Slateman feeding method

[Slateman]

Hi guys. I am starting this topic to share with you my feeding method.
I am feeding once 14nightly, because my snakes are all adults. Feeding with defrosted rats and rabbits to avoid worms and some of the parasites.
All food is at least 4 week frozen before feeding.
evening on feeding day i fill full bucket with hot water from tap and chuck all frozen food in the bucket and leave tin for about 1 hour. In that time smell from defrosted food attract all my snakes and they just sliding on glass knowing what is coming.
I poor kitchen cooking oil to bowl and dip every rat or rabbit in before feeding it to snake. They swallowed easier and you do not get problem in intestine to pass the fece.
By the way i am feeding in cages and if i like to handle the animal due any reason, i will touch them with hook gently, before i am putting my hand in the cage. That is enough to let them know that is not feeding time , but only playing time. I was newer bitten by snake in the cage for that reason.
If any of the snakes do not take the food for any reason like shead or similar, i am not feeding them any sooner then next 14 days when the time come again. That way they all get here and there break in feeding cycle.
All my snakes are good feeders so far and they like the system.
I would like to hear some other experience people to share they methods.

 

[Nicole]

Do they get oil covered food every feed Slatey?
I've never heard of that... I wouldn't have thought extra oil would be good for them regularly? I have heard of breeding females being given mutton bird oil as a supplement, but not as a regular addition.
Slatey, (or anyone else) what are the pros and cons of including oil as a regular supplement?

 

[NoOne]

I feed my snakes once a week. I feed smaller prey items to all my adults as it's easier for them to diegest instead of passing all the good stuff before it can be diegested.
All my rodents are frozen for at least 2 weeks and with once a year worming i've never had a problem with worms.
I also thaw them in a large tub of warm water
I feed all my snakes in the cage, offered by hand or tweezers, no effort is made to avoid substrate.

 

[NoOne]

Regular oil in there diet wouldn't be a good thing as they would get enough out of there food.
Once every few months would be OK but there would be no real need for it except to help them swallow and a better option than that is to leave the rodent wet.
Mutton bird oil is used for weight gain. I would say to much of any oil would cause obesity.

 

[muddz]

my adults are fed on a weekly basis on thawed rats of differing sizes, the younger, smaller snakes are fed their preference (usually mice) around the fourth or fifth day.
keeping post it notes helps keep tabs on who was fed when and X amount taken, if an item is refused, the snake is offered a feed the next week. i havent oiled any or added anything artificial to their diets

 

[Fangs]

can snakes suffer from cholesterol??

 

[Slateman]

Fangs you dill. HA HA
Must add to it, i am using only vegetable oil in my household, and is cold pressed oil, no heat involved with procesing.
I am using the oil nearly every feed Nicole, and they love it and my snakes doing well. My vet did not discouridge me to change my routine, so i am sure that is ok. But i will go now to and ask my snakes if they like it better with out. LOL
I am not saying that all i am doing is right by books, but it works for me and they have beautifull crap. I am noticing that the rubbit fur is easily passed to. Maby the oil is helping, but who knows.
I started this when my snakes were big enough to eat rabbits as rabbits had biger heads then rats, I always dip the head in vegie oil and there we go.

 

[almaron]

.....they have beautifull crap....

I'm starting to suspect you have some kind of s%#t fetish Slatey. :?

 

[wattso]

He takes photos too Almaron!

 

[Hawkeye]

I would wonder what vegetable oil would do to a snake as it wouldn't eat it in its normal diet and it has some significant differences to animals fats and oils.

Just wondering?

Cheers Hawkeye

 

[africancichlidau]

I'm gonna try this next time I get my car serviced I'll ask the mechanic for some of the left over 20W50. Do you think we should be using anti-freeze in winter ?

 

[Hawkeye]

Hell, in Melbourne you should be using antifreeze in bloody summer!

Cheers Hawkeye

 

[africancichlidau]

LOL Hawks, 32 deg here today and 31 yesterday and 39 on Saturday Had to put the A.C. on

 

[Fangs]

Could snakes full of oil burst into flames from basking for too long?

 

[Parko]

No, that's the ''firewater''.

 

[Slateman]

HA HA
Hawkie, i am sure that in the wild they get some to. If the possum is feed on avocado or rat on sunflower. Would be some in the guts. But i don't care about this so much. After 2 years doing this all is perfect. Mind you they do not get worming tablets and some type of medications in the wild and we are supplying this to them. Mabe if they can catch wild rabbit with oily head, they would.
Almaron you are right, i am bit crap concern. But you know your self, if crap is wrong----you can sh.. your self. Anyway healthy stool is first think i am looking at to see if my snake is ok.
Parko firewater is the medicine only. Ask Steve the pom how nicely firewater can clean the stomach.

 

[wattso]

I thaw with hot water in old icecream container for about half hour, changing water few times to keep it very hot, dry roughly with old towel and feed with tongs! Always touch snake first to wakeup, so food still warm if slow to find, but usually he finds it very quick! I dont thaw 2nd rat till first is on its way down his throat, to give some time for the first to settle. used to s[pray rat with vitamin/calcium spray but havent for some time. will start dusting with calcium powder soon. no oil, no sauce, no salt n pepper! lol

 

[Amy]

IS it necessary to give your snake a calcium/vitamin supplement if they are eating ok? If so, how often should they get it?

 

[wattso]

I think they probly do ok without it, but if it dosent help, it cant hurt! many swear by it and give it every feed. monty hasnt had any for few months, but im planning to try out powder form soon, see if it makes him super snake lol

 

[Morelia_man]

i would only use it for young snakes which are eating pinkies as pinkies don't have all the goodness that an adult does