Some girls are bigger than others

[john]

You are absolutely right Serge. I have other Tigers, just as big, fed the same diet, including Pinkies, that don't have those Jowls. I also have others, FULL GROWN, fed the same diet, yet they are only half the size. Its all in my Title, Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others, just like some people. John.C. Im sure you're right about the Pinkies being a bad idea. Only its hard to find other bigger food items since they don't seem to go for the Worms. Which means a lot of Crickets. Any suggestions on what else I might try.

 

[john]

If you can get the large earthworms (not the red ringed ones), try them. If they fail, stop feeding the tigers for a while and offer again. They can become used to certain foods and sometimes a little friendly starvation can work wonders for picky animals.

 

[stephanie]

Why shouldn't you feed the red ringed worms? Or are you just talking about blood worms? I'm afraid to feed whole earthworms to my salamander because they seem so big. Can they actually swallow all 5 inches on their own? I've been cutting them in half but I don't really like to do that.

 

[john]

Red-ringed ones can taste strange to them and it's hard for them to get used to eating them. They aren't harmful though.

Tiger salamanders can eat a worm the same length they are. Perhaps longer.

 

[john]

Hey John,

Here is a picture of another overeater that
never had a pinky and seem to have a weight
problem. What do you think?

 

[john]

oups!!

Here it is..

 

[john]

Fire Salamanders are a different ball game. They can get fat no matter what you feed them.

 

[kamil]

How can you feed them that much, that they get so fat?! I'd be worried all day about my animals if they were so fat. I'd probably start to worry about the liver then go over to think that the kidneys don't work anymore,... It's not healthy at all for the animal to be that fat!

 

[john]

Subtle, Kamil, subtle...

 

[john]

You know my other fire salamanders don't behave like this one, it just wants to eat all the time. It will even come running out snapping at the chop sticks I sometimes use for wax worms. With crickets, it hunts down every last one. She just ate in that picture, she's not always that big.

 

[ali]

I can't think of the name right now, but there is some disorder found in humans that doesn't allow them to know when they are full. They seriously feel STARVED all the time. I saw this on TLC once. Some families seriously have to lock up all the food in the house for the good of people with this disorder.

I'm sure it's possible that something like this could be found in other animals, namely salamanders of course. Has anyone read anything about this? What do you guys think?

(Message edited by cortana on May 11, 2006)

 

[john]

John: I've kept several types of fire salamanders (albeit not for a long time) and I found gallaica to be more voracious and snappy than say, terrestris.

 

[mark]

Wow! Those are overweight salamanders! In the wild seasonal changes affect the behaviour of caudates and availability of prey items which has a direct affect on fat reserves. Animals emerging from dormancy have normally exhausted their fat reserves and will steadily build them, post breeding until they reach their maximum prior to dormancy again. In captivity there is an abundance of food and without seasonal variations it could be possible that the animal may continually build for the hard times that never come. I would think that reduced feeding and a proper period of winter dormancy would get them back in shape.

 

[s1ren]

Ali:

Prader-Willi Syndrome.
http://www.thearc.org/faqs/pwsynd.html
"PWS is a complex genetic disorder that includes short stature, mental retardation or learning disabilities, incomplete sexual development, characteristic behavior problems, low muscle tone, and an involuntary urge to eat constantly, which, coupled with a reduced need for calories, leads to obesity."

I think I saw that on an episode of Law & Order once. }

 

[charles]

What is in your water john...lol

 

[john]

I try to use rain water, since we get so much up here. but some times aged tap water. I don't know what's in it. Why?

 

[john]

I believe Charles was attempting humour.

 

[john]

Anyone know why tigers sometimes have the black finger tips and sometimes they don't?

 

[ingo]

Hello Ali,

maybe you mean Adipositas permagma??

Greetings Ingo V.



<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1>quote:</font>

Ali M. Feuchtenberger,Thursday, 11
May, 2006 - 19:28,#POST95070,I can't think of the name right now, but there is some disorder found in humans that doesn't allow them to know when they are full. They seriously feel STARVED all the time. I saw this on TLC once. Some families seriously have to lock up all the food in the house for the good of people with this disorder. <!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote>

 

[ali]

I'm not sure which disorder I meant, really.

I just know that there are some which cause people to not know when they are not hungry. I wonder if any of these are possible in salamanders?