Feeding Snakes
There are two main aspects to feeding snakes, Defrosting the food and offering the food.
The best way to defrost food for your snake is to place it in a sealed Tupperware tub inside the fridge (overnight for large foods and for a couple of hours for small foods). The purpose of the Tupperware tub is to prevent contact with human food items and the reason it is in the fridge is because it defrosts the food at a safe temperature and slowly. Around twenty minutes before you are going to offer the food to your snake lift it out of the fridge and leave it at room temperature in the box. It is important to keep the handling of the food down to a minimum as the human scent on rodents can put some snakes off feeding.
Do
NOT :
- Defrost food in the Microwave – you are more likely to explode the food all over the microwave than defrost it, also snakes do not need their food cooking!
- Defrost the food on radiators – this defrosts the food too fast and can lead to an increase in the amount of bacteria in the intestines of the snake (and has been known to kill snakes).
- Defrost food in the sun – see above.
- Defrost food in hot water – see above.
The best way to feed your snake is to pick the food up by the base of the tail with a set of tongs and hold the food about 3cm in front of the snake. Ideally feed your snakes in a separate feeding container, this will reduce the chance of substrate ingestion and fouling of the vivarium.
It is important that you do not;
- Feed the snake when it is in slough or starting to slough. This can damage the new skin developing and if the snake does not feed can be quite stressful. Keep an eye out for the pre-shed blush/blue or opaque eyes.
- If you are feeding guinea pigs or hamsters – ensure that the stomach is cut as they have thick skin and can cause stomach upsets.
- Do not feed anything to your snakes that is wider than the widest part of the snakes body; this can lead to regurgitation and may put your snake off feeding.
- Do not feed your snake with your hands, always use tongs. This will reduce the connection between feeding time and food and stop you being bitten by a badly aimed feeding strike.
- Do not feed live prey; this is unnecessary stress on both the snake and the prey. Many a snake has been killed or seriously injured by a rodent defending itself.
- Do not feed wild rodent. These may have been poisoned or may carry disease and a high parasite load.
- Do not feed snakes together, as two snakes trying to eat the snake prey item may end up eating each other by accident and you may be bitten trying to separate them.
- Avoid feeding on a substrate which may be ingested accidentally during feeding as this can cause a blockage in the digestive system.
- If you are feeding bird prey then ensure that the feet and beak are removed, many snakes have had their mouths/oesophagus damaged by a sharp claw/beak.
- For larger snakes, use captive farmed rabbits where possible, if wild rabbits are used ensure that they are not shot as this can give your snake lead poisoning and ensure that your snake is wormed regularly.
- Also if rabbits are used try to vary the diet with rats/poultry as a staple diet of rabbits can lead to obese snakes.
- Do not handle your snake for 24-48 hours after feeding as this may lead to regurgitation.
- If your snake shows no interest in the food, then wiggle it a little; do not chase the snake around the enclosure as this will scare it off feeding still further.
- If your snake refuses its food do not refreeze it, this can kill your snake.
If your snake refuses to feed, do not panic. Simply follow the checks below;
- Ensure the temperature is correct.
- Ensure the humidity is correct.
- Check the mouth for signs of swelling.
- Check the snake has not got pieces of old skin on its eyes or nose.
- Check the snake is not in ecdysis (sloughing).
- Make sure the food prey is not too big.
- Check for parasites in the faeces.
- Is your snake gravid?
- Is it the time of year for the snake to stop feeding naturally?
- Are you over handling it? (see separate sheet on handling)
- Are you offering the correct prey species and colour for the snake?
Many snakes will fast for short periods of time naturally (especially Royal Python). If you are in any doubt then seek help/advise.
If your snake has not eaten for a prolonged time and is loosing weight then consult a veterinarian.
Recommended Reading/Useful Contacts
Stuart Dodsworth –
stuartandlynette@dodsworth2005.wanadoo.co.uk
The International Herpetological Society –
www.international-herp-society.co.uk
The British Herpetological Society –
www.thebhs.org
www.petsnakes.co.uk
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