Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hello all

im about to buy a ratsnake,,,and i understand they are almost like corns,this is not my first snake so im somewhat experienced

anyway the yellow ratsnake im about to buy eats chicks and birds,,
ill try to convert to mice ASAP but if it just eats chicks and birds ,is that a full good diet?

I myself just bought a yellow ratsnake.I have kept snakes before although this is my first ratsnake.I have done my research about ratsnakes over the past week or so but I am not an expert this is just my opinion.Like I said I have owned a few snakes(Green Tree Boa and a Ball Python)but all snakes are different as we all know.Yellow ratsnakes in the wild prefer to eat birds,their chicks,eggs,rodents,such as rats,mice and in some cases squirrels and lizards.Now I am no expert by far but I would suggest that you try as best as you can to get him to eat lab mice.They are treated so the mice carry no parasites that can harm your snake.I would suggest that if you want to own a ratsnake you check somewhere else.If all this snake has eatten is chicks and birds it maybe rather hard to get him/her to switch to rodents although adult ratsnakes from what I gather are rather easy to feed as they will readily accept mice/rats.I would also assume that feeding your snake strictly birds will run you a pretty penny.Good Luck.