordecai is still holding his huge belly from this morning and groaning. LOL

10-20-2007, 06:40 AM	#1 (permalink)
anji1971 Finder of unique Garters Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Windsor, Ontario Posts: 2,294 Country:	You CAN teach an old snake new tricks! Deejay tried something new! Last night, while out grocery shopping, I came across some salmon fillets that were reduced half-price, as the best before date was today. I remembered reading in some posts that people feed their garters trout strips, and some had also mentioned salmon. Now, when Deejay was first born, I fed her little earthworms for the first few weeks, and then took the pet store's advice and tried live fish- guppies, and rosies. Well, she wanted nothing to do with 'em! And I just ended up with a bowl full of pet fish I hadn't wanted in the first place! Then I tried frozen ones, and I even broke down and tried pinky parts. Again, no luck! So then I gave up and went back to earthworms, which she had been happily munching on ever since! So when I saw the salmon I thought, 'Yea right, that'll go over well!' But something made me decide to buy it (what the heck, I won't go broke for $1.50!) Well what do you know?? the little turkey LOVED it!!!! She took a few seconds to taste it a bit and then- YUMMMM!!! I'm absolutely thrilled! I don't have to save buckets of nightcrawlers in the basement all winter, and this stuff is super-cheap- even my husband will approve!!! I ended up with 30-40 little strips, so it should last at least a month at a time. Go Deejay!!! __________________ Anji

10-20-2007, 06:51 AM	#2 (permalink)
enigma200316 Basilisk (The King of all Serpents) Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: northwestern, PA Posts: 1,886 Country:	Re: You CAN teach an old snake new tricks! glad to hear it and good luck with that, I also think a Repti. Vit. should be used every so often.....but every one else will let you know for sure..... __________________ Justin 1.1 similis 0.0.1 parietalis 1.0 sirtalis

10-20-2007, 07:27 AM	#3 (permalink)
drache Ophiuchus rhea Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Brooklyn, New York Posts: 3,999 Country:	Re: You CAN teach an old snake new tricks! congrats that must be a relief I've never tried to feed salmon, but my vet recommended it because he feels its nutritionally superior to trout after your experience, I'm feeling more motivated to freeze some for them __________________ rhea

10-20-2007, 07:30 AM	#4 (permalink)
mikm Subadult snake Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: New Jersey Posts: 355 Country:	Re: You CAN teach an old snake new tricks! Hey Anji ... You can also try canned Salmon. It is a HUGE hit here at my house so much so that I keep a few cans stacked right along with the dog & cat food. Best, __________________ marian

10-20-2007, 07:55 AM	#5 (permalink)
Lori P The Purple Snake Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: VA Posts: 2,485 Country:	Re: You CAN teach an old snake new tricks! Well way to go Anji! I need to try that too. I keep forgetting everytime I'm at the grocery store to pick up trout or salmon. Mordecai just ate one pinky and two large guppies... he is HUGE... lol It was also my first time taking him out of their tank and putting him into a seperate container to eat, and it went great-- I thought the process would scare him, but after he explored for a minute he went right to the food and snarfed it all down! __________________ Lori, New Hope Rescue-- rescuing equines and others www.newhoperescueva.com

10-20-2007, 12:46 PM	#6 (permalink)
adamanteus Moderator Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Cheshire. (Near Manchester). Posts: 8,010 Country:	Re: You CAN teach an old snake new tricks! That's great news, Anji. __________________ James.

10-20-2007, 04:17 PM	#7 (permalink)
anji1971 Finder of unique Garters Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Windsor, Ontario Posts: 2,294 Country:	Re: You CAN teach an old snake new tricks! [quote=mikm;30126]Hey Anji ... You can also try canned Salmon. It is a HUGE hit here at my house so much so that I keep a few cans stacked right along with the dog & cat food. I wondered about that! How do you feed it to them? Doesn't canned salmon just flake all apart, or can you cut it into chunks or strips? I don't think Deejay has the patience to pick up a zillion little flakes!!! __________________ Anji

10-20-2007, 04:28 PM	#8 (permalink)
mikm Subadult snake Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: New Jersey Posts: 355 Country:	Re: You CAN teach an old snake new tricks! It looks kind of like tuna actually ... To me it has a slightly salty smell so I was surprised when they went crazy for it. Yes, some of it flakes but you get more chunks then tuna. Most of it it stays together in clumps and I do break some of the chunks into smaller ones. I mix up some f/t pinks in to add a side of mouse meat, lol Best, __________________ marian

10-20-2007, 04:32 PM	#9 (permalink)
anji1971 Finder of unique Garters Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Windsor, Ontario Posts: 2,294 Country:	Re: You CAN teach an old snake new tricks! I'll have to give it a try sometime! Don't know if I'll try pinks again, it was pretty hard on me the first time- too many reminders of little mousey pets of the past!!!! __________________ Anji

10-20-2007, 04:35 PM	#10 (permalink)
Lori P The Purple Snake Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: VA Posts: 2,485 Country:	Re: You CAN teach an old snake new tricks! I got to the store today and was going to buy canned salmon, but it all has salt added to it. Not so sure how good that is for the snakes? I guess as an occasional treat it's ok... I ended up buying a piece of salmon and choppng it up, but so far no takers. Miriam has glided over it a couple of times but hasn't seemed to realize it's food. Mordecai is still holding his huge belly from this morning and groaning. LOL __________________ Lori, New Hope Rescue-- rescuing equines and others www.newhoperescueva.com

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