Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey, guys!! I have decided I think snakes are cool and maybe one day soon I'll get one, but first I need to do my homework. I want a small snake. Is there any kind of snake that doesn't eat mice or rats??? I really don't want to feed them that. I prefer to feed them bugs, but if I have to then toads! Any ideas????

J.L.

If you don't want to feed rodents, try water snakes or garter/ribbon snakes. Most will readily take baitshop fish. Andy
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Andy Maddox
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Houston Herp Key
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And the sign says "No long hair freaky people need not apply." So I put my hair under my hat and I went in to ask him why. He said you look like a fine outstanding young man I think you'll do. So I took off my hat I said "Imagine that Huh Me working for you."-Tesla

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Rough Green snakes would be good. They're goodlooking, friendly, and they eat crickets. Plus, you could have fun building a vivarium with lots of branches and foliage since they are primarily arboreal.

Eastern hognose, you can order frozen feeder toads on line.

Thank you for all your help!!

J.L.

eastern hogs are NOT good first snakes. Many just die from stress or others causes. They simply do not make a great captive for the beginner.
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Andy Maddox
AIM: thekingofproduct
MSN: Poloboy32486@hotmail.com
Yahoo:surfandskimtx04
Houston Herp Key
The Reptizone

And the sign says "No long hair freaky people need not apply." So I put my hair under my hat and I went in to ask him why. He said you look like a fine outstanding young man I think you'll do. So I took off my hat I said "Imagine that Huh Me working for you."-Tesla

I really like the hognoses. Are there any other kinds of hognoses that don't get as stressed???

J.L.

Western Hogs make great pets, but you are better off feeding them rodents.

What is your issue with rodents anyway? You know you can buy them prefrozen and just thaw them out for snakes. It is no more complicated than thawing out your own dinner and you don't have to kill anything.

Feeding toads to snakes greatly increases the chances of parasitism and could result in harm to the animal. Feeding captive born rodents that are prefrozen would eliminate this risk.

The other problem with toads is seasonal availability and the fact that you are harvesting wild animals to feed your snake. At least rodents, crickets, and fish are all captive produced for the purpose of feeding other animals.
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Chris Harrison

I know, I know, I'm a chicken with the whole rodent thing. It's just that I've owned rats and mice as pets before, so it seems kinda weird to me. Could they eat any other rodent?? Sorry, I'm being difficult. Could I feed them ready chopped up rodent??? It seems less gross that way!! I'm sorry. Any ideas?? Thanks!

J.L.

Yoy are being difficult, just kidding. The frozen rodents you can order on line are bred for one purpose only, to be feeders, not pets. If still dead set against frozen rodents there are something called snake sausages, supposed to to chopped mice. I have never used them so I do not know if they contain all that a snake would need or if most snakes would even consider it food, just don't know onlt seen ads. Maybe there's someone out ther that has used them, just another option.

Sounds delicious!! Thanks!! I'll look into that!!

J.L.

Keep in mind though, that rodent eating snakes are far easier to take care of than insect eaters, and require less maintenance. You need to constantly be feeding insect eaters, much the same as most insect eating lizards. With rodent eaters, usually one rodent per week is enough; with some adults, once a month is plenty. However, insect eaters are fun snakes to watch. I love garter snakes myself, and rough green snakes are stunningly beautiful...