Snakes are reptiles. They live in the wild and have habitats. However, snakes, as well as their younglings, can be kept as pets. In the same high-quality, resource manner in which other house pets are reared, is the same way snakes are reared.
The maintenance for pet snakes may seem low but their health and happiness require a lot of attention. Are you bothered about how to care for your newly acquired pet snakes? Creating a home for your pets is what you should consider first, then their feed and care.
Snakes shed their skin, monitor on a regular basis, and clean their cage to enhance their good health.
What Do Baby Snakes Eat?
The most important thing to consider when asking what baby snakes eat is the size of what they eat. There is not much difference between what adult snakes eat and what baby snakes eat. The food baby snakes consume is similar to their folks. Generally, they consume small creatures, eggs, and tiny insects as long as sizeable enough to fit into their mouth.
Below are some of the food they consume
1. Earthworms
Earthworms are found in various areas of the globe and they are readily available for baby snake consumption. Earthworms tend to be the popular food for baby snakes as they can simply capture, even the full-grown, and digest them easily.
Baby snakes catch and split earthworms easily without the aid of their mother.
2. Mice
Mice are common prey to snakes. Snakes are fond of them as they usually fall, victim, when they come near snake territory. Since baby snakes are small and have little appetite, they find it hard to swallow a whole mouse alone. They could only consume a portion when their mother captured the mouse.
Baby snakes can only attack newborn mice and eat them. They look for other species of mouse, most especially their young ones if mice are scared in their territory.
3. Insects
Insects like leeches, slugs, and other insects are a good taste for snakes.
4. Amphibians
Snakes are also known as killers. They are notorious for their deadly nature. Frogs and other amphibians are prey to snakes. Baby snakes also attack amphibians.
Baby snakes hunt for tadpoles just like mouse offsprings go after tadpoles. Tadpoles are usually found close to water bodies and they are highly proteinous.
5. Fishes
Fishes are food for snakes. They are also proteinous food for snakes. Baby snakes hunt for fish and all kinds of fish eggs found in the ocean.
Some garter baby snakes can swim, they dive into the water to catch fish, and devour them.
Apart from natural foods or diets snakes feed on in their environment, there are other additional foods fed to them to boost their growth and development. These are called food supplements.
Food supplements, that are rich in certain calcium and vitamins are given to baby snakes to satisfy their need.
What Do Baby Snakes Eat In The Wild?
Different mother snakes have different ways they treat their baby snakes in the wild. Some baby snakes are left to forage for food on their own. Some when they are still eggs are abandoned by their so that they can search for food on their own when they eventually emerge.
Some baby snakes are cared for by their mother for short time but once they pull off their first skin, they will be left alone to go in search of food.
Baby will forage and hunt for bugs, mice, frogs, and other reptiles once they approach young adulthood. Neonates and hatchlings are smaller prey for baby snakes as they can’t digest larger meals. As they get bigger, their diet will change.
How Do Baby Snakes Eat?
Snakes generally do not have paws and claws that enable them to tear their food, that is why they need a specific method to eat their food.
Snakes possess flexible tendons, ligaments, and muscles which make their mouth wide enough to contain everything whole. They also possess two independent lower jaws that help them feed on large animals such as gazelles.
Snakes are known to be ‘Superb multitaskers’. Every food can be pushed all the way down into the stomach of snakes with the aid of their throat muscles. So, they are never bothered when it comes to chewing their meals to be softened.
How To Feed Baby Snakes
In feeding your baby pet snakes, some steps are involved. Let’s briefly take about the steps:
Step one:
The meals for your baby pet snakes should be frozen. Already dead rats and mice are what pet snakes eat, as while they hunt in the wild they go in search of their food. When you go to the pet stores, prey items like rodents are killed and frozen for snakes.
Pet snake owners should have a freezer stored with these items for the consumption of their baby pet snakes. It is advisable to get a different freezer for stocking snake food instead of storing your own food in the same freezer.
Step two:
Baby snakes need food often. Bigger snakes shouldn’t be fed more than young snakes. Larger or older snakes should be fed once between 1-3 weeks but young snakes need to consume food twice every week.
Note that there is an increase in appetite for female snakes once breeding seasons start.
A good indicator of when to give food to your snakes is the snake’s demeanor. Inquire from a vet if you’re not too sure of when to feed your pet snakes.
Snakes eat when they are hungry, if they refuse to eat when you give them food, it means they are not hungry.
Step 3:
Pet snakes may refuse to eat food at times, simply wiggle it. Bring the food closer in front of your pet snakes to attract their attention to it.
Step 4:
The terrarium can be covered with a cloth when snakes refuse to eat initially. Terrarium where your snakes, for 30-60 minutes should be covered with a black cloth, leaving your snakes inside.
Step 5:
If your baby snakes refuse to consume dead food, you can serve your snakes live food. In pet stores, specifically for snake consumption, they bred live rats and mice. Purchase it for your snakes.
Keep a close eye to see if your pet snakes capture and consume their prey as there are some prey that might in turn attack your pet thereby inflicting injuries on them.
Step 6:
The water dish for your pet snakes should be full and clean.
Frequently, check for debris and change water to allow your pet snakes to have access to fresh water and feel comfortable.
What Are The Natural Predators Of Baby Snakes?
Snakes in the wild go hunting for their food in their habitat. Rodents, birds, and other small animals are what snakes prey on. These animals are careful of them. However, there are animals that are threats to snakes. Below is the list of them.
– Mongoose
Mongooses are meat-eating rodents. They are cute and tiny in nature. Snakes happen to be mongoose’s favorite food, though they consume other food like crabs, insects, rats, Lizards, small birds, and mammals.
On other hand, snakes can consume mongooses as meals. The end to be foes to each other. The fight between the two animals is for survival.
– Crocodiles
Crocodiles are reptiles but deadly ones. They consume snakes as a meal. The venom of snakes is never their worry as the fangs of snakes cannot penetrate their thick skin, so they don’t face the danger of being poisoned.
The saltwater crocodiles with vigor chaste after sea snakes and consume them.
– Hawks
Hawks have round wings and lengthy tails and they are the world’s predatory birds. Right in the air, they can spot food with their exceptional eyesight.
Hawk suddenly catches their prey by surprise as within a few inches they slowly descend on their prey and pounce on them. Snakes are the favorite for the red-tailed hawks. Although other species of hawks may be seen killing and eating snakes, the most common species are the red-tailed hawks.
– Eagles
Eagles built are like that of a vulture but they don’t have a bald head like that of the vulture. They are known as the king of birds and they are also powerful raptors.
Eagles possess two powerful weapons ( hook beak and powerful talon) which they effectively use on their prey and feed on them. Like others, eagles swiftly prey on snakes.
– Owls
Owls are birds that prey but their appearance differs from other raptors. Owl possesses a round head, two huge dome-shaped eyes, and a nocturnal routine.
Owls kill and consume snakes. But the smaller species like the screech owls feared being attacked by predators so they only hunt for insects instead.
– Falcons
Falcon are birds that also kill and feed on snakes. They are known to dare the most poisonous snakes. Though it’s uncommon for them to prey on snakes.
Other predators of snakes are the tigers and foxes.
Conclusion
New-born snakes may not eat immediately after they are born. Properly and frequently feed them once they begin to eat.
Provide fresh, clean water for your baby pet snakes as they will absorb it and not drink the water. Make sure to provide a conducive environment for them.
