The Best Food for a Snake

In the wild, snakes eat a variety of animals, including frogs, small birds and other mammals. But captive snakes eat mostly mice and rats. What and how much to feed your snake depends on its age, its eventual size and its dietary requirements as it grows.

  1. Mice and Rats

    • Snakes are not vegetarians, so don't try to make them eat fruits and vegetables. They like mice and rats whole and raw. Don't provide live food. This may result in injury to the snake.

    Preparation of Food

    • Buy frozen mice and rats from a pet store or online and keep them in the freezer. Thaw what you need at room temperature. You can use warm water, but don't do it in a microwave. Snakes can refuse food that is too cold or too hot.

    Proper Feeding Method

    • Using a long pair of tongs, hold the mouse or rat by the tail and offer it to the snake. You may get bitten if you just use your fingers.

    Food Size

    • Feed very young snakes pinkies, which are the smallest and youngest mice and rats with immature bones. Switch to weans (ones that have just been weaned) as the snakes mature, then smalls, and finally adult mice and rats for adult snakes. The girth (widest circumference) of the food should be about 1 1/2 times the girth of the snake.

    Other Facts

    • Feed young snakes up to 1 year old every five to six days. Feed older snakes every 10 to 14 days. Snakes typically go without food for a long time after eating.

    Variations of Food

    • If your snake won't eat, try covering the tank or leaving the snake alone to eat. It might also like a little gravy, some tuna juice or an occasional gerbil or hamster. Make sure the food is at a temperature your snake likes.