Snakes are carnivores, and their diet varies depending on their species. Some eat warm-blooded prey like mice and rats, while others eat birds, insects, fish, and other reptiles.
As a snake owner, you can help make your pet’s diet more balanced by supplementing it with some snake food pellets. Pellets provide a source of protein, fat, and minerals that snakes may not get from fresh foods alone.
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Mice
If you’re a vegetarian, or simply don’t like to feed live rodents to your snake, you can still provide a complete and balanced diet by offering them snake food pellets. These contain a wide range of protein, fat, and fiber.
They can also help prevent dietary-related diseases, and can improve the overall health of your pet snake. In addition, they’re inexpensive and easy to source from any reputable pet store.
Mice are omnivores, meaning they eat both meat and vegetables. They should be offered a diet that includes species-specific rodent pellets, fresh vegetables and fruits, and occasional treats.
The best pellets for mice are Barastoc GR 2 and Clark King, and Norco pellets also make excellent pet food.
Reptilinks are a popular choice for snake owners who don’t want to feed rodents, but not all snakes take them easily or even at all! Ball pythons are notoriously finicky eaters, so it’s best to ask about the suitability of these links before buying.
Chicks
There are a few reasons why snakes prefer chicks over rodents as prey. First, snakes are less likely to eat mice or rats because they can be difficult for them to swallow.
Next, rats and mice contain a variety of bacteria that can make snakes sick. Chicken, on the other hand, is safe for snakes to eat.
The only downside to feeding chicks is that it’s more expensive and harder to find than rodents or eggs. However, most reputable pet stores carry chicks, and it’s cheaper than buying them at the farm store or deli.
Chicks are also much smaller than mice or rats, so your snake won’t have to struggle as much. They’re also easier for your snake to suck on. And if you need to thaw them before use, just place them in hot water and they’ll be fine to eat. Just don’t microwave them! It’s best to use long metal tongs to hold the food.
Fish
Garter snakes, ribbon snakes, and water snakes often eat fish as part of their diet. However, you shouldn’t feed fish to other snake species, such as corn snakes or ball pythons, because they tend to be carnivorous and can contract disease or parasites from wild-caught prey items.
If your pet snake doesn’t eat fish, consider offering some frozen rodents, such as mice or rats, from the pet store. These are better than live rodents because they don’t cause your snake to contract diseases or parasites.
Alternatively, you could offer reptile food pellets, which are available at Reptilinks. These pellets are shaped like sausage links and are mess-free.
Garter snakes, ribbon snakes, water snakes, and many other snakes commonly eat a variety of foods in the wild, including fish, birds, and insects/invertebrates. Some of these foods, such as earthworms and nightcrawlers, can also be offered to snakes in captivity.
Other Snack Foods
Snake food pellets are not the only way to get your reptile to eat. There are some other foods that can be fed to snakes, including human food.
For example, you can give your snake an egg.
You can also offer red meat, preferably whole.
Lastly, you can offer fish, which is a popular food among garter snakes and water snakes.
However, be aware that fish can cause digestive issues in some snakes.
It is also important to remember that most fish can contain parasites, so you will need to take care of this.
In the latest trade journal, there is a company that sells a sausage-like food item that can be given to snakes in small batches. It’s called the Reptilinks, and it is a mess-free alternative to feeding your pet snake a live animal. Some snakes will take it, and some won’t. You will need to experiment with this method until you find out what your snake prefers.
