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Please don't feed you garter snakes goldfish!!!

Posted by Shannon Hammer SHANNON SMASH at 6/1/2008 10:52:19 AM

Hello all,

I am writing this in the name of my number 1 most favorite animal in the world: garter snakes!! This is some very important information that 90% of new garter snake, ribbon snake, and water snake owners are not familiar with.

Feeder goldfish, and also their counterpart, rosy reds (aka tuffies, flathead minnows, and remember these come in both pink and brown colors) contain an enzyme known as thiaminase. Feeding your snakes these fish will result in horrible things down the road. it can even take years, or it can take just a few months, but thiaminase kills either way. This enzyme prevents the absorbtion of Vitamin B1, also known as Thiamine. Over time, not being able to absorb this vitamin due to ingesting fish containing thiaminase, they will start having seizures, crawling funny... and this eventually results in death. Sadly, I expierienced this myself, as when I was younger and had no idea, I too fed my garters goldfish. None of my first garters are alive today because of that, and they should be!!

Many ask if it's acceptable to supplement these fish with a vitamin powder loaded with Vitamin B1. The answer is no, because the enzyme literally prevents the snake from absorbing any at all!

There are other options out there if you snake is finicky and wants fish, and beleive it or not they are at you local supermarket! Trout, tilapia, and salmon are all commonly sold fish, you can buy a pound or two and cut it into minnow-sized strips, and it usually comes out to about 2 cents a peice where as most people pay 10 cents or more for one dinky feeder fish. You can then portion all the pieces out into meals and store them in your freezer, and thaw out a new portion whenever you need to feed!! Not only is it cheaper in the long run, but it is saving your garter's life. Note: don't buy catfish, they also contain thiaminase! You can use feeder guppies if you are having trouble getting your snake to eat dead pieces of fish. Put the fish strips in with the guppies in the water bowl and as the garter is fishing, he will inevitably grab a strip.

I must also stress though, that if you have a garter snake, a varied diet is a must!!! Most of us expierienced garter keepers wean our garters as babies onto pinky parts, easily done by chopping up fish and worms and pinkies and mixing it all together in a little dish. Over time you increase how much pinky is in the dish and they pick it up very quicky! I find that many adult garters will take a pinky for the first time out of pure curiosity. If not, usually all you have to do is rub the pinky on some fish or a worm! The best possible diet for your garters is a mixed diet consisting of primarily small rodents (pinky mice and fuzzies if theyre big enough to eat them), Safe fish (salmon, tilapia, trout), and eathworms or nightcrawlers. (don't use red wrigglers, those little trout bait worms that have a reddish tint and rings and secrete ansty orange slime, they are toxic). Remember to dust a meal every so often with some vitamins!

I hope someone out there finds this information useful... because if you are feeding your snake dangerous thiaminase containing fish, you will stop if you truly care about your snake! As pet owners it is our responsibility to see that they get the very best care and a proper and safe diet, you wouldn't slowly poison your dog, would you??? Wild garters don't eat goldfish and most don't catch enough fathead minnows for them to die from it. The responsible thing to do is to drop the feeder fish idea and save your garter's life while you still can.

Comments:

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Jarred ,	Posted At: 6/1/2008 11:35:04 AM
	I don't own any of those snakes, but still very good to know for the future! Thanks!

Kaiyudsai,	Posted At: 6/1/2008 2:59:32 PM
	I believe that enzyme comes from certain types of commercial fish food, so often any form of farm raised fish from the US especially arefeed this high quality fish food containing that enzyme....However fish farm raised in China are fed lower quality diet that does not contain this enzyme....Tilapia is farm raised predominantly in CHina so it's a safe bet

Mitch Kranz,	Posted At: 6/1/2008 3:29:59 PM
	What a great article. Very informative and thank you for posting!

Michelle Smith,	Posted At: 6/1/2008 3:50:46 PM
	Very enlightening, thank you. I don't keep garters, but I will certainly pass this along.

Shannon Hammer SHANNON SMASH ,	Posted At: 6/1/2008 5:42:19 PM
	In response to Kaiyudsai: catfish, both farm raised and WC have been found with levels of thiaminase in them. Where ever it is coming from, it is no good for our snakes :(

Justyne Lobello (Jurassic Reptiles),	Posted At: 6/1/2008 6:07:06 PM
	GREAT information to know. Thanks so much, I dont own these snakes, but I will be sure to keep this in mind if I ever get one.

Kaiyudsai,	Posted At: 6/1/2008 8:47:08 PM
	Very interesting topic....I'll dig for some research on this enzyme......great info

Meg Francoeur,	Posted At: 6/1/2008 8:52:04 PM
	If you use salmon or tilapia, use the wild caught variety to avoid other harmful chemicals and mercury that's found in many farm raised fish. Good info!

Jeff ,	Posted At: 6/1/2008 9:12:00 PM
	Thanks for passing on this important information. I read somewhere that I shouldn't be feeding my Caiman feeder goldfish either so I backed away from it including feeding the the red ear slider too. I am taking a guess at this but I would assume it would be for the same reason you have explained here for us. Thanks again

Kaiyudsai,	Posted At: 6/1/2008 10:03:26 PM
	THere is more Mercury in WC Salmon......FYI

Shannon Hammer SHANNON SMASH ,	Posted At: 6/2/2008 8:43:03 PM
	yes kaiy is right!! Iw s jsu about to say... there is mercury in almost all fish.. especially WC... that is why when you gut and cut up a fish you remove that back stuff along the spine... much mercury is concentrated in that area

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