selling extra male chicks as reptile food?

[mlove]

I have several friends that keep large snakes and I'm sure they would love to have chicks available for snake food. My advice would be to join a local online reptile/herp group and see what the market looks like in your area. You can find out what they want (live or frozen) and go from there.

 

[stanglover2001]

Quote:
Just a hint to feed dead food. You must warm the prey to body temp. then move it around (not with your hand) Movement and body heat , thats what the snake go for...so easy to change to dead. lot safer for the snake too. rat can take a chunk out of a snake, rabbit can rip open a snake with their feet.

Well it's a small snake, so it only eats mice... I know they can still bite it, but it's not my snake either. I don't think my mom is going to want to microwave dead mice either... if thats how you warm them that is. I don't know much about them myself, just that he was started on live feed and that she was told to continue feeding live by the seller. They don't have the equipment to feed the snake dead either, besides the snake is picky (certain sexes he won't eat, like he'll kill it and start to swallow it then decides he won't eat it).

 

[M To The Maxx]

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I like the way you put that Enchanted. I agree 100%.

Honestly I wish snakes were all dead lol

I got bit by a Rattlesnake and a Water Moccasin in the same day.... I hate the little buggers but it is the way of life. Btw some snakes kill faster than others so just sayin......

 

[Hurley]

Frozen bulk day old chicks right now sell for about $0.25/each as others have said. Humane euthanasia through CO2 is always an option and fairly easy to come by. (Even just dropping a chunk of dry ice in a container of water set down in a deep container like a 5 gallon bucket will work. Since CO2 is heavier than room air, it's enough to do the deed. Since they technically expire from too much CO2, not too little oxygen, the suffocating feeling isn't there, just lightheadedness then they pass out and expire. That being said, death by snake is quicker with a constrictor, but more panic involved for the chick.) Many reptile folks will take a bulk batch of live feeders and euthanize them themselves and freeze in bags for upcoming feedings. I see no difference between a chick and a mouse (or a cow for that matter) being raised as food and being used for that purpose as long as they are treated respectfully and euthanized in as humane a way as possible.

As to the actual selling of chicks, make some contacts with reptile people either locally through swaps/expos/reptile groups or you could check kingsnake.com to see if you can locate any local reptile breeders who may be interested. If you can find someone nearby in your area, they may be happy to have a local source. As for how much they'll pay, I don't know. Depends on availability. Like I said, you can purchase online for 25 cents a day old chick, but then you have a pretty hefty shipping fee so it is really only feasible for larger orders. For smaller numbers and/or local sales you may be able to garner more. Just need to sound out the local market. We're lucky here that there is a fairly local reptile show twice monthly, easy to make contacts.

I've got corn snakes and will feed chicks to the adults sporadically for variety (figure better chance at covering a full scale of nutrients by mixing it up with mice/rats/chicks). All of my snakes eat frozen/thawed (or occasionally fresh killed).

As others have said, if you advertise on Craig's list, you may get reptile people to come to you especially if you list that you will sell as reptile feeders. They need a regular supply, so you could likely get regular customers. Good luck.

 

[chickbird]

Off topic post deleted by Staff.

 

[3chimama]

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Amen!

 

[speckledhen]

After numerous reports, I think we'll bring down the curtain now. Thanks for your participation.