Snakes are carnivores and must rely on meat to survive. Vegetables or fruits cannot provide them with sufficient nutrition; snakes require meat for survival.
Snakes typically feed on rodents, eggs, amphibians (frogs and toads), worms, other reptiles, as well as fish. Some snakes also prey upon birds.
Contents
Insects
Snakes are carnivorous reptiles that can consume a wide range of prey items. They have been known to feed on small mammals, birds, lizards and even fish.
Snakes do not eat plants, however. Plants do not supply enough calories for snakes to sustain them and they cannot digest plants well enough for them to get enough nutrition.
Snakes often rely on insects for protein and can provide a significant portion of their diet. They frequently raid gardens looking for ants, spiders, grasshoppers and other arthropods.
Rough green snakes, ribbon snakes, and garter snakes all feed on insects. Since these serpents are smaller than pythons, they may be suitable for owners who do not wish to be intimidated by larger creatures.
Snakes often consume insects to reduce their hunger while they search for more substantial prey. Many younger snakes feed on insects before moving onto larger prey items.
Birds
Snakes are carnivores, meaning they will eat anything they can get their hands on. This includes worms and insects to eggs, mice and even other snakes.
Snakes often consume birds, though which type depends on their species and environment. In Africa, for instance, snakes will eat eggs from chickens, ostriches and quail.
Scientists still do not understand why these animals pierce an egg with their sharp teeth and consume its entire contents – including its shell. It’s a widespread practice among certain tribes, though why they do it remains unknown.
Studies have even suggested that snakes may have a special cue when they observe bird nests with potential food sources. For instance, rats in an enclosure study tracked the head movements of a model bird that visited some nests but not others.
Snakes often exhibit this behavior when they know where to find potential prey. It could be as simple as increased activity around the nest during times when parents take their young in or out for feeding.
Rats
Rat snakes are non-venomous carnivorous carnivores that feed on various prey, mostly rodents. They coil around their prey and squeeze until it dies from suffocation before swallowing it whole.
They enjoy feeding on small frogs, toads and even birds. With their swimming and climbing skills they are able to capture these creatures in trees, swamps, buildings and lakes.
Young snakes tend to feed on cold-blooded prey such as lizards, frogs and baby mice until they reach adult size; then they switch over to eating warmer-blooded creatures.
Rat snakes are carnivores and should be offered a variety of prey items such as birds, lizards, rats and eggs. Ideally, frozen food should be offered instead of live prey so the animals can freeze at their optimal temperature without risk of dehydration or nutritional deficiencies.
Poultry
Rat snakes are commonly observed around chicken coops. They prey upon small rodents such as mice and rats.
They enjoy eating bird eggs and young poultry. They frequently consume egg shells, which they regurgitate and then spit back up.
These snakes usually don’t carry poison, but they still possess the potential to bite.
In the United States, several species of snakes will eat chicken eggs or baby chicks. These include rat snakes, king snakes, milk snakes and black snakes.
Some of these snakes are large enough to cause fatal harm to adult chickens or pullets if they enter the coop.
Poultry can provide essential protein and other essential nutrients for snakes, but should never replace rodents in their diet. Instead, poultry should serve as a supplement and be fed as part of an overall balanced nutrition plan.
