Pet Snakes and Live Feeder Mice
How Choosing Frozen Mice Over Live Mice Can Keep Snakes Healthier
Sep 13, 2009
New snake owners are often under a quite common misconception: snakes need to hunt live prey. Some people find it exciting to watch their rodent-eating pets hunt for their food inside their enclosures, but there are serious precautions attached to feeding snakes live prey.
Live Feeder Mice can be Dangerous
For many species of snakes kept as pets, the dilemma of whether or not to provide live food is unimportant. Some commonly kept snakes, like garter snakes, water snakes, and smaller corn- and kingsnakes, can eat earthworms, fish, and pinkies, none of which can be truly hazardous if fed alive.
The majority of snakes kept as pets, though, are constrictors (such as the new-snake-owner’s favorite, the ball python). These animals grow large enough to eat regular feeder mice, rats, rabbits, and so on, and this is where there are potential problems.
Constrictors, as the name implies, wrap their bodies around their prey before consumption. During feeding, a constrictor will strike its prey, coil around it, and squeeze it tightly with robust muscles. This, however, doesn’t kill the prey; instead, this process eventually suffocates the prey, as the constriction puts so much pressure on their lungs that they can no longer breathe.
This is where things can go wrong. Live mice (or rats) don’t often hesitate to fight for their lives against this mortal enemy, and they fight teeth-first. Bites and scratches can occur anytime during the feeding process, from the initial constriction, the suffocating phase, and even right before the snake finds the head to begin consuming. And of course, where there are bites, there can be infection and a number of other, potentially worse problems.
Frozen Mice are Safe Mice
Feeding a snake pre-killed food is a simple way to avoid these problems. If a captive snake has always been fed live mice, it may take some time to acclimate to the switch, but most snakes respond well after coaxing, if needed. Frozen mice are usually easy to come by, sold in accessible freezers in large-chain pet stores. If they are unavailable, freezing live feeder mice is a viable option, as well.
How to Prepare Frozen Mice
When preparing a frozen mouse, it is important that the creature is thawed thoroughly. If there are frozen bits inside the mouse, this can cause digestive distress within the snake, and in extreme cases, can even kill it.
There are several ways to effectively thaw a frozen mouse. The quickest way, though not the most popular one, is to put the mouse in the microwave for a minute or so. Another way is to put the mouse in a plastic bag and soak it in hot water for about fifteen or twenty minutes. Once the mouse is thawed thoroughly, let the feeding begin.
Snakes that were previously accustomed to eating live prey may need to be coaxed at first. This is relatively easy to accomplish with feeding tongs or a long, poking-type of object (like an expendable, blunt kitchen utensil). Some owners like to dangle the thawed mouse before the snake to simulate movement, but snakes don’t always have the best striking aim. This is best avoided. With the tongs, simply make the mouse look like it’s moving near the snake. This method usually works quite well. Eventually, the unaccustomed snake will likely accept pre-killed prey without the coaxing.
Many snake owners, experienced and neophytes alike, have lost beloved pet snakes to the live feeding experience. Though it can be educational and fascinating to watch a snake hunt and feed on live prey, there are too many chances a pet owner takes in this endeavor. Feeding pre-killed prey to pets helps to ensure a long, injury-free life.
Feeding Snakes Live Mice Can Be Dangerous
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Live Feeder Mice Fight Back
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Feeding Snakes with Tongs is Wise
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