It can be challenging to find the right food for your pet snake. Some people think that you can feed them just any type of small rodent, but that is not always true.
Feeding them wild mice seems like an easy solution, at the end of the day, that’s what snakes eat in the wild, right?
To answer this question, I’ve called my vet and asked my snake-owning friends for what they believe is the right thing, and here is what I found out.
So, can my pet snake eat wild mice? Your pet snake can eat wild mice but shouldn’t because snakes eat their prey whole and the mouse is going to bite your snake, while will harm your snake or, even worse, infect it with the harmful bacteria the mouse carries, so your pet snake will get harmed while eating the wild mouse.
So while your pet snake can eat wild mice, you shouldn’t feed them live mice because it can be quite dangerous for the snake, not to mention what the mouse is going to go through.
To understand why feeding your pet snake wild mice is a bad idea and what you should feed your pet snake instead, keep reading.
This article was reviewed and edited by a vet, but it shouldn’t serve as an alternative to your own vet. Please consult your vet for specific advice about your pet.
Contents
What do pet snakes eat?
Snakes, like other reptiles and amphibians, require a varied diet. Mice or rats are generally fed to snakes in captivity.
They may be alive or recently killed. Rodents are an excellent option for snake food since they provide a well-balanced nutritionally complete meal. To avoid harm to handlers or the snake, experts recommend feeding snakes pre-killed prey.
There are other food items that can be fed to snakes such as birds, eggs, fish and lizards but rodents should make up the majority of their diet in captivity.
What can happen if a pet snake is fed live wild mice?
One of the biggest concerns with feeding your pet snake wild mice is the risk of injury to the snake.
When a mouse is eaten whole, it can harm your pet by doing severe damage inside its stomach and esophagus as well as with external bites while being swallowed whole.
Since snakes can’t chew their food into small pieces before swallowing, they can choke or become ill if their prey causes internal punctures.
In addition, wild mice can carry harmful bacteria that can infect your pet snake when they bite or when ingested. This can lead to a variety of health problems for the snake, including respiratory illness, septicemia (blood poisoning), and meningitis.
So while you may think it’s easy to just give your pet snake a live wild mouse, your pet can be seriously injured or get sick from the experience.
What can I feed my pet snake instead of live mice?
Now that you know why it’s a bad idea to feed wild mice to your snake, what can you feed if not live rodents? There are plenty of options for feeding snakes in captivity and below is a list of some of the most common food items.
- Pre-killed mice or rats
- Frozen mice or rats
- Live feeder fish (guppies, minnows, etc.)
- Reptile pellets
- Commercial snake diets
- Insects (crickets, mealworms, waxworms, etc.)
If you’re looking for a source of live prey items, your best bet is to find a pet store or breeder that specializes in reptiles. They will likely have a wide variety of feeder insects and rodents available.
When it comes to feeder insects, it’s important to make sure that they are gut-loaded prior to feeding them to your snake. Gut loading is the process of feeding a live food item nutritious foods so that when it is eaten, the nutrients are passed on to the snake.
While there can be some risk in feeding your pet snake live prey items, it can be done safely. If you are feeding your pet snake or any other reptile live prey items, it is important to do so carefully and with the utmost safety for both you and your pet in mind.
Should you even feed your snake live prey?
Pet snakes should not be fed live prey, as a general rule. Prey can injure the snake, and can also introduce harmful bacteria into the captive environment.
There are a variety of food items that can be fed to snakes, including pre-killed mice or rats, frozen mice or rats, live feeder fish, reptile pellets, commercial snake diets and insects.
How often should you feed your snake?
How often you feed your pet snake will depend on the breed, age, and activity level of your snake. Larger, more active, and more mature snakes usually eat probably once every one to two weeks, while smaller or younger ones typically consume twice each week.
Snakes that are approaching the breeding season might require more food. Your veterinarian may provide you with more personalized instructions depending on your snake’s individual demands.
The best indication of how often you feed your snake should be how they respond to the food you give them. If they are hungry and need food, they will eat it all right away, but if they ignore it for a while or eat just some of it, then they were not hungry and did not require feeding.
How to know if your snake is still hungry?
It can be hard to tell if your snake is still hungry after feeding it. One way that you can determine this is by examining its body condition. If it looks healthy, has a bright shiny coat, and seems alert with strong muscles tone, then there’s no need for concern. However if your pet appears dull or wilted in appearance, or has sunken eyes, it can indicate that he needs to eat.
Reptiles can also be picky eaters and will not necessarily show signs of hunger like mammals do (by crying for example). Snakes can go days without eating if they are well-fed on a regular basis.
If your pet snake is more active than usual, it can be a sign he is ready to eat.
A snake can also show signs of being hungry by hanging out at the opening of his enclosure and striking in anticipation for food. This can happen right after you have fed them or even up to several days later so don’t panic if this happens! It just means that your pet was hungry and you fed him when he was ready.
Before you go, you may want to check out if you can take your pet snake for a walk outside here.
Related Questions
Why won’t your snake eat?
There can be several reasons why your snake won’t eat. One of the most common is that it’s not hungry at the moment and doesn’t need to eat right now. Another reason could be because you are keeping them in an area that isn’t well-ventilated or warm enough for example, which can result in decreased appetite. Snakes can also be picky eaters and will not necessarily show signs of hunger like mammals do (by crying for example). Snakes can go days without eating if they are well-fed on a regular basis.
Can you feed a snake with its mouth closed?
You can try to offer your snake food while it’s mouth is still closed, but there’s no guarantee that it will eat. Some snakes are more responsive to food when their mouth is open.
Can you overfeed a snake?
It is possible to overfeed a snake if you are not careful. Feeding your pet too much can lead to obesity, health problems and even death. It is important to monitor the amount of food you are giving your snake and to follow your veterinarian’s guidelines.
can my pet snake eat wild mice?
Yes, it is possible for a pet snake to eat wild mice but this should only be done under the supervision of a veterinarian. Feeding live prey can introduce harmful bacteria into the captive environment and can also injure or kill the snake. Pre-killed or frozen mice are a safer option and can be found at most pet stores.
Your veterinarian can provide you with more information about what is the best diet for your specific snake. Thank you for reading! I hope this article was helpful in answering some of your questions about snakes and their diets!
Can a snake starve itself?
It is possible for a snake to starve itself, but this usually only occurs if it is not given the opportunity to eat. Snakes can go days without eating if they are well-fed on a regular basis. It is important to monitor the amount of food you are giving your snake and to follow your veterinarian’s guidelines.
Does your snake need vitamins?
Most snakes do not need vitamins if they are being fed a healthy diet. However, there can be exceptions to this rule so it is always best to check with your veterinarian. Some snakes may benefit from vitamin supplementation if they are not eating regularly or if they have health problems.
Do Snakes eat field mice?
Yes, snakes can and will eat field mice. However, it is important to keep in mind that feeding your pet snake live prey can introduce harmful bacteria into the captive environment and can also injure or kill the snake. Pre-killed or frozen mice are a safer option and can be found at most pet stores.
Your veterinarian can provide you with more information about what is the best diet for your specific snake.
Helpful Resources
If you like this article, please share it!
