Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have one ribbon snake is a 15 gallon tank. He has a hide log and branches to climb on a water bowl. He also has a under ground heater (unplug for the summer since its been getting so hot) and a basking light. He normally eats about 10-15 feeder fish a week. He doesn't like to be handled so I leave him be except to clean out his cage. I wasn't a snake person (I got him for my first grade classroom. The kids love him!) but he has really grown on me. I want to make sure that I'm doing everything right.
My questions are:
Should I be feeding him something else besides feeder fish? I would perfer not to do the mouse thing but if it something he should have I'll deal with it.
If he should be getting mice how do I feed them to him? Do I just put them in the cage?
Should I be holding him more often?
Is it okay that he lives alone? Should he have a friend?

Any advice or tips would be greatly be appreciated. My kids love to watch him eat. We stopped in the middle of a lesson the one time he shed during the school day! He is a great teaching (the kids love to make graphs about how many fish he eats each day of a week!) and has added a lot to my classrom. I want to make sure we are giving to him everything he needs to be happy.

Hello,

All snakes should have as varied a diet as you can give him. Feeder fish, in time, can cause Thiaminase disorder (which is something like a (seizure). Best I can describe. You can feed hime worms, other types of fish like --- Trout and Salmon, (see my post about the fish. There is a helpful link.) He will also eat frogs, toads, and slugs.

For the most part these little snakes (though they are little(, need lots of room and a 15 gallon tank seems perfect for one. I doubt a snake will be lonely, but if you wanted to purcahse another one, I would recommend buying a larger setup. Handling him will make him more "human" tolerant and he will be nicer and more managable.

Email me with any questions you might have.

Snakes do not get lonely and are better off one per tank. Cannibalism has been noted. Andy
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Andy Maddox
Houston Herp Key
The Reptizone

Who are you who can say it's ok to live through me? Alice In Chains

Cannibalism is only a concern with primarily kingsnakes and milksnakes, at least as far as our native species go. I've never heard of it in Garter or Ribbon snakes.

My experience with Ribbons is that they tend not to like worms (as opposed to garter snakes, which usually eat earthworms readily). For a ribbon snake, frogs, tadpoles, and salamanders would be viable alternatives to fish.