Two living together happily, Fobisher Family

[Fobisher]

Hello All:
I have two from babies, M&FM, happily living together, inside and outdoors, GABF. Fobisher Family. The male has never snapped at the FM and they are often on top of each other for days at a time.
Mr. Fobisher is about 9 inches and she is 4. They will only eat mice now, he can eat two large ones at a time, and she only one. I bet he would eat three, but never tried. I keep trying nitecrawlers for something different.
Question, any harm in only feeding mice? Any ideas for any other large live things to feed them? He goes absolutely bezerk if a mouse is around, but she is a dainty eater.
Am I doing them any long term harm, they seem healthy and keep getting bigger.
Thanks

[DanDrobates]

Research has shown that a diet heavy in mammalian prey can lead to obesity, corneal lipidosis and a generally shorter lifespan. That’s not to say you need to eliminate mice completely but I’d offer them less frequently. Dubia roaches are a great feeder source. They are large, easy to breed and they come out the other end much less messy than mice.

[Reptilian Feline]

I would second the dubias. Fully grown dubias are large. Make sure they eat them straigt away because dubias bury in the subsrate. Nightcrawlers are earthworms, right? They are hard to eat because they are slimy and pull together, ie shrink. An occational newly shed (white) superworm can also be offered.

If they react to meat offered on tongs that are shaken, then some chicken heart dipped in calcium might be a nice idea. Fowl isn't mammal

[DanDrobates]

Hi reptilian feline. Thanks for the seconding.
Two caveats to chicken heart though worth mentioning:
1. They are high in fat and cholesterol. (Increased cholesterol intake is suspected as a cause of corneal lipidosis in captive amphibians)
2. There is a high likelyhood of salmonella contamination from uncooked chicken.

[Fobisher]

Thanks to all. I guess two living together while unusual is possible. I understand re mouse diet, but beside Dubias, anything else that would make a big meal? Uncooked or cooked hamburger, pork, chicken cooked or uncooked, ???. It has to be something large as Mr Fobisher has a two large mice appetite, and Ms just one medium? Mr will rarely eat large nitecrawlers, but Ms no way.
I really want to feed them something else, but what? I bet the big one could eat 100 large Dubias.

[DanDrobates]

You could also incorporate hissers into their diet. They’re probably the largest feeder insect available. I’d avoid chicken, pork, beef heart etc. These are poor choices cooked or raw as they are not something they would ever eat naturally and are nutritionally unbalanced. Again I’m not saying to eliminate mice but I wouldn’t recommend them as a staple. Pixies have a big appetite and the more you vary the diet the better their diet will be balanced.

[Fobisher]

Thank you all: Ok re people food, understand issues. How about feeder fish like big goldfish etc. They must each fish etc. in their African ponds? I really want to get away from 100% mouse.

[DanDrobates]

Goldfish and fathead minnows are high in thiaminase which can lead to a thiamin deficiency over time. The result would present as neurological symptoms. Also goldfish are often heavy with parasites so I wouldn’t recommend them.

[Lanky]

So what i have seen is people raiseing guppys for fish and also getting fish cuts and cutting up those and feeding them and hornworms is a good choice.