Snakes: Feeding Live Prey the Proper Way

If you have a pet snake, you have undoubtedly heard the pros and cons of feeding live prey to your pet. While more and more pet owners are opting to switch their pet snakes over to pre-killed, for some snakes owners, this is simply not an option. Some snakes are still wild caught, and are not easily switched over. Some snakes simply refuse to strike at a pre-killed prey source, or if they do, they won't eat. These scenarios leave the owner with very little choice, their pets still need to eat.

If you have one of these snakes that won't eat pre-killed for one reason or another, there are some things that you should know and practice to ensure that your pet is safe. While a snake can eat something that is the same as their girth, when dealing with live foods, it is a better idea to feed small prey and feed more often. While this can seem like a lot of extra work on the owner's part, it is much safer for the snake itself. Large prey tends to be older animals, older animals tend to fight when they are in danger. Young prey animals do not know that the snake is a danger to them and do not tend to put up much of a fight.

While it may not seem as though the prey animal can really hurt a snake, especially a large one, prey such as a rat will fight. Rats are well equipped with long, sharp teeth and claws that can do some pretty good damage to a snake that may not have a good grip or one that may not be hungry at the exact time of the feeding.

One way to avoid a snake being injured by its intended prey, be sure to wait until the snake is definitely hungry. Watch the snake for signs that the snake is hungry and ready to eat. As an owner you will learn your snakes' routine and personality. For example, if a snake who normally stays in his hide suddenly starts to come out and explore the enclosure, he is likely getting hungry. If this type of behavior continues over several days, it is probably time to feed the snake.

Another way to keep your snake out of harms way is to stun the prey. While this may not sound very appealing, it will allow the snake to eat without the chance of being harmed. A safe way to stun the prey is to place it in a bag and hit it on the counter. This generally will not kill it, but will render it incapacitated.

These methods are worth a try if you have a snake that refuses to eat pre-killed (or frozen) food.