He's eaten 5 toads in the last 9 days. Here are pics of him and two he ate today. My bad, one is already a lump :D

great pictures Quig

Nice looking hoggie!

Looks like he is very happy with your offerings. :rockon:

I bet those guys will eat all the toads you can throw at them.. Looking good there Major..

What kind is that anyway?

Eastern Scott.


Quig, stock up on toads when you can and freeze them. WC are pretty easy to get on f/t toads....little zombie dance is all. That will help if you run into a dry spell where you can't find them. They are a lot easier to convert if you get them use to feeding off of tongs as well.

...

Thanks Jenea!

Nice shots Quig.. i didnt even know they ate toads lmao

Nice shots Quig.. i didnt even know they ate toads lmao

Bo, that's the problem with easterns. In the wild all they eat are toads and frogs. They are a little difficult to switch over to rodents for that reason.

Mmmmm.....looks delicious!

Eastern Scott.


Quig, stock up on toads when you can and freeze them. WC are pretty easy to get on f/t toads....little zombie dance is all. That will help if you run into a dry spell where you can't find them. They are a lot easier to convert if you get them use to feeding off of tongs as well.

Thanks for the feeding tip Jenea. I've already run out of toads. They were out in droves breeding while the weather was warm and rainy. Unfortunately most were in a small deserted trout pond that's in an amusement park that's locked up and private. The singin' almost had me hoppin' the fence :D. We got a cold week goin' on now and they've all disappeared. He will eat frogs too. How are they for freezing?

Mmmmm.....looks delicious!

LOL, I wouldn't eat em. I road tested that stuff that comes out of the big glands on the back of their heads when I was young and foolish. Shit'll cross yer eyes and curl yer hair :D.

Cool Quig...You can freeze both frogs and toads...If you have a Foodsaver that would help them keep the entire winter....freeze one feeding per bag....

Cool Quig...You can freeze both frogs and toads...If you have a Foodsaver that would help them keep the entire winter....freeze one feeding per bag....

:yes: Don't have a food saver but DO have freezer bags. I'll just load 3-4 in a bag.

:yes: Don't have a food saver but DO have freezer bags. I'll just load 3-4 in a bag.

That'll work :yes:

I also used to keep one frozen and let it thaw till it could smear some slime/smell onto a live rat pink....they suck them up usually :D

never defrosted for long still rock solid when I did the rubbing and then I'd do a quick rince of the frog in cold water and refreeze it!!

That'll work :yes:

I also used to keep one frozen and let it thaw till it could smear some slime/smell onto a live rat pink....they suck them up usually :D

never defrosted for long still rock solid when I did the rubbing and then I'd do a quick rince of the frog in cold water and refreeze it!!

thanks for the tips :yes:

thanks for the tips :yes:

I'd advice against anything with hair on it....even a big rat pink/pup is still pink if you get em just right....

I'd advice against anything with hair on it....even a big rat pink/pup is still pink if you get em just right....

That was always one of the things I worried about. Once rats get about 20 grams they've already got some hair. That's the size I generally feed to my Calabar.

That was always one of the things I worried about. Once rats get about 20 grams they've already got some hair. That's the size I generally feed to my Calabar.

well if you get him on frozen frogs/toads that have been frozen for a good amount of time...you could treat him for parasites and not have to worry about any parasite burden shortening his life....catch some green frogs and toads of the proper size when they are in season...

Hair is not really the issue, it is the fat content of the prey. My eastern NEVER had a problem poopin out hair.

Hair is not really the issue, it is the fat content of the prey. My eastern NEVER had a problem poopin out hair.

Then how do I keep that in check? Feed medium sized mice, rat pinks? :dunno:

Fed my adults small adult mice, just made sure to not over feed....10 to 14 day schedule.

Fed my adults small adult mice, just made sure to not over feed....10 to 14 day schedule.

:yes:

Jenea do you still have these adults ?

I say no hair because except for Derek I have not heard of Eastern's eating haired animals...if they where meant to...you would not have to almost always trick them into doing so..

If the fat content is such a problem... then that's why they shouldn't be fed rodents.... unless it was only on rare occasions.....

Your claiming eastern's live longer in captivity on rodents ?

If one could get toads or frogs without the parasite load, then that would be a proper diet, if not get a western and feed it what it naturally eats.....

Why do you think people have problems with black headed pythons after many years of eating rodents...probably the same thing....as in nature they feed mostly on reptilian prey.....Derek can most certainly weigh in on the long term issues with blacks that have been feed a strictly rodent diet....it's just not good for them over the long term....I bet the same would hold true for Eastern's...over the long term....

Or the fact that so many keepers over feed! Franks, a lot of times you have to trick BP's into eating our domestic rats and mice....not because they do not eat haired animals, but because they smell different than what they are wired for, especially imports.


I had a paper on my old computer of a study done on DOR southerns and easterns in south Fl. They were found with food items other than toads/frogs in their gullet. Lost a lot of really good studies that had been sent to me over the years when that comp died. :(

Or the fact that so many keepers over feed! Franks, a lot of times you have to trick BP's into eating our domestic rats and mice....not because they do not eat haired animals, but because they smell different than what they are wired for, especially imports.


I had a paper on my old computer of a study done on DOR southerns and easterns in south Fl. They were found with food items other than toads/frogs in their gullet. Lost a lot of really good studies that had been sent to me over the years when that comp died. :(

If you ever find them...please post them....I'd be VERY interested in that....because that is the kind of stuff I'd base my opinion on....:cheers:
I don't ever back up my computer either.....:(

So easterns may be opportunistic feeders in nature.....interesting stuff....

Why do you think people have problems with black headed pythons after many years of eating rodents...probably the same thing....as in nature they feed mostly on reptilian prey.....Derek can most certainly weigh in on the long term issues with blacks that have been feed a strictly rodent diet....it's just not good for them over the long term....I bet the same would hold true for Eastern's...over the long term....

It's not that rodents are "bad" for an animal that eats reptiles, frogs etc...
It's that...because they eat those items...they are constantly on the move looking for more.
Because of this......keepers overfeed the animal.....Then, that's when it starts to matter. Especially in adults.

I think young animals can handle the rodents fat content...(and, keep in mind... it's not just about the "fat"..... as it is... the types of fats they're getting on a rodent diet)....just fine..... if fed moderately.

I just like to feed a lot and I like to see my BHPs be active, etc..So, I supplement fish and other small things. It's all about the intake.
My 8 and 9 footers only get small rats.....but, maybe a few a week.....not at once but, every other day.

Cheers,
D.

It's not that rodents are "bad" for an animal that eats reptiles, frogs etc...
It's that...because they eat those items...they are constantly on the move looking for more.
Because of this......keepers overfeed the animal.....Then, that's when it starts to matter. Especially in adults.

I think young animals can handle the rodents fat content...(and, keep in mind... it's not just about the "fat"..... as it is... the types of fats they're getting on a rodent diet)....just fine..... if fed moderately.

I just like to feed a lot and I like to see my BHPs be active, etc..So, I supplement fish and other small things. It's all about the intake.
My 8 and 9 footers only get small rats.....but, maybe a few a week.....not at once but, every other day.

Cheers,
D.

Thanks for the input D. :cheers:

It's not that rodents are "bad" for an animal that eats reptiles, frogs etc...
It's that...because they eat those items...they are constantly on the move looking for more.
Because of this......keepers overfeed the animal.....Then, that's when it starts to matter. Especially in adults.

I think young animals can handle the rodents fat content...(and, keep in mind... it's not just about the "fat"..... as it is... the types of fats they're getting on a rodent diet)....just fine..... if fed moderately.

I just like to feed a lot and I like to see my BHPs be active, etc..So, I supplement fish and other small things. It's all about the intake.
My 8 and 9 footers only get small rats.....but, maybe a few a week.....not at once but, every other day.

Cheers,
D.

I DO notice my Hog in motion whenever he's not asleep :D. I would think rodents would fill them up better thus slowing the searching down a bit. Is this so or not? Just me thinkin' out loud.