Lizard Munching

[luke]

Hi all

Just making sure its cool to feed my coastal carpet, skinks as he is still a lil buger about 10 or 11 months old he hasnt had any problem with frozen food but i want to let him learn how 2 catch his own food.

and do ya recon it would be cool to drop them into his enclosure so he can hunt them or will he start to hunt my hand when i go to get him out ??

[almaron]

Originally Posted by luke

but i want to let him learn how 2 catch his own food.

???? Then let him loose in the back yard.

[Gregory]

Why would you want to feed it skinks??
If you want it to have a go at live food just get yaself a live version of whatever rodent size you have been feeding it.
Who know's what sort of horrible parasite you could be passing onto it if you're catching skinks to feed it.

As always, just my humblest of opinions.

[Nicole]

I always hear people talk of feeding skinks as a last resort food for real problem feeders...
Just my opinion, but I'd stay well away from them... as Greg said, I've heard they can carry a bzillion horrible parasites...

In terms of live food in general I'd say if he'll eat thawed, then avoid live and the risk parasites, injury etc...

[luke]

cool thanx thats all i need to know.


(???? Then let him loose in the back yard.) ??

[NoOne]

Snakes don't need to learn how to catch food, they already know, once they hatch they are a fully developed hunter. Many years of evolution as equiped them with every thing they need.

I feed skinks to start problem feeders off and have never had any problems. Skinks won't do anything for them, if you really want to feed something live chuck in a mouse.

[luke]

yer im just freakin that a mouse will damage the snake !?
if i run the risk of gettin him hurt ill just keep feedin him dead ones
but i would love to watch him hunt down some prey

[Stevethepom]

its not much different to feeding a thawed mouse, he`ll do exactly the same thing, find it, bite n wrap it, then eat it. I used to do it, must be some perverted twist hidden deep in my mind

cheers
pom

[Artie]

As pointed out by Nicole,

If he'll eat thawed, then avoid live and the risk parasites, etc

That goes for mouse, rat, or anything for that matter, even fresh killed.
Except if you have a problem feeder and have to try anything.

Generally a minimum of 5 weeks frozen will kill all the parasites.

[ackie]

hey luke i made the same mistake once, the snake cort a disease off the skink and wouldnt eat for 13 weeks in the middle of summer, i forgot wat the disease was called but it is scary as all hell. skinks contain a lot off diseases and also tape worms and other parasites so if i was u i wouldnt feed ya snake any more lizards.