Feeding guinea pigs???

[congo_python]

Hi Guys
I want to know everybodys OPINION on feeding guinea pigs to your pythons, as i've hear down the grape vine that they actually collect some bad bacteria on the pads of their feet, and that it is not good to feed them to your python due to this - opinions and previous feeding experience would be great. Q???

Congo :

[stencorp69]

Guinea Pigs, Rabbits, Rats, Quails, mice, Chicken feed them all to pythons without any issues. Gut acid should generally kill most bacteria in a healthy python

[hazzard]

Originally Posted by stencorp69

Guinea Pigs, Rabbits, Rats, Quails, mice, Chicken feed them all to pythons without any issues. Gut acid should generally kill most bacteria in a healthy python

While we are going with domestic pets, Cats, Dogs, Goats (oops)

But seriously Guinea Pigs are fine if the come from a clean cultured environment. If they are frozen and thawed jus snip the pads off if your worried. I fed plenty of them!

[Bigblackdog]

Funny, I've been wondering the same thing...mice, rats, rabbits but no guinea pigs?

[OdessaStud]

Past experience has shown me that getting a python to eat a guinea pig is not as easy as getting them to eat a rat or mouse.I was always of the belief that guinea pigs are not as good a food source as rodents or fowl and are generally harder to digest.Guinea pigs are bigger,smell 100 times worse and have smaller litters than rats and mice do,they are also not as easy to care for.Rodents and fowl are a common food source I believe because they are more readily available,cheaper,and a known food for snakes ect,I dont think there are guinea pigs in the wild so id have to asume that they are not a prefered diet either!!!
Only my opion!!
Odessa

[hazzard]

Originally Posted by hazzard

While we are going with domestic pets, Cats, Dogs, Goats (oops)

But seriously Guinea Pigs are fine if the come from a clean cultured environment. If they are frozen and thawed jus snip the pads off if your worried. I fed plenty of them!

Must off had a hard day at work (that above reads shocking)

[Nagraj]

Originally Posted by OdessaStud

I dont think there are guinea pigs in the wild so id have to asume that they are not a prefered diet either!!!

Guinea pigs originated in South America and AFAIK still exist there in the wild. I'm not sure if there are pythons in that area but there are almost certainly other types of snakes there which prey on them.

[congo_python]

Won't be going to those extremes Hazzard as Stevencorp69 said gut acids will kill most bacteria and this makes sense, but Hazzard how many 'pigglets' does the average guinea pig have in a litter?

Congo

[AxSnake]

Guinea pigs litters are only very small: 1-4 in a litter. I have only ever heard of one litter of 5.

[congo_python]

small litters but how many litters do they have in a year as rats will on average have six a year?

Congo

[OdessaStud]

Guinea pigs are just as prolific breeding as rats and mice are,but unlike rats and mice they do tend to have more health issues when continually bred from.Im not advocating breeding rodents monthly either but they can handle more consecutive litters better than guinea pigs can.

[centralian11]

guinea pigs have a gestation periodof 63 days .therefore while they mate immediately on giving birth similar to rats and mice with thier small litters and much longer gestation period one female will only produce 20 young in a year. that would be in the extreme.one female rat will produce 50 young in 1 year if required.
also i was told that guinea pig fur is much harder for a snake to digestas the personage of fur is much greater in cavies. just my opinion

[congo_python]

Thankx for the advice Odessastud new to the guinea pig realm. Any other opinions on feeding guinea pigs.

Congo

[stencorp69]

also i was told that guinea pig fur is much harder for a snake to digestas the personage of fur is much greater in cavies. just my opinion

Maybe, maybe not, but the fur can't be any harder than native marsupials which many pythons feed on. The key for feeding my pythons is getting good food cheaply and for Morelia and bigger they'll thrive on Guinea's if that's all that is available.

[hazzard]

Sometimes there is a little fur left over (in faeces). I just feed them whole. I like to vary the diet of my animals. Alternate rats, chickens/quails and the occasional guinea pig or small rabbit (when given one).

As for breeding them. Big enclosure 20 adults (plenty of offspring).