Difference between revisions of "Feed a Snake"
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#Purchase mice or rats. In the wild, most snakes eat mice, rats, or another small rodent. These animals meet all of snakes' nutritional needs, so an all-mice or all-rat diet is completely sufficient to keep your snake healthy and happy. If you have just one snake to feed, you can purchase mice or rats from a local pet store. If you have a large number of snakes, you might consider breeding mice or rats for feeding purposes. | #Purchase mice or rats. In the wild, most snakes eat mice, rats, or another small rodent. These animals meet all of snakes' nutritional needs, so an all-mice or all-rat diet is completely sufficient to keep your snake healthy and happy. If you have just one snake to feed, you can purchase mice or rats from a local pet store. If you have a large number of snakes, you might consider breeding mice or rats for feeding purposes. | ||
#*Be sure to purchase mice from a company you trust. Make sure the mice were fed properly and not treated with chemicals. | #*Be sure to purchase mice from a company you trust. Make sure the mice were fed properly and not treated with chemicals. | ||
| − | #*If you don't want to feed your snake mice or rats, you can feed it a combination of grubs, insects, fish and other foods that together meet the snake's full range of nutritional needs. However, as snakes tend to be picky about what they eat, and giving them a variety of different foods increases risk of exposure to parasites, it's advisable to feed your snake an all-rodent diet.<ref>http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/gaston/Pests/reptiles/gsnakecare.pdf</ref> | + | #*If you don't want to feed your snake mice or rats, you can feed it a combination of grubs, insects, fish and other foods that together meet the snake's full range of nutritional needs. However, as snakes tend to be picky about what they eat, and giving them a variety of different foods increases risk of exposure to parasites, it's advisable to feed your snake an all-rodent diet.<ref name="rf1">http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/gaston/Pests/reptiles/gsnakecare.pdf</ref> |
| − | #*Don't feed a snake live crickets, since crickets can eat its scales and harm the snake.<ref>http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/387371/what-to-feed-baby-corn-snakes</ref> | + | #*Don't feed a snake live crickets, since crickets can eat its scales and harm the snake.<ref name="rf2">http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/387371/what-to-feed-baby-corn-snakes</ref> |
#Choose between live or frozen. As snakes' popularity as pets has risen, more food product options have become available in pet stores. Many pet owners choose to buy live mice or rats to feed their snakes, but getting frozen rats that you serve thawed and warmed is a viable, convenient, and safer option. Do some research and decide which method is right for you and the needs of your snake. | #Choose between live or frozen. As snakes' popularity as pets has risen, more food product options have become available in pet stores. Many pet owners choose to buy live mice or rats to feed their snakes, but getting frozen rats that you serve thawed and warmed is a viable, convenient, and safer option. Do some research and decide which method is right for you and the needs of your snake. | ||
#*If you choose to offer live mice, you'll be able to more accurately replicate the snake's feeding habits in the wild. However, using live mice creates the need for a lot of extra effort on your part. You'll need to either breed mice or run to the store to get more every few days. And if you put a live mouse in the cage when the snake isn't in the mood to eat, you'll have to take it back out and store it until you can try again. | #*If you choose to offer live mice, you'll be able to more accurately replicate the snake's feeding habits in the wild. However, using live mice creates the need for a lot of extra effort on your part. You'll need to either breed mice or run to the store to get more every few days. And if you put a live mouse in the cage when the snake isn't in the mood to eat, you'll have to take it back out and store it until you can try again. | ||
#*Many find that using frozen and thawed mice or rats is quite convenient. The drawback is that since this isn't how snakes acquire food in the wild, it can take some time before the snake is comfortable eating a dead carcass instead of catching its food live. | #*Many find that using frozen and thawed mice or rats is quite convenient. The drawback is that since this isn't how snakes acquire food in the wild, it can take some time before the snake is comfortable eating a dead carcass instead of catching its food live. | ||
#*Many snakes start on live mice as babies and then can be worked toward frozen mice as they get older. | #*Many snakes start on live mice as babies and then can be worked toward frozen mice as they get older. | ||
| − | #Get the right size for your snake. Mice and rats are sold according to their size. Baby snakes and small snakes need smaller prey than larger snakes, which may prefer large mice or rats. As your snake grows, you'll need to provide bigger prey, but prey that's too large can be hard on a snake's digestive system. A good rule of thumb is to choose food that's the same circumference as the largest part of your snake's body. The different sizes of food available are as follows:<ref>http://www.vmsherp.com/LCNotEating.htm</ref> | + | #Get the right size for your snake. Mice and rats are sold according to their size. Baby snakes and small snakes need smaller prey than larger snakes, which may prefer large mice or rats. As your snake grows, you'll need to provide bigger prey, but prey that's too large can be hard on a snake's digestive system. A good rule of thumb is to choose food that's the same circumference as the largest part of your snake's body. The different sizes of food available are as follows:<ref name="rf3">http://www.vmsherp.com/LCNotEating.htm</ref> |
#*Pinkies: these are baby mice, called "pinkies" because they have yet to grow fur. Pinkies are good for baby snakes and small adults. For the smallest baby snakes, pinky parts are available. | #*Pinkies: these are baby mice, called "pinkies" because they have yet to grow fur. Pinkies are good for baby snakes and small adults. For the smallest baby snakes, pinky parts are available. | ||
#*Fuzzies: these are baby mice that have just acquired their first signs of fur. They're a little larger, so they're best for either large baby snakes, like boas, rat snakes or milk snakes, or medium adult snakes of all species. | #*Fuzzies: these are baby mice that have just acquired their first signs of fur. They're a little larger, so they're best for either large baby snakes, like boas, rat snakes or milk snakes, or medium adult snakes of all species. | ||
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#*As you change the feeding schedule, keep in mind that you shouldn't try to force a snake to eat. Offer the food, then take it away if it isn't wanted. | #*As you change the feeding schedule, keep in mind that you shouldn't try to force a snake to eat. Offer the food, then take it away if it isn't wanted. | ||
===Handling a Picky Eater=== | ===Handling a Picky Eater=== | ||
| − | #Make sure the food is warm enough. If you're serving frozen and thawed mice, it's important to heat them enough so that they seem as though they're still alive or were just recently killed. This is especially important for boas and pythons, which have receptors in their faces that can sense heat coming from their prey, triggering a feeding response.<ref | + | #Make sure the food is warm enough. If you're serving frozen and thawed mice, it's important to heat them enough so that they seem as though they're still alive or were just recently killed. This is especially important for boas and pythons, which have receptors in their faces that can sense heat coming from their prey, triggering a feeding response.<ref name="rf3" /> |
#*Try holding the prey against a warm light bulb for a few moments before offering it. | #*Try holding the prey against a warm light bulb for a few moments before offering it. | ||
#*Don't heat mice in the microwave unless you have one reserved for that specific purpose. If you use a microwave, use very low heat. | #*Don't heat mice in the microwave unless you have one reserved for that specific purpose. If you use a microwave, use very low heat. | ||
| − | #Consider the braining technique. Puncturing the prey's brain releases a scent that can help it seem more attractive to a snake. This technique can be used on either live or dead mice, though it's not easy to do if you're squeamish. If you wish to try this method, use the following steps:<ref | + | #Consider the braining technique. Puncturing the prey's brain releases a scent that can help it seem more attractive to a snake. This technique can be used on either live or dead mice, though it's not easy to do if you're squeamish. If you wish to try this method, use the following steps:<ref name="rf3" /> |
#*Insert a sharp knife or scalpel into the mouse's frontal lobe, at the top of the head. | #*Insert a sharp knife or scalpel into the mouse's frontal lobe, at the top of the head. | ||
#*Insert a toothpick into the would and draw out brain matter. | #*Insert a toothpick into the would and draw out brain matter. | ||
#*Smear the brain matter on the mouse's nose. | #*Smear the brain matter on the mouse's nose. | ||
#Try rubbing it with a lizard. It sounds strange, but you can make a dead mouse more appetizing to a snake if you rub it with the body of a lizard. Purchase a dead anole, swift, or fence lizard from the pet store and apply its scent to the body of the mouse. While this method isn't really feasible to use every time you need to feed the snake, it's a good way to get the snake used to eating the food you're offering. | #Try rubbing it with a lizard. It sounds strange, but you can make a dead mouse more appetizing to a snake if you rub it with the body of a lizard. Purchase a dead anole, swift, or fence lizard from the pet store and apply its scent to the body of the mouse. While this method isn't really feasible to use every time you need to feed the snake, it's a good way to get the snake used to eating the food you're offering. | ||
| − | #*This is a particularly good method to use when you're introducing a snake used to eating live mice to frozen food. It can take a few tries to get the snake used to eating food that has already been killed.<ref>http://www.anapsid.org/hatchlin.html</ref> | + | #*This is a particularly good method to use when you're introducing a snake used to eating live mice to frozen food. It can take a few tries to get the snake used to eating food that has already been killed.<ref name="rf4">http://www.anapsid.org/hatchlin.html</ref> |
#*Other methods of helping a picky eater include changing feeder size or color. Also try changing types of feeder (ie. if you tried a rat, try something else like a mouse, gerbil, etc.). Try turning off the lights. Some snakes, like ball pythons, are nocturnal are more active at night. You can also try dipping the feeder in chicken broth. Try rubbing the scent of another animal on your feeder (ie. used bedding from gerbils/hamsters/etc.). | #*Other methods of helping a picky eater include changing feeder size or color. Also try changing types of feeder (ie. if you tried a rat, try something else like a mouse, gerbil, etc.). Try turning off the lights. Some snakes, like ball pythons, are nocturnal are more active at night. You can also try dipping the feeder in chicken broth. Try rubbing the scent of another animal on your feeder (ie. used bedding from gerbils/hamsters/etc.). | ||
