Pinky Feeding
Pinkies are neonate rodents such as mice or rats. Many people feed pinky mice or rats to their dragons as a part of a varied diet. Unfortunately, there is a horrible amount of misinformation behind them. Let's take a look at the nutritional value according to RodentPro.com.
Food Item |
Crude Protein |
Crude Fat |
Mouse, neonatal |
64.2% |
17.0% |
Rat, neonatal |
57.9% |
23.7% |
Comparing the mouse pinky to a popular feeder, the superworm, you can see that they are superior in protein and fat. The superworm is 17.40% protein and 17.90% fat. This doesn't mean that we recommend feeding them as a staple.
In the picture above, you will notice a white spot on the pinky's stomach. That is calcium-rich milk from the mother. That is always a plus and a good sign to look for when picking out live pinks.
Another concern is that they will cause impaction. Impaction doesn't just happen in a healthy animal. Pinkies are soft bodied rodents with soft bone that is easily digested and passed. If impaction does occur, it is likely from another issue such as husbandry.
At the end of the day, they are completely safe to give once every week or two as an addition to a well varied diet.
In the picture above, you will notice a white spot on the pinky's stomach. That is calcium-rich milk from the mother. That is always a plus and a good sign to look for when picking out live pinks.
Another concern is that they will cause impaction. Impaction doesn't just happen in a healthy animal. Pinkies are soft bodied rodents with soft bone that is easily digested and passed. If impaction does occur, it is likely from another issue such as husbandry.
At the end of the day, they are completely safe to give once every week or two as an addition to a well varied diet.
Photo owned by Robyn at ProExotics