Snake Pale + Fed Several Goldfish - Help?

[Ryanm406]

I used to feed my garter snake rosy red minnows but he obviously outgrew them and I asked the people at the pet store if gold fish were okay, sure enough they said yes. So for a couple weeks I've been feeding him gold fish and now he is slightly pale and a little wrinkly? He shed about two weeks ago so I'm pretty sure he isn't shedding again, can anyone tell me what I can do? Thanks.

[adamanteus]

Hi Ryan, and welcome to the forum.
The first thing to do is change his diet. Get him off the Goldfish and onto something safe, such as salmon or trout, supplemented with pinkies and night crawlers. Two weeks of feeding on Goldfish should give no long term problems, but it's best to stop now.

The wrinkly appearance, if he's not due to shed, would suggest to me that he's underweight?

[Ryanm406]

Thanks. Well, I'm pretty sure he isn't under weight, he has been, if anything, over eating. I just noticed his eyes are foggy too, is it possible he is shedding again?

Also, are rosy red minnows ok to feed him? I mean are they a good substantial food source for a young ? He won't eat pinkies.

[adamanteus]

If he's cloudy I guess he's going to slough again.... I'd still be very slightly concerned about the 'wrinkly' thing though.... maybe his environment is slightly too dry?

Until recently I thought Rosies were okay, but there has been some debate that they may in fact contain quite large amounts of thiaminase.... maybe best to switch to a known 'safe' fish such as salmon or trout. Have you tried 'scenting' pinkies with fish?

[EdgyExoticReptiles]

Rosies are ok but not for their whole diet, if possible try to feed a diet of 50% pinkies and 50% minnows and if you dont know scenting would be rubbing its usual food item all over the pinkie, it usually works, also as james said you could feed salmon or trout (cut up fillets) with calcium and vitamin supplement

[Ryanm406]

Thanks guys. He isn't too wrinkly, just a tad more than usual. I'll try rosies and scenting pinkies. I haven't tried scenting yet but I guess it is very helpful?

It's funny, whenever he is hungry, or just wants food, he sticks his head above his water dish, and then when I get a fish in the net, I hold it over the water dish and sometimes some extra water drips into the water dish. When it does drip, he attacks/bites where the drop landed, so if he goes after water droplets, maybe he will go after a pinkie mice I drop in? What do you think?

Anyways, his eyes got much much cloudier, odd, but I guess he is shedding. Thanks for your help everyone.

[anji1971]

Hi, Ryan, and welcome to the forum!
I also find my snakes are shedding like crazy lately; every two or three weeks. I figure it's just a spring growth spurt or something.

[Lori P]

Ryan, that's how I got one of my garters to grab pinkies; I'd drop them in the water with the live minnows. At some point, she finally grabbed for a minnow, hit the pinky, and after that would eat either (as long as I scented the pinky). Good luck and keep us posted on his progress!! :-)

[Ryanm406]

Thanks everyone for the advice. Hakuna hasn't shed yet but is acting like he will soon. I'll try a pinkie the day after he sheds. So to scent it, just take a live fish and rub it all over it? lol

[EdgyExoticReptiles]

ya that and u can cut of the head and squeeze the guts and juices all over the mice

Originally Posted by Ryanm406

Thanks everyone for the advice. Hakuna hasn't shed yet but is acting like he will soon. I'll try a pinkie the day after he sheds. So to scent it, just take a live fish and rub it all over it? lol