Does anyone here feed quail to their snake?

[kingmt]

Quote:
Well, I can get a young rat for my snake for $3.50 at my local reptile store...so I wouldn't pay more than that. Probably $1.50-$2 for a day old.

Wow. You pay $3.50 for a rat?

I have a hard time paying that to get rid of a rat.

I have about a billion mice around here that I would love for someone to get. & the cities are full of rats. I really hate rats but if these things sell for $3.50 a piece I might have to start trapping. I can diffidently see why you want to raise quail for feed. It kinda makes it hard to see why Fitzy was having a hard time selling them at the reptile show though.

 

[Emilys3guppies]

Quote:
Well, I can get a young rat for my snake for $3.50 at my local reptile store...so I wouldn't pay more than that. Probably $1.50-$2 for a day old.

Wow. You pay $3.50 for a rat?

I have a hard time paying that to get rid of a rat.

I have about a billion mice around here that I would love for someone to get. & the cities are full of rats. I really hate rats but if these things sell for $3.50 a piece I might have to start trapping. I can diffidently see why you want to raise quail for feed. It kinda makes it hard to see why Fitzy was having a hard time selling them at the reptile show though.

I wouldn't use wild rats...only domestic. A rat can do considerable damage to a snake. I really wish she would take dead food, but she was my brother's before she lived here and his preference is live food. Domestic rats are very tame and usually just sit there looking at the snake. I wouldn't want to use anything that might fight back, y'know? I guess I could raise rats but they really are so personable that I'd want to keep them as trained pets.

I find that the quail, although pretty and fun to watch, are less likely to become like the family dog, while a rat has done so in my family many a time. I love the birds, don't get me wrong, but I'm glad they are so functional too.

 

[JonGotBalz]

If you've got a ball python that's eating rats without problems then I wouldn't offer it quail.They are one of the worst species there is for dietary issues.If it aint broke, don't fix it.
And to anyone who does keep snakes here and is considering the use of quail as a supplementary feeder I recommend culling the quail first and freezing them for a few days.
This has nothing to do with humane treatment of the quail (Though it would be a personal preference).The reasons I only feed my snakes pre-killed prey is because pre-killed prey can't fight back and injure the snake.Also, by freezing the prey first you kill all possible pathogens and parasites that may end up harming your pet.It also makes for easier storage
In my own personal experience with snakes, none have ever refused pre-killed prey.

 

[fowltemptress]

. . .

 

[fowltemptress]

Quote:
Lucky! The cheapest here are $6.50 . . . around $8 0r $9 if you want live. Our cheaper source closed and moved a few years ago due to the bigger stores moving in, which still depresses me when I think about it

 

[Emilys3guppies]

Quote:
Lucky! The cheapest here are $6.50 . . . around $8 0r $9 if you want live. Our cheaper source closed and moved a few years ago due to the bigger stores moving in, which still depresses me when I think about it

Sounds like I'm going to stick with the rats. It would have been convenient, but my brother will eventually be coming back for her and I don't want to give him a bird that refuses anything but quail. He might not have access like I do.

Thank you, everyone, for all your input.

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

My uncle has 2 huge pythons. The biggest is 18 feet long, maybe 16 but anywho, that is huge! LOL

He feeds them rabbits, chickens, ducks, and pigs. He raises these things just to feed the snakes.

Quail would be just fine if the snake likes to eat them. In the wild, the snakes will be eating small mammals and birds.

 

[Richard74]

Okay. First of all this is a forum for chicken enthusiasts and many don't like the idea of feeding live birds to pet snakes. Does your snake take frozen thawed? I feed my snake frozen-thawed adult quails during periods of low rodent availability. They are perfectly fine as a food source but I wouldn't use them all the time. You'll understand why next time you have to clean the **** out of the enclosure.....

 

[Tapioca]

If it won't eat the quail alive, you could try killing and braining it. Might get the snake interested.

 

[fishforbrains]

wouldn't it be cheaper to just raise some rats/mice for the snake and reserve the tasty quail for the people? Rodents breed like crazy, raise their own young (no incubators), and eat anything, particularly human garbage.