# Snake nutrition: rat vs rabbit vs quail?



## Slyther83 (Oct 3, 2009)

Is one type better for digestive or nutritional reasons than the other? Just curious, thanks!


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## Serpentes (Oct 3, 2009)

Basically I don't think we know the different nutritional benefits of feeding different classes of prey itrems. For the items above I'd simply guess that rabbits are like big rats without as much fur (due to surface area to volume ratios) and that quail provides a little more roughage with its feathers. 

I might have to look into this, it's very interseting.


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## mrclarke72 (Oct 3, 2009)

quail i think is less fattening, than rats or mice


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## Brent (Oct 3, 2009)

*Nutrient Composition Of Whole Vertebrate Prey*

Crude Protein as Percentage Crude Fat as Percentage
Rat - 61.8 Rat- 32.6
Mouse- 55.8 Mouse- 23.6
Quail- 71.5 Quail- 31.9
Guinea Pig- 51.4 Guinea Pig - 46.1
Rabbit- 61.8 Rabbit- 22.6


Based on some data that i have, I will continue to feed Rats -Mice and Quail to each (individual )Python, at a rate that I manage.
I understand that Quail are very high in Protein and do have low fat rate, I have fed rabbits many years ago with no problems.


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## reptilefan95 (Oct 3, 2009)

Ive heard that larger rats have a higher fat concentration which is why people choose to feed their snakes on chicken necks and quails because they are much leaner...


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## JasonL (Oct 3, 2009)

I would be more concerned with calcium levels than protein.... Birds have a lighter bone structure than mammals, might have lower calcium levels? Variety is the spice of life though...


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## JasonL (Oct 3, 2009)

reptilefan95 said:


> Ive heard that larger rats have a higher fat concentration which is why people choose to feed their snakes on chicken necks and quails because they are much leaner...



I prefer to feed two smaller rats than 1 large one for that reason... I save the old breeder rats for my Token Carpet Python :lol:


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## wokka (Oct 3, 2009)

What are the desirable nutritional qualities we should look for in reptile food? I expect that variety is the spice of life with different foods providing different trace minerals and trace elements. A lot of assumptions are based on what is good for humans is good for reptiles. I doubt that protein content of food is a really limiting factor in reptile performence. Do the various nutritive breakdowns of food you see around include gut and fur or are they only the meat of the food item?


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## cris (Oct 3, 2009)

JasonL said:


> I would be more concerned with calcium levels than protein.... Birds have a lighter bone structure than mammals, might have lower calcium levels? Variety is the spice of life though...



They dont according to this. Although it doesnt mention phosphorus, its based of limited data and i think nutrional value would vary considerably with differant diet and husbandry. Quails arnt really low fat IMO, but they are still very good food and they are the main whole animal snake food i use now. 
Nutrient Composition of Whole Vertebrate Prey - RodentPro.com


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## wokka (Oct 3, 2009)

There would have to be a difference between say whole pinkie rats and whole adult rats, but are the differences significant?


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## Serpentes (Oct 3, 2009)

Here's the abstract of a reasonable article:

Effects of diet on nutritional content of whole vertebrate prey
Clum, Fitzpatrick and Dierenfeld, Zoo Biology 15, 5: 252-257 (1996)[SIZE=-1]
[/SIZE]
Proximate composition (moisture, lipid, protein, ash), vitamin A and vitamin E content, and six minerals (Cu, Fe, Zn, Mg, Mn, Ca) were measured in quail, rats, mice, and guinea pigs raised on at least two different diets per species. Feed composition varied substantially but erratically in lipid, vitamin A, vitamin E, and mineral content. All unsupplemented feeds had less vitamin E than NRC recommendations and most feeds contained less Mn than recommended. Most feeds deviated from the manufacturer's guaranteed analysis. There were significant effects of diet on body mass, moisture, lipid, ash, vitamin A, vitamin E, Ca, and Cu content for quail. There was a significant effect of diet on vitamin A content of mice; there were no other effects of diet on mammalian species. There was no correlation between diet composition and body composition for any species. Rats and mice differed significantly in vitamin A, Fe, and Cu content when raised on the same diet. We suggest that (1) it is difficult to assume or assess composition or adequacy of commercial diets without laboratory analysis, (2) supplementation of diets with whole foods can potentially reduce diet quality, (3) nutrient differences in quail are related to differences in growth, and such age-related differences may be more important in determining nutrient content than diet, (4) there were significant species differences in responsiveness to changes in diet, and (5) whole domesticated prey are a potentially inadequate source of vitamin E for raptors and of Mn and Cu for all carnivores.


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## mpeel (Oct 3, 2009)

there was a studdy done on olive python babies that said they grow alot slower on birds than on rats 

hope that helps a littel 

p.s is it true that you cant feed guine pigs because of there fur???? theres a lady down my street with them running round her garden verrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyy tempting lol


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## JasonL (Oct 3, 2009)

Hey Cris, thats an interesting site, thats a percentage off weight though, how big would a 800g bird be compaired to a 800g rat? ....check out tadpoles, and the other amphibs, quite a difference in them from the furry critters...


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