How to Feed Your Tennessee Baby Grey Snake

Tennessee grey snakes are a type of rat snake, and are not typically sold in pet stores. They are nonvenomous, but tend to have an aggressive nature. Feeding is easy while it is young, as its diet will consist of small frogs, lizards and the occasional baby mouse. They are not big enough yet to handle anything larger than this. As it gets older you may start offering it larger prey, but until then you must stick to smaller food. Your Tennessee baby grey snake should be fed about once a week until it is 2 years old.

Things You'll Need

  • Plastic container with lid
  • Handheld electric drill
  • 1/8-inch drill bit
  • Small frog, lizard or pinkie mouse (live)
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Instructions

    • 1

      Purchase an unused plastic container such as Tupperware, about 2 feet by 2 feet and 1 foot tall with a tight-fitting lid. Attach the 1/8-inch drill bit to the handheld electric drill. Drill six holes in each side of the container toward the top. This will provide air holes for your snake to breathe through while it is in the container.

    • 2

      Place both your snake and its live food into the container. Remember that your snake's food must be as big as the circumference of its midsection or smaller. If its food is any larger than this it can cause serious internal problems, and can lead to its death. Secure the lid tightly so that neither animal can escape. After your Tennessee grey snake has fully consumed its food, leave it in the container for another hour at least to give it time to digest its food. If you remove it from the container too soon it will stress your snake and possibly cause it to vomit. Vomiting in snakes can damage their esophagus and should be avoided at all costs.

    • 3

      Replace your snake in its tank and secure the lid properly so it cannot escape. Remember that snakes can push unsecured lids off of containers and tanks. Do not disturb it or attempt to handle it for at least three days after each feeding as this can also induce stress and vomiting.

    • 4

      Store the plastic container in a cool place away from heat. High temperatures may cause chemicals to seep out of the plastic and may leave residue on either your snake or its prey. These chemicals can be very harmful to your pet and can even cause death. Be sure to prevent this by keeping the plastic container away from heat at all times.