Worms

[EasternGirl]

I feed my snakes fresh salmon, steel-head trout, and tilapia...but only fresh from the seafood counter at my local supermarket or from a seafood store. I buy small fillet pieces and freeze what I do not use and then keep it for several months. I also feed them nightcrawlers which I buy from a marine store and frozen/thawed pinkies which I order online in bulk. If you feed your snakes a varied diet of fish, worms, and pinkies, you should not need supplements. Some members do use frozen silversides...but I do not know which are safe to buy in the U.K....perhaps Chris, Greg, or John could tell you.

[gregmonsta]

Well, I would stick to getting fresh salmon/trout fillet - I use tesco's value salmon or trout fillet or the local fishmonger ... or trout that I catch myself. Always freeze the fish first to reduce potential parasite risks. If you're feeding worms, pinkies and fish you will need to supplement - the pinkies are not enough as they are themselves deficient in calcium. You can use the following supplements in the drinking water here in Britain - Medivet Reptasol Liquid Water Vitamin Supplement 50ml | eBay and Exo Terra Calcimize Liquid Calcium Supplement 100ml | eBay

You can use an old 2 litre juice bottle. I would add one drop of reptasol and 20 drops of calcimise - I used to just keep this in my fridge when my wee collection was smaller.

[JodiLeigh]

Wow lots of good advice here, thank you guys!

When I next have some money I will buy some fresh trout or salmon fillets(freeze them to rid of parasites), some dew or lob worms and some of that vitamin supplement and calcium supplement. Oh and some more pinkies.

[EasternGirl]

Greg...my vet mentioned using a calcium supplement...we actually talked about supplements for quite a while. His take on it was that he thought they were a good idea but tricky because he worried about people giving too much of multivitamin supplements to reptiles and toxicity, and with calcium, he said exactly what you said...that the pinkies did not have enough calcium but that often with powder supplements the snakes would not take the supplements and with liquid supplements, it makes the water sour and the snakes don't drink the water. So, he told me just to make sure to feed a varied diet. But now I'm wondering...I haven't been able to have any luck getting my snakes to eat food with powder calcium on it. You put the liquid calcium and the multivitamin in the drinking water with no problem? Can you get those supplements in the U.S.?

[gregmonsta]

Greg...my vet mentioned using a calcium supplement...we actually talked about supplements for quite a while. His take on it was that he thought they were a good idea but tricky because he worried about people giving too much of multivitamin supplements to reptiles and toxicity, and with calcium, he said exactly what you said...that the pinkies did not have enough calcium but that often with powder supplements the snakes would not take the supplements and with liquid supplements, it makes the water sour and the snakes don't drink the water. So, he told me just to make sure to feed a varied diet. But now I'm wondering...I haven't been able to have any luck getting my snakes to eat food with powder calcium on it. You put the liquid calcium and the multivitamin in the drinking water with no problem? Can you get those supplements in the U.S.?

I certainly havenot had any problems getting my snakes to drink the water. The dosage I mentioned in my last post is equivalent to a quarter of the recommended dose so I am essentially just providing a trace amount of the vit/calcium combo considering that no snake drinks a whole 500ml in one go. My vet said that water soluble combinations like this were very safe as overdose/hypervitaminosis is impossible at such low solutions as I do.
The supplements I get are specifically to be used in the drinking water. If you cannot find a suitable American alternative formulated for reptiles you might find something similar developed for tropical bird keepers (although I would be cautious about this).

[EasternGirl]

Thanks Greg...I will try looking looking for those that you use. I would feel better giving them at least something. I'm sure my vet would agree that it is safe.

[EasternGirl]

I just ordered the Exo-terra Calcimize...is this the right stuff: Exo Terra Calcimize Reptile Drinkwater Conditioner | PetFoodDirect

Now...I just put 20 drops in a 2 liter bottle of water and keep it in the fridge and then use that for the snakes drinking water?

[gregmonsta]

I just ordered the Exo-terra Calcimize...is this the right stuff: Exo Terra Calcimize Reptile Drinkwater Conditioner | PetFoodDirect

Now...I just put 20 drops in a 2 liter bottle of water and keep it in the fridge and then use that for the snakes drinking water?

Aye

[EasternGirl]

Thanks Greg...I love it when Scottish men say "Aye"....

[chris-uk]

Thanks Greg...I love it when Scottish men say "Aye"....

What about when Yorkshire men say "ecky thump"?