breading season

If she's already eating pinks don't go to toads unless as a last resort. Can you post a couple pics of your snake?

A strictly all mouse diet is not the best diet. Supplementing a toad or small gecko is a very advisable idea. I like to supplement my hoggys with a small gecko once every six feedings or so. I have had several friends lose hogs that were on a pure mouse diet. There is something about toads or geckos having a vitamin or mineral that mice don't have that promotes good health in the hognose. Remember that mice are not the natural food source for hoggys. Think out is like a "Flintstone vitamin" or treat every once in a while.

But I think in your case, it may be that she is shedding, but scenting a pinkie will not pose any problems getting her to continue eating mice. My male is a picky eater even when he isn't shedding, and scenting a mouse to get him to eat has not posed any problems with taking an unscented mouse the very next feeding.

Originally Posted by 99Vengeur

A strictly all mouse diet is not the best diet. Supplementing a toad or small gecko is a very advisable idea. I like to supplement my hoggys with a small gecko once every six feedings or so. I have had several friends lose hogs that were on a pure mouse diet. There is something about toads or geckos having a vitamin or mineral that mice don't have that promotes good health in the hognose. Remember that mice are not the natural food source for hoggys. Think out is like a "Flintstone vitamin" or treat every once in a while.

But I think in your case, it may be that she is shedding, but scenting a pinkie will not pose any problems getting her to continue eating mice. My male is a picky eater even when he isn't shedding, and scenting a mouse to get him to eat has not posed any problems with taking an unscented mouse the very next feeding.

Wrong wrong wrong. They do NOT need anything other than rodents. I've got a dozen western hognoses and over the years have had dozens of others. I've NEVER fed any of them, other than stubborn starters and only while very young, anything but rodents. Mice and rats are just fine for western hognoses from birth to death of old age.

It may well be different for eastern or southern hogs, but westerns do NOT need anything other than rodents to live long and prosper, having lots of healthy eggs and happy lives.

Hmmm....Maybe it's a Midwest thing. I've heard horror stories from people losing many hognose on all mice diets. Maybe they didn't give the full details about the circumstances (ie disease and/or poor habitat conditions), but I have heard many breeders tell people to give a toad every once in a while.

Originally Posted by 99Vengeur

Hmmm....Maybe it's a Midwest thing. I've heard horror stories from people losing many hognose on all mice diets. Maybe they didn't give the full details about the circumstances (ie disease and/or poor habitat conditions), but I have heard many breeders tell people to give a toad every once in a while.

Who might these many breeders you speak of be? Were they breeding Westerns? Were they speaking of wild caught animals?

A healthy Western Hognose does not need anything other than rodents for food.

The one that comes to mind right away is Don Soderberg from South Mountain Reptiles in Texas. I called him shortly after I got my pair of hogs and the male wasn't eating.

As for a picture of my hoggie, shes been hiding for days now, i don't want to disturb her. I posted pics of her in my previous posts. I guess it couldnt hurt to see if she desires a toad. However, if she is shedding, she eats about a week after. So, we'll see if she keeps up her 'schedule' then.

I was thinking about purchasing liquid vitamins that are mixed with her water. So even though shes not eating, she will still get some nutrients. I haven't heard much about them being good or bad. Any thoughts?

Originally Posted by Nyoka77

I was thinking about purchasing liquid vitamins that are mixed with her water. So even though shes not eating, she will still get some nutrients. I haven't heard much about them being good or bad. Any thoughts?

Not a good idea, unless the vitamins are specifically for reptiles. The amount of vitamin A that is normal for mammals can kill a snake.

Hold out for a while, as long as the snake shows no signs of starvation. She will probably take a pinky, when she gets hungry enough.

Just wondering what everyone's hoggie does when he/shes not hungry and a mouse is in the cage with them.
Mine seems to attempt to attack it, then stares at it, and then plays with it. Such as burrowing under it and slithering over and over it, for hours. Its wierd, any thoughts?

Mine eat F/T and they either eat the prey of they act like it's not there. I've had them go off food for short periods, but they always come around (that is if they have eaten regular at any point). Check your temps and make sure the snake is properly hydrated.

As for the thing about rodents, I have heard of easterns having problems with a full rodent diet. Some say that they have a problem with hair lining the intestine and blocking the uptake of nutrients, and that they develop fatty liver disease from the higher/different fat content in rodents. I doubt however that it is as much as a problem as toad feeders and internal parasites. I have also heard of some people either switching to hairless breeds of rodent, or feeding rat pinks as opposed to haired mice. I have heard that westerns are also susceptible to fatty liver disease if they are push fed or overfed, but it's not a huge problem if they are fed properly.