If you are a fan of reptiles, snakes can be an excellent pet to have. Compared to other reptiles, they are relatively easier to take care of. Paired with nominal feeding and the lack of an exercise regiment, snakes might just be your dream pet! As with all pets, proper research will be required to maintain the well-being of your snake.
In this article, we will be going through pointers on how to feed your reptile correctly with the help of frozen rats for snake food. These are readily available through the PetWave website and can be delivered along with several other treats and gear for your snake and its enclosure. We offer free shipping for orders over 149$ so if you require a bulk order, contact us today!
Do I heat my snake’s food before feeding?
Yes. Bringing up your pet snake’s food to the temperature is a requirement before feeding your pet snake. Since they are not used to eating cold prey, you will have to warm the frozen rodent for your snake with this simple process:
- Place the frozen food in a plastic bag.
- Put the bag it comes in in a pot with cold water first to thaw it out. Another option for this step is to place the bag in a bowl and let it defrost in the refrigerator overnight.
- After it has defrosted, put it in a bowl with hot (not boiling) water and wait for it to warm up. This process reduces the temperature without you having to handle the rat directly.
Once it is warm, try to serve it to your snake immediately. You’re probably better off investing in a temperature gun and checking to see if the temperature of the rodent is at a minimum of 30° C. The highest temperature you want it to be is about 35° C. This is the ideal temperature for the snake to digest it’s food properly.
When preparing your pet's food, try to do this as far away as possible from your kitchen. While our products are disease and parasite-free, frozen rats or mice can still cause harm if not handled properly.
For a complete guide on frozen rodent feeds, you can take a look at our comprehensive guide here.
Do I need feeding tongs?
While it is not absolutely necessary to use feeding forceps, it is safer to use them to place your snake's food into their enclosure. Especially if you are particular about germs or touching a post-mortem rodent, we highly recommend having a pair. You can look at the feeding forceps we have available at PetWave.
How often does my snake need to eat?
For younger snakes, you need to feed them 1-2 times a week to help facilitate their growth. In this stage, we recommend using frozen mice as they are small enough for them to digest properly. Once they get older, you are required to feed them once every 10-14 days. For the remainder of their lifespan, frozen rats come highly recommended by experts.
As you would do with any pet, make sure you do your research depending on what species of snake you have and follow feeding instructions on what and when to feed them as required. Avoid overfeeding snakes, especially if they are in a smaller tank and they will not move around as much.
Why is my snake not eating?
There could be several factors contributing to this behaviour from your pet snake.
It could be:
Temperature:
From the food to the tank temp, the climate has to be ideal for your snake to eat and digest properly. A good way to monitor tank temperature would be to use a digital thermometer.
Location:
Ensure your snakes enclosure is at a location suitable for feeding and away from loud noises and bright lights.
Timing:
Most snakes prefer to eat once they have excreted and post a full shed of their skin.
Stress:
Occasionally, your snake will be stressed from situations like moving enclosures and sudden changes in weather/body temperature. We recommend not disturbing the snake during feeding time as they need to be comfortable and undisturbed while eating.
Size of the food:
If your snake is a small fella he probably wouldn’t be able to properly digest a full frozen rat. You might have to switch to something smaller like mice, frogs, or insects.
Is feeding my snake frozen food better ?
Yes, frozen food for snakes is highly recommended compared to live food. The stress of hunting while being in an enclosure might put the snake off wanting to eat. There is also a strong possibility that live food(rodents) will attack and potentially injure your pet snake.
With this simple set of feeding guidelines for your snake, be sure to always be flexible for the needs of your pet snake. After some time, you will be able to identify pattens in the snakes schedule that will make it easier to decide when and what you should be feeding your slinky buddy.
Pick up a variety of different items through the PetWave website and make your pet snake feel at home straight away. From food items to forceps, PetWave can be your hub for all things reptile! Have any more questions? Check out our FAQ’s to see if that will solve your queries. If not, contact us for any information specific to your pet.