What do you feed snakes? I intend to get and keep a pet rattlesnake - do I feed it snakefood?

Answer 1

Darla G has it right, a rattlesnake is not a friendly pet for a first time herp owner. If you haven't done your research on it, I doubt you are prepared to care for a snake, never mind a rattle snake.

Do some research, and then consider maybe a ball python or a corn snake to start with.

Ally

Answer 2

First off, to clear up a few things stated above..
Rattlesnakes DO NOT eat humans. Yes, they can bite and cause some damage but a rattlesnake is far too small to eat a human.
2nd...Not all areas require a hot license.. I am located in Alabama and there are no rattlesnake restrictions or license requirements where I am at.
You need to check your local laws before you get a snake.

I do agree that if you have no idea what a snake eats, then you have no business owning one. Especially a venomous snake. You need to start with a non-venomous animal and know what you are doing before even attempting with a rattler.

Now, on to your question.. Snakes can eat mice, rats, gerbils, hamsters, guinea pigs, chicks, chickens,rabbits, goats or pigs. It all depends on the snakes size. A rattlesnake will never eat a rabbit or anything larger. At full grown a large rat will probably do.
Hope that helps

Answer 3

I was gonna leave this one alone, but I've got to clear something up.

Jesse P. suggests having the fangs removed, this DOES NOT DO ANY GOOD AT ALL. Snakes will regrow teeth as many times as they need to, and it's not uncommon for any pit viper to have more than two fangs in at one time, I've seen unretouched photos of an eastern diamondback rattler with four fangs in at one time.

However, (and if a rattlesnake is going to be your very first snake, this is what I suggest, good luck finding a vet who can do it though.) There is a surgery that can be done, much like a vasectomy, but instead of making the snake infertile, the venom ducts are disconnected. This prevents venom from travelling from the glands to the fangs, thereby rendering your "venomous" snake all but harmless. (keep in mind, they can still bite.) Your snake will not appear any different than a wild, unaltered snake of the same species.

Anyway, if you don't even know what snakes eat, you have no business keeping any snakes, much less a rattler. It's easier and cheaper to get a rat snake or a ball python or something along those lines. No need to show how macho you are by owning a snake that has saliva that attacks red blood cells.

Answer 4

IF YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO FEED A SNAKE, DO YOURSELF AND THE SNAKE A FAVOR AND DON'T GET ONE. I would highly advise not getting a rattlesnake as your first snake. Many states and municipalities either ban or restrict keeping venomous snakes. Most experts will tell you that keeping "hots" requires several years of experience and is NOT for beginners. Do some reading, find a knowledgeable pet store and ask questions. As far as feeding snakes go, most prey on rodents- mice and rats for the most part. Young snakes can usually be conditioned to accept pre-killed or frozen/thawed mice, which is much safer for the snake as there have been cases of snakes being mauled or even killed by rodents. Large snakes (anacondas, Burmese pythons, Reticulated pythons) need much larger prey They will take down rabbits, pigs, chickens and even frozen turkeys. Some snakes specialize in other prey. Kingsnakes are so named because they will eat other snakes, including rattlers. Garter snakes thrive in captivity on gold fish. Some eat insects, like green snakes. And Coral Snakes (highly venomous, colorful snakes from the southeast, Texas and southwest) specialize in either lizards or amphibians.

Oh, and don't get a "devenomized" snake- not only is it cruel (how would like having your teeth and glands ripped out) it deprives the snake of a major part of it's digestive system- the venom. "Venomoid" snakes often die as a result of the catastrophic surgery involved, or simply won't eat and starve to death. And one more thing: snakes constantly grow new fangs.

Answer 5

although depending on your city / state which you reside in, it may be illegal to keep venomous reptiles. In my state it isn't against the law nor do you have to have a permit or license. I will say this though, such actions would prevent alot of unknowledgeable people from keeping and possessing animals that are not only dangerous to themselves but others around you as well. Ive been keeping, breeding and lecturing about snakes for over 20 years and have only recently (in the past 6 months) ventured into venomous to keep on a permanent basis. Rattlesnakes are far from pets, although beautiful to look at, even the smaller pygmy rattlers pack quite a wallop if accidentally bitten by one. It sounds as if you need to get a few books to read up on before you even venture into a rat snake, much less a rattlesnake. Not only are they dangerous, they are a living animal which demands you have as much information about it as possible, its health and yours depends on it!!!!!!

Answer 6

First of all you know absolutely nothing about keeping snakes. so unless you buy a book and read many many many articles I suggest not getting one. Although snakes are easy to care for, there are many crucial components to snake keeping. Second of all unless you live in a state that allows hot snakes, venomous reptiles, you can't get one with out a liscence. Third of all no inexperienced keeper should ever ever ever try to keep a hot snake. Fourth of all the few reptile keepers who keep hots never handle them. It is just to dangerous and not worth it. Last of all, there is no such thing as snake food, snakes don't eat comercial foods. You have to buy frozen/thawed rodents from a rodent breeder or if you can find a pet store they might sell some. The pet stores usually sell rodents at high prices.
I suggest you got to WWW.anaspid.org and read the care sheets on snakes preferably the ball pythons and corn snakes.


--------r3ptile5
feel free to email me

Answer 7

that's merciless for the prey. And what approximately whilst the snake is killed with the help of the animal? i'm no longer cool with rats and mice. basically a million week in the past I observed 4 fuzzy mice (toddlers with fur yet eyes nevertheless closed) their mom, and yet another white woman mouse from being fed to a snake. i'm no longer able to understand the way people would desire to seem into the eyes of that candy animal and then feed it to a reptile. Now the mice have their eyes open and basically seem so happy to be rescued, it basically makes my day. i'm no longer able to understand why people would be that merciless to the two the snake and to the prey. And, snakes should not be pets in any respect, how would you experience to would desire to lie in a cage doing no longer something all day? interior the wild, snakes are a minimum of waiting to do what they pick, no longer what's handy for the guy.

Answer 8

you want a rattler ? how old are ya where ya from what snakes have you kept and how long. if its going to be your first snake then i would suggest you change your mind. hots are not beginner snakes. you need to work your way up to owning them one mistake could be your last, and if you want to get one to be cool there are easier ways to be cool then dieing. i keep venomous and have about 7 rattlers all would bite if they got the chance they are not pets and dont care who they bite. someone said a rattler couldn't eat a rabbit well it would depend on the size of both i have seen some big rattlers that could eat a 2 -3 pound rabbit. and a bite from a rattler could be really bad even if you don't die, my friend took a bite from a 5 foot western diamond back and almost lost his arm, he has a scare form his wrist to his elbow on his forearm plus a hospital bill of $49,000 if you think its worth it then get the expirence first then start with a good beginner hot. even if you got a venomoid it should still be treated like a hot, if they dont remove all of the gland then it could regenerate and would be venomous again and you would have no idea i have also heard of venomoid bites causing allergic reactions.

if you want to email me i would give ya some info, but i think you should wait to get one


email is [e-mail]

there are my snake pics ya can see some rattlers there

http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b353/parker1167/My%20Snakes/?start=all

Answer 9

1 most snakes eat mice and rats 2. rattlesnakes are pissy and are bad starting pet snakes so try a corn snake

Answer 10

rattlesnakes tend to take interest in mice...but you never know when ur pet might become best freinds with its food.
yes, it has been shown many times on t.v that the rattle snake does not it a mouse that is given to it and they both start living together!