Are pinky mice safe for weight gaining?

[GrifTheGreat]

I've been trying to bulk Grif back up since he's started to recover after falling ill about a month and a half ago. Now he snaps at crickets but is less than succesfull at actually catching them. When he misses and get alittle substrate he kind of gets sulky and gives up. I've been using wax worms which are high in fat but small and not soe easy to place in his mouth. He hates forcepts and almost never allows me to open his mouth when he sees them. Pinky mice are very high in fat and he likes them. I wish he would take them on his own but he doesn't. I've heard they can cause health problems for Pacs but mainly its obesity which is not a problem at all for Grif. So I'm wondering since I'm trying to fatten him up and reagain his old self, how many is to much too often. I'm goin to try and give him 2 a week so there are a couple days in between them.

[John]

Just don't feed him on them long term. You shouldn't have to use live ones either.

[Greg M]

I use pinkies for bringing frogs up to a healthy weight or during rapid growth phases, when the calories come in handy. As John says, you have to be cautious about using mice as feeders over the long-term. Once frogs are at a healthy weight, I offer mice as a treat once a month or so, and only to frogs that are not overweight.

PS. I strongly agree with John about not using live mice. IMHO I don't see the point of traumatizing the poor mouse or risking injury to the frog through the mouse biting.

[pyxieBob]

i agree using thawed out pinkies is prob the most humane. However a live pinkie isnt able to pysically injure your frog by biting your frog. They have no teeth yet. Wiggling a thawed out pinkie long enough will most likely get a response from your frog.

I use pinkies for bringing frogs up to a healthy weight or during rapid growth phases, when the calories come in handy. As John says, you have to be cautious about using mice as feeders over the long-term. Once frogs are at a healthy weight, I offer mice as a treat once a month or so, and only to frogs that are not overweight.

PS. I strongly agree with John about not using live mice. IMHO I don't see the point of traumatizing the poor mouse or risking injury to the frog through the mouse biting.

[demeteraurion]

Where do you get your pinkie mice? I want to offer one to Rupert but im not sure if my Petco has any or if they sell them

[Lacibeth]

Where do you get your pinkie mice? I want to offer one to Rupert but im not sure if my Petco has any or if they sell them

At work for our frozen feeders we use Layne Labs and RodentPro. The problem with both of those is that shipping is pricey. We also maintain a live colony of mice and that's where I've been getting live pinkies for my baby snake. AFAIK, Petco does not carry pinkies.

[Lacibeth]

I've also heard good things about MiceDirect. Day old pinkies run about $.16 with all three of those companies and shipping runs between $35-$50.

[Greg M]

pyxieBob: you are quite right with respect to pinkies - I was thinking more about larger mice. My bad...

I buy frozen mice at Petsmart. I think Petco carries them as well. My one suggestion is to buy mice grown and humanely euthanized at a clean facility - I've run into problems with mice raised/frozen locally at pet stores...

[GrifTheGreat]

Thanks for the posts and advice. I use the Arctic Mice brand frozen pinkies. He seems to like them but he's stubborn and I still have to force his mouth open. Once they're in on the other hand he devours them very quickly. He is gaining weight extremely slow though which is why I'm asking. I'm not sure how long it will take to get him back up to a healthy weight.

[pyxieBob]

Petsmart frozen mice cost a fortune also. Way way over priced

[GrifTheGreat]

Petsmart frozen mice cost a fortune also. Way way over priced

Yes they are. The first time I purchased some I couldn't believe how much they were just for 6.

[DVirginiana]

If you get a lot of mice, you might be better off with micedirect or another supplier than the arctic mice brand. IMO, they're way more expensive than a lot of other brands.

This may just be my frog since he has crappy digestion (seriously, I don't remember the last time he's pooped on his own without me putting him in a warm water bath, but other than that he's totally fine) but pinkies seem to make him constipated moreso than roaches or crickets. If you're feeding a lot of pinkies, you should probably keep a close watch on how often he's going to the bathroom and do the warm-water thing if it's not often enough.

Also, do you take the back legs off the crickets? Keeps them from getting away as easily. If he's snapping at those on his own, it might be worth a try since opening their mouths can be really stressful on them.

[GrifTheGreat]

I do take the legs off the crickets sometimes. He just has trouble catching them and gives up if he misses. Ill look into the different pinky brands and probably buy from another and now that you mentioned you frog having trouble pooping after eating them ill definetly be keeping an eye on that as well. Thank you.

[nickc]

i agree 1000% with the mice at petsmart being way over priced ha pinkies are good for weight gain just in moderation tho