Feeding eggs to pythons

[Fuscus]

I've seen lots of photos of wild pythons feeding on birds eggs but there seems to be no mention of feeding eggs to captive snakes in books or forums.
why?

 

[saikrett]

what sort of eggs do you think they could eat? supermarket chicken eggs?

 

[Greebo]

Good point Fuscus. I have wondered that myself.

 

[Fuscus]

I would image that super market eggs wouldn't smell right and wouldn't be reconized as food. But if you had a chicken coop or kept ducks then their eggs may serve as a food source.

 

[Greebo]

i'll get some free range eggs and see if they show any interest.
I'll let you know what happens.

 

[saikrett]

then when the snake gets big enough you can feed it the chicken that layed the egg.

 

[Fuscus]

Greebo, wait to see if any horror stories appear first.

 

[africancichlidau]

This is something I have often thought about but never had the nouse to ask the question! Well asked Fuscus I almost tried it once but thought the shells may cause some sort of problem?

 

[Parko]

I'd imagine the snakes digestive system to be easilly strong enough to break down egg shell, they can break down mammals bones after all. Please agree with me cause it sounds like a great easy occasional food source!

 

[Greebo]

break down egg shell, they can break down mammals bones after all.

Sounds logical to me.

 

[africancichlidau]

Yeah, I agree that their digestive system could break down the shell no worries. What worries me is the internal damage a sharp edged piece of eggshell could do before it is absorbed into their system

 

[sxereturn]

Nothing worse than the end of some ribs or a birds beak.

I doubt there is any real nutritional value in eggs, compared to rodents/birds etc...

 

[Greebo]

Ahhh..i see what you mean.
Have you ever seen an egg after being soaked in vinegar?
It goes all soft and rubbery.
If the egg was swallowed whole it would probably breakdown easily.No sharp edges.
But hey...I could be wrong.

 

[basketcase]

.

theres a snake in... i think africa that eats eggs. swallow whole then breaks the egg with it ribs, digests the insides and then coughs the egg shell up in an icky little ball.

so im guessing egg shell doesnt taste too great or its not great for snakes

cheers, jono

 

[africancichlidau]

Hmm, point taken Greebs

 

[Parko]

At a property near me my mate has a red belly black snake coming in and out of his duck pen all the time, his duck eggs have been going missing but the snake disregards the birds.

 

[Simon_Archibald]

*^*

 

[marc]

thats an interesting question next door has chickens I might see they will give me some to try

 

[Greebo]

isn't it possible they would crush the egg if they strike at it

I didn't think of that.
Some of my pythons don't bother constricting defrosted rats. I might try eggs on them.

 

[africancichlidau]

I don't think they would actually strike at an egg. A warm defrosted rat would give them a different signal to an agg? I think a snake would take and egg gently even if he was a voracious feeder on rodents.