Snake Food Preferences

The variety of snakes kept in captivity is considerable and their food preferences are quite variable. Following is a list of preferred prey animals for the snakes most commonly kept in captivity:

Boa constrictors, pythons, rat snakes, gopher or bull snakes:

- Warm-blooded prey is preferred, such as rodents and birds. Juveniles of these species prefer the very small warm-blooded prey species.

- They may also consume very small lizards and snakes. Some tree boas and pythons prefer lizards to mammals and birds.


Garter snakes, ribbon snakes, water snakes, etc.:

- Fish, frogs, salamanders, toads, earthworms, slugs and carrion are preferred.

- Many accept dead mice if they are covered with the external mucus of frogs or fish before they are offered.


Indigo snakes, king snakes, and many racers:

- Warm-blooded (mice, etc) and cold-blooded prey (other snakes, lizards, etc) are preferred.

- The indigo snake prefers frogs but may eat anything when hungry, including dog or cat food.


Ring-neck or brown snakes and their relatives:

- Salamanders, earthworms, very small snakes and lizards are the foods of choice.


Racers, vine snakes, coachwhips:

- Lizards are preferred. Racers also eat mice and chicks of ground-nesting birds.

- The young of these snakes eat large insects, such as crickets and grasshoppers.