Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My eastern milk snake was recently captured at a local forest. The milk snake is beautiful, and I would like to keep it. However as with my last Garter Snake baby, we can not seem to get it to eat.

The Milk Snake is about 1 - 1 1/2 feet long, and isn't very wide, maybe half an inch. So far we have only tried Crickets, he was interested in them for about a minute, then hasn't thouched them since. He has been off food for roughly a week, but we would think we would see some activity with him and the food.

Right now we are going to try fish, but are unsure if it will work. Pinkies are to big, and if this dosn't work, were at a draw. Were not sure if we should forcefeed, or try some food that is unknown to us. We have however not tried pinkies, because of his size we think they might be to big? Arnt you only suppose to feed a snake something that is the same width, or close to the same width as the snake? If you could help us on our "feeding" issue before it is to late, that would be great.

On a side note, yes, my last garter snake never ate and died in 3 months.

First thing, being a wild snake, they are slow to accomdate to captivity. It would be better to release it back in the same area you found it.

Second, you had it only a week, so it's in no danger of dying yet. SO force feeding should not be attempted. Even with captive bred snakes, it can take at least a week for them to accomodate to their new home before they feel secure enough to feed.

Third: dont' feed fish, fish isn't part of their natural diet. In the wild they eat rodents, birds, lizards and even other snakes. Insects are also not part of their diet.

Fourth: I suggest doing some research online about the care of milk snakes and eastern milk snakes. Assuming of course you do decide to keep it.

I would offer it pinky mice, live if possible. Typically they can eat food that is up to 1.5 times the girth of the thickest part of their body (empty of course). You compare the prey's girth to that of the snakes, not prey length. Pinky mice are about a quarter inch in girth.

Make sure the tank is set up correctly, with the correct range of temps, humdity and secure hiding places. If the snake doesn't feel secure, he won't eat. Also, if you do plan to keep the snake, it would be good to take him to a vet and get him treated for both internal and external parasites.

I'm not possitive but I believe it is illegal to keep eastern milksnakes in Canada .. Ontario at least.

But anyways a milksnake will not eat crickets. In their first year in the wild they eat salamanders, small frogs and baby snakes. I'm possitive about the baby snakes since I have seen this happen with a baby milksnake before in the wild. Ringneck, brown, redbelied, smooth green, garter ... all of them have tiny babies. It is not natural for them to eat baby mice but that should be the first thing that you try. A little bit wider than the head is ok.

What did you try feeding your garter snake? They should eat almost anything .. worms, crickets, grasshoppers, baby mice, frogs ... in the future after 3-4 weeks you should release anything that is not eating... maybe even sooner as they may not do well in the wild when they haven't eaten in so long.