Pet Snake Feeding Guide – What Do Snakes Eat?

Snakes can be lovely pets despite the popular misconception that these creatures are lethal.  At some point, you may be considering bringing a pet snake to your home. Like any pet owner, feeding your snake is a crucial thing to consider.

Therefore, you have to think about your snake’s diet once you have it home. In this guide, we shall look at what snakes eat, where to get their food and how to feed your pet snake. Plus, we shall see the quantity of food you should feed your snake pet and how often you should feed your pet snake.

What do Snakes Eat?

All snake species are carnivores. However, their diet varies from one snake species to the other. Some snakes may prefer to feed on rodents, including birds. Other snakes like to eat amphibians, including toads and frogs. Smaller snakes opt for insects and bird eggs since they can’t eat larger prey.

Some smaller snake species have been known to eat slugs and earthworms. Mots snake pets eat, especially the larger ones, prefer to eat larger prey, including rodents such as rabbits. Snakes are generally carnivores, and they opt to eat other creatures.

Where to Get Food for Your Snake?

Now that you know what snakes eat, you are probably wondering which is the best place to get food for your pet snake. First, you can start by finding live prey to feed your snake. Or, you could also opt to buy frozen mice at various pet stores in your area.

Some stores usually sell frozen rodents to pet snake owners. The benefit of feeding your snake pet with frozen mice or rodents is that it has a lower risk of contracting diseases and parasites. Your pet snake is also less likely to sustain injuries while trying to feed on a live pre.

Try purchasing a small-sized mouse for your baby snake pet. However, increase the quantity of the food as your baby snake grows bigger. Depending on the size of your snake pet, you can try catching some mice at your house and then give them to your pet snake.

How to Feed Your Snake?

Now you know the best diet for your snake pet.  While in the world, snakes are fantastic natural hunters. While in captivity, these reptiles depend on the food they get from their pet parents. Feeding a snake is paramount to its survival and growth.  Here are some tips on how to feed your pet snake.

– Choose the Right Foods For Your Pet Snake

Pet snakes have varied food preferences depending on their size and species. You, therefore, need to know what kind of foods your snake pet loves most before thinking of how to feed your pet snake. If your pet snakes like mice, for instance, consider introducing frozen mice to his diet.

 – Drop The Food In into The Snake’s Cage

This is ultimately the easiest and best way to feed your snake pet. Dropping food in the cage works well for all snake species. This process is relatively straightforward.

You need to place the food, maybe frozen or thawed rodent, or whatever food your snake likes most into its cage. Drop the food at a spot where your pet can easily find the food. You can close the cage and then leave and wait for the snake to have its food if it is hungry.

Try placing the food on a plate to keep the snake’s cage clean. You can use a Tupperware lid to place the food before putting it in the snake’s cage. Avoid moving the lid back and forth once you put it in the snake’s cage.

Don’t get worried if your pet snake doesn’t eat the food right away. Just leave the pet alone. Sometimes, the pet snake might not be hungry, and thus you shouldn’t expect it to eat the food right away once you place it in its cage.

Snakes don’t usually eat when they are in the shed. This is normal, and that why it is crucial to consider whether your pet snake is genuinely hungry before placing food in its cage?

– Feed Your Snake Pet in a Feeding Container

Some snake pet owners prefer to feed their pets in separate feeding containers. The benefit of feeding your snake pet from a different container is that it will not develop an eating behavior each time you open its cage.

Therefore, your pet won’t think that you are opening the cage to feed him while removing the water bowls from the cage or cleaning the cage. Your snake will associate the feeding container with food time, and it will be relaxed until it is eating time.

– Use Tongs to Feed Your Snake

Wild snakes usually capture their prey by ambush or active hunting. The prey is always moving before the snake finally strikes it. You can take advantage of this snake’s feeding behavior by giving thawed mice or rodents to your snake pet by using metal tongs.

 How Much Should a Pet Snake Eat?

All snakes need a different amount of food depending on various factors. There is no definite amount of food you can give your pet snake. However, it would help if you considered a couple of factors while determining the amount of food to feed your pet snake.

Consider the size of your pet snake, for instance. Smaller snakes tend to eat more than their adult counterparts. Smaller pet snakes need to feed at least twice per week. Adult snakes need to eat once per week.

The age of the snake also determines the amount of food it needs to eat. Younger snakes need to eat more than older snakes since they are in the growing stage. Older snakes don’t need to eat more since they are past the growth and development stage.

The species of the snake also determine how often it needs to eat. Some snake species such as python need to eat more in a single feeding round, while some smaller species such as puff adder need to eat regularly, although in smaller amounts of food. Thus, it would help to know the species of your snake pet to understand how often it needs to eat.

Simply put, all pet snakes are different, and hence you need to pay attention to your snake pet to know how much it needs to eat. Check how often your pet snake defecates after eating to figure out whether you are feeding it too much or too little food.

How Often to Feed Your Snake?

Now you know what snakes eat, where to get your pet snake’s food, and the amount of food to feed your pet snake. Now, you might be asking yourself how often you should feed your pet snake.  First of all, snake pets don’t eat daily like their wild counterparts.

You should feed your pet snake at least once weekly if it is a giant snake species that needs to eat less. If you have a smaller pet snake, consider feeding it at least twice a week to support its growth.

Why is Your Snake Not Eating?

Your pet snake’s refusal to eat can be a cause of alarm. But you need to know exactly why your pet snake isn’t eating.  Stress can make your snake stop eating. Snakes may refrain from eating once they are stressed.

A change of diet could also make your snake stop eating. Snakes could also stop eating during the pre-shedding stage of their lives. A change in temperature and humidity and temperature could also prompt your snake to stop eating.

Like other cold-blooded creatures, Snakes need a warm climate to maintain their appetite and effectively digest the food they eat.

Do Snakes Drink Water?

Yes. Snakes need to drink water, especially when they are dehydrated. But they only drink water in rare instances. Snakes have a unique way of generating water from their bodies. However, consider placing a water bowl in your snake’s cage so that it takes a drink whenever it feels dehydrated.

Do Snakes Need Vitamins?

Most snakes don’t need supplemental vitamins. However, pet snakes may require vitamin supplements if they show any signs of illnesses. Snakes, for instance, need vitamin D vitamins to help them regulate their skins, especially if they are kept in places they have no access to sunlight.  Consult with your vet before introducing any vitamin supplements to your pet snake.

Food to Avoid Feeding Your Snake Pet

Not every food item is suitable for your pet snake. Hence it helps to know the foods that you shouldn’t give to your pet.  Avoid feeding your pet snake with any food item that snakes rarely find while living in the wild Some of these food items include eggs and fish.

Also, avoid feeding your pet snake with insects since some insects, such as scorpions, can cause injuries to your snake.  Most importantly, avoid feeding your pet snake with rotten food that can potentially cause digestive problems.

Wrap up

Snakes can be wonderful and entertaining pets if kept and maintained correctly. Consider feeding your pet snake with the proper diet as the first defense line to keep it living for many years.  Change your snake’s diet to suit its growth and development needs.

avatar William
William is a respected pet enthusiast with expertise in reptiles and birds. With extensive experience caring for these animals, he shares his knowledge through engaging and informative articles in various publications. He is an active member of pet-related organizations, volunteering regularly at shelters and promoting animal welfare and conservation. read more...

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