Domestic Snake Feeding: Learn More
Nutritional variations are very common in reptiles, although snakes do not. A few rodents will suffice, but feeding the domestic snake has a certain degree of complexity.
Rodents: the basis of your diet
Rodents are the favorite food of this species. In captivity, their main food is rats, although they also eat rabbits and guinea pigs.
We can define the snake as a basically carnivorous animal, although some species are omnivorous. Their inclination to eat rodents has to do with their way of hunting and their own body characteristics.
With regard to nutritional contributions, everything will basically depend on the diet, from each type of rodent. In addition, the fact that the snake can eat the entire animal, makes it able to absorb all the nutrients it has.
How do we serve food?
Generally, pet owners buy frozen rodents. So, the correct thing is to wait for the mouse or hamster to thaw naturally. Obviously, we cannot give them frozen and it is not advisable to heat them artificially.
Those who already have a snake at home should know that this reptile should only be fed once a week, in general. The rest and digestion of this animal are slow processes, which can vary according to the species.
The best thing is that the rodent is dead
Even though they are excellent hunters, it is best to get snakes used to eating dead rodents. The objective is to prevent any mouse from causing any damage to the reptile during the fight.
In time, she will get used to it and her head and torso are unharmed. It is worth noting that if a snake rejects a particular rodent, it is best not to insist that it eat it, as it may be contaminated.
Feeding the domestic snake
There is a basic principle that governs the feeding of the domestic snake: the smaller it is, the more it will feed. While they are young, their metabolism is faster and the size of the prey they can swallow is smaller. However, when they grow they are considered a large species.
For example, when the reptile is newborn and measures up to 90 cm, it should be fed one or two rats per week. On the other hand, up to a limit of 180 cm it is adequate to give one mouse every seven or ten days.
In case the animal exceeds 180 cm in length, the feed should be a rabbit, given every ten days or more. The more food it processes, the faster and more uncontrolled it will grow.
It’s not all rats
In the feeding of the domestic snake, the rat is the main dish, but it is not the only one. We have already mentioned that in the case of older reptiles, the most convenient animal to offer is the rabbit.
However, there are other combinations we can try. For example, if we want to vary, we can put a mixture of fish with some benign insects like larvae. Crickets are not a food option as they can eat the reptile’s scales.
It is worth noting that some species of reptiles eat eggs or even other small reptiles such as frogs.
Rest, the key to feeding the domestic snake
The process of rest and hibernation is what allows this animal to swallow prey whole. Therefore, owners should try to respect this rest period, avoiding touching the snake.
The first three days are key and the ideal is to leave them alone in your nursery. Handling them at this time can lead to vomiting and the entire expulsion of food. Another thing to remember is that many snakes feed at night.
Respecting the digestive cycles of these pets, raised in captivity, as opposed to wild ones, is vital for their development and well-being. We have to take into account that adaptation to some specific qualities of the animal kingdom is necessary.
