Snakes are particularly interesting reptiles, which inspire many people with their elegance.
So it’s no wonder that more and more snake fans are choosing to buy a snake as a pet.
When keeping these animals, however, some criteria must be observed so that your animal feels completely comfortable, stays healthy and nothing stands in the way of a long snake life.
Above all, it is important that you research the snake’s natural needs in advance.
In addition to the right terrarium and its species-appropriate setup, the nutrition of the animals is of course very important.
Should I feed my snake Live or dead animals?
A snake that lives in the wild hunts its prey and then kills it.
She looks for a suitable food animal in the area, which can be a mouse, a fish or even a rabbit.
They have a natural instinct to hunt, which in turn means that most snakes only catch and eat live animals.
Snakes that live in a terrarium are often used to eating dead animals from the start.
She is not used to hunting her food.
As a result, live food animals naturally defend themselves and could injure the snake in the process.
For this reason, feeding live animals should really only be done under supervision.
However, many snake keepers have turned away from feeding live food animals and are already feeding dead animals, which are offered in the frozen state.
Of course, this has the advantage that these can be optimally portioned.
Some pet shops offer the feed animals already frozen.
As a snake holder, you can take one out and thaw it out.
However, thawed food contains fewer vitamins and nutrients.
For this reason, experts advise that the food be provided with vitamin drops or powder once a month so that the vitamin or nutrient content increases again and the snake can be completely supplied.
How often does a snake need to be fed?
Snakes are animals that are not dependent on regular feeding.
For this reason, the rhythm in which the animal should be fed is completely different from animal to animal.
So it is not a problem that you do not feed the snake for a few days.
In the wild, snakes can even do without food for several weeks.
Large boas, for example, have no problem simply not eating for two to four weeks.
In smaller animals, however, the metabolism is usually more active than in larger species.
This means that these snakes need new food after a few days, which includes most types of snakes, for example.
Pythons, on the other hand, are back at eight to twelve days.
Since these rhythms are very different, it is in any case essential
What else has to be considered when feeding snakes?
Eating as well as the subsequent digestion are very strenuous for the snake and cost a lot of energy.
It is important that the animal is given rest after feeding. It is also very important that you really keep the feeding intervals and that they become routine.
Of course, the animals should not be overfed, as snakes can quickly become fat and become sick as a result.
In addition, it can happen that the snakes otherwise choke the food.
What do snakes eat?
Snakes eat prey.
As already mentioned, this should only be given alive under supervision, as an unexpected mouse bite can quickly become infected.
For this reason, snake keepers usually resort to frozen food.
Frozen mice, which can be easily thawed if necessary, are particularly popular.
It is particularly dangerous to feed live rats or hamsters, which are much stronger and more aggressive than mice when it comes to saving your own life.
Live fish, on the other hand, are of course not too dangerous.
However, it is important to ensure that the snake should catch the fish from the container within an hour, otherwise it would die due to the lack of oxygen.
In addition, it can of course happen that the fish jump out and die in the terrarium.
So please search the terrarium carefully afterwards, if you are not sure that your snake has also eaten the fish.
Otherwise, it can quickly happen that the fish begins to rot and mould appears.
For the snake to accept the frozen prey, it must be completely thawed.
In addition, it should be warmed up slightly before feeding.
Frozen food can be frozen for a longer period of time, which of course is a clear advantage.
Snakes eat different food animals.
Mice, rats and hamsters, for example, are popular. Some shops also sell baby rabbits.
Please note, however, that some snakes do not touch the dead food.
So this means that you will be forced to use live food animals.
For this reason, it is very important that you think about whether live feeding would be an option before purchasing the snake.
As soon as you are not sure or do not know exactly that you can watch the ” suffering ” of the food animals, then the snake is not the right pet for you.
what to do when your snake refuses to feed?
It can happen from time to time that the snake does not touch the food.
The reasons for this can be very diverse, although they are often completely natural and therefore not dangerous.
In this case, it is important that you know your animal well and watches the snake.
In this way, the cause can often be identified even without a visit to a trained veterinarian.
If you cannot find out the reason, it is advisable that you seek advice from a qualified veterinarian.
It can of course also be the case that your snake is sick.
In the following you will find out possible reasons for a snake refusal to feed :
The snake is preparing for the upcoming winter rest.
In this case, feed refusal occurs in the fall.
Pregnant females often refuse to feed because of pregnancy and shortly before they lay eggs.
Even shortly after the eggs are laid, food is often still refused.
Males who are ready to mate often refuse to eat after the winter rest and the snake is also very active.
As a rule, the snakes always refuse to eat during the moulting phase.
After moulting, feeding must be postponed for 1 to 2 days.
They use the wrong prey. Snakes also have an individual taste, so not all snakes eat fish, but rather mice.
In this case, you should then offer other prey animals.
Many nocturnal snakes refuse to prey during the day.
The animals should be offered the food about 30 – 60 minutes before the light goes out so that they can accept it.
It’s too cold for your snake.
The right temperature in the terrarium is very important and can also be the reason for refusing food.
In addition, heat is very important for the metabolism and thus for the digestion of food.
Some snakes do not touch the dead food but only take live food.
Conclusion
Feeding snakes is a very important but also extensive topic.
Make sure you eat a healthy and balanced diet and only buy quality food.
Keep an eye on your snake and always adjust to the individual needs of the animals.
This is the only way to ensure that your animal is kept in a species-appropriate manner and that it can enjoy a long and healthy life.
