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I have a Southern Ringneck Snake. They are native to Fort Myers Fl (where I live). I have had no luck at all getting him/her to feed. Would earthworms be a good feeder? How bout small fish? Anything else? Thanks.

Adam
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Northern Diamondback Terrapin (1 year old)

Alligator Snapping Turtle (3 years old)

Help save these animals from the Soup Pot. Give them complete and permanent protection! They need our help.

Ok, I have had luck in getting southerns to eat both fish and worms. First thing you gotta do when you bring a ringneck into captvity is leave it alone. Set up a tank, a gallon is good, with rocks and pieces of wood, with soil as the substrate. It is IMPORTANT that the snake has things to hide under, other wise it will get really stressed out and will refuse food forever. Leave it alone for a week and don't bother it all, don't check on it or anything, let it get used to it's new home.

7 days later, spray the tank with some water, do this lightly and don't spray very much. Leave the tank alone for about another 5 mins and hopefully the snake will come out(do this at night around 10 P.M. or in the evening around 6 or 7). If and when you see the snake roaming, grab a food item like a worm, dip the worm into a bowl of water, this way it will be squirming alot more, if the snake is interested with the movement it will soon attack and eat the worm. After you drop the worm in, try not to mover very much, I have found the ringnecks to not want to eat if they can feel vibration or see you moving around. You should probably just drop 3 "wet" worms near it and leave the room for about 10 mins, if you come back and it still hasn't eaten, you're gonna have to try fish or salamanders.

For fish, when first introducing fish into the diet, just leave a shallow bowl with 4 or 5 guppies in the tank, this is how I first discovered southerns to eat fish. Or, when you see the snake roaming, drop a fish in front of it, for bigger ones around 10 inches try rosy reds.

If fish, salamanders or worms don't work, and if the snake is big enough, try a small anole or a small tree frog. Put the snake into a 1 gallon tank with only a little bit of moss, and then put the prey in, make sure it's alive. Leave them alone and don't disturb them.

If the snake then won't eat, let it go and get another to try with.

Michael

Michael's Place