"different"

[solar 17]

I was visiting some fellow herpers the other day for the 1st time, when l noticed a couple of bird traps in both the back and front yards and when l enquired as to there purpose l was told it was to "gather" food for the snakes [they had half a dozen large coastals in outdoor enclosures[3M X 3F], l was told they never buy any food for the snakes all they feed is trapped doves and giveaway guinea pigs out of the newspaper [freebies].......having a close look at the coastals theY "appeared" to be in excellent condition and the three females had all laid large [successfull] clutches last season, my only thought was for parasites [worms] from the birds, but gee l have to say those snakes looked to be in great condition.....different........ cheers solar 17 [Baden]

 

[Scleropages]

I wouldn't mind some dove traps , not to feed my snakes , but to stop the bloody things poohing all over my balcony!

 

[shaye]

I wouldn't mind some dove traps , not to feed my snakes , but to stop the bloody things poohing all over my balcony!

haha

 

[Waterrat]

View attachment 154024

Varied diet is the key to health and that applies to snakes as much as to us humans.
Many years ago I used to shoot maynah birds (with a clean head shot so the led slug went straight through) or robbed their nests and fed them to my greens. They were wild caught animals, so thought what the hell. No problems.

 

[shaye]

nice pic waterrat

 

[Jay84]

If we all did this with the bloody Mhynas it would halve the food bills and also help with the numbers of these pests!

Nice pic waterrat!

 

[butters]

25 years ago I used to do the same thing for my carpets only instead of a bird trap I simply left the door of the chook pen open, waited until enough were in there and simply walked up and shut the door.

Some of the biggest and healthiest carpets I have ever owned.

 

[PhilK]

Is it legal to catch wildlife and feed them to your snakes? Sounds like it probably wouldn't be..

 

[snakehunter]

Is it legal to catch wildlife and feed them to your snakes? Sounds like it probably wouldn't be..

As long as they are not native species

 

[licky]

hey solar you got any pics of the carpets or the traps?

 

[AUSHERP]

i got a call out to a blokes house because his diamond python had 'lumps' when i got there the adult snakes was covered in what looked to be sists about the size of peas, it had about 30 across its body. he said they just appeared about a week ago, and i asked what had changed, furniture, heating, cage, contact with other snakes and diet? it was then that his girlfriend told me about the bird he had fed it about 2 weeks ago. he had caught an indian mynah in the roof of their house and fed it to his snake, i put it down to parasites and told him not to do it again. was i wrong? IMO it seemed too coincidental to ignore, though i have fed my snakes their fairshare of avian cuisine.

 

[Jungletrans]

Is it legal to catch wildlife and feed them to your snakes? Sounds like it probably wouldn't be..

lt is encouraged to cull introduced pests . African Mynahs , starlings , pidgeons etc . As long as they are killed humanely its a win win situation . l would just worm the snakes once in a while .

 

[sweetangel]

if u froze the wild birds before u fed them would it kill the internal parasites enough to be safe to feed to your snakes without the risk?? i feed quails, rats etc but getting rid of those pidgeons in the yard would be good and save me money

 

[butters]

Feral pest species not native species. So as long as it is done humanely there should be no issues aside from parasite risks. Regular worming will minimise the risk of many worms.
For anyone who thinks breeding and feeding your own food means your animals will not be exposed to parasites then you are dreaming.

Everything has parasites of some description.Depends on whether those parasites will cause notable harm. Breeding your own just lowers the risk but does not negate it.

 

[Jonno from ERD]

When I had several Carpet Pythons in an outdoor aviary, the only thing I fed them was wild caught mynah's and pigeons.

An easy bird trap - get a crab pot, pour some bird seed in and the pigeons and mynahs will do the rest. Works very well.

 

[FAY]

Keep the mynahs/non native doves in a cage for about a week or two and put small animal wormer in their water. Also feed them....

 

[Waterrat]

i got a call out to a blokes house because his diamond python had 'lumps' when i got there the adult snakes was covered in what looked to be sists about the size of peas, it had about 30 across its body. he said they just appeared about a week ago, and i asked what had changed, furniture, heating, cage, contact with other snakes and diet? it was then that his girlfriend told me about the bird he had fed it about 2 weeks ago. he had caught an indian mynah in the roof of their house and fed it to his snake, i put it down to parasites and told him not to do it again. was i wrong? IMO it seemed too coincidental to ignore, though i have fed my snakes their fairshare of avian cuisine.

I don't think the symptoms you described are related to parasites. Did you see what's inside the cists e.g. water, puss?

 

[Jay84]

i got a call out to a blokes house because his diamond python had 'lumps' when i got there the adult snakes was covered in what looked to be sists about the size of peas, it had about 30 across its body. he said they just appeared about a week ago, and i asked what had changed, furniture, heating, cage, contact with other snakes and diet? it was then that his girlfriend told me about the bird he had fed it about 2 weeks ago. he had caught an indian mynah in the roof of their house and fed it to his snake, i put it down to parasites and told him not to do it again. was i wrong? IMO it seemed too coincidental to ignore, though i have fed my snakes their fairshare of avian cuisine.

I can't think how in a short space of 2 weeks that any parasite could cause this reaction??

I feed my mums young roosters to my diamond.... he loves them! I jst make sure they are frozen for a good few weeks. He is a very healthy animal.

 

[AUSHERP]

not sure what was in the cists, they were hard and moved around a square cm area?
some are safe some are not, igve seen worse rats in shops than birds in the wild...

 

[syeph8]

I don't think the symptoms you described are related to parasites. Did you see what's inside the cists e.g. water, puss?

not within that short a period but i wouldnt rule out skin worms. people have a habbit of stretching the truth, even about stuff like this. perhaps he didnt want to tell him about how long he really waitied before asking for help, and/or how long he has been feeding his snake wild caught birds (which is actually a great idea with all these bloody minor birds nesting in the roof)
this information can alter the diagnosis.. i never base a diagnosis purely on what people tell me, because usually 1/2 is bull and the other 1/2 is excrement