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All snakes are carnivores. With over 2900 different species, some snakes have highly specialised diets (eggs, lizards, frogs, fish, fish eggs or invertebrates such as slugs or termites) while others are generalists and will eat a wide variety of prey items. Common pet snakes such as rat snakes, milk snakes boas and pythons typically feed on rodents but some pet and many exhibition snakes require special diets. It is therefore necessary to have species-specific information to determine the most appropriate prey.
All snakes are carnivores. With over 2900 different species, some snakes have highly [[Snake Diet|specialised diets]] (eggs, lizards, frogs, fish, fish eggs or invertebrates such as slugs or termites) while others are generalists and will eat a wide variety of prey items. Common pet snakes such as rat snakes, milk snakes boas and pythons typically feed on rodents but some pet and many exhibition snakes require special diets. It is therefore necessary to have species-specific information to determine the most appropriate prey.
[[Image:Snake_eating_baby_mouse.jpg|180px|thumb|right|©RVC and its licensors, Peer Zwart and Fredric Frye. All rights reserved]]
==Size and type of prey==
==Size and type of prey==
*The size of the prey can be about the same diameter as the snake's head
*The size of the prey can be about the same diameter as the snake's head
*Arboreal snakes usually prefer avian and reptilian prey items
*Arboreal snakes usually prefer avian and reptilian prey items
*Terrestrial snakes will readily accept different prey items
*Terrestrial snakes will readily accept different prey items
*[[Snake Diet|Click here]] for a list of snake species diets
==Frequency of feeding==
==Frequency of feeding==
[[Image:Snake_eating_mouse_ed.jpg|250px|thumb|right|©RVC and its licensors, Peer Zwart and Fredric Frye. All rights reserved]]
[[Image:Snake_eating_mouse_ed.jpg|250px|thumb|right|©RVC and its licensors, Peer Zwart and Fredric Frye. All rights reserved]]
'''Garter snake'''
'''Garter snake'''
*The presence of thiaminases in frozen fish can lead to clinical disease in fish-eating snakes, such as garter snakes.
*The presence of thiaminases in frozen fish can lead to clinical disease in fish-eating snakes, such as garter snakes.
==Preparation of food==
Care of the prey item prior to feeding is important since nutritional deficiencies in the snake may occur if the animal being fed has been kept on an inappropriate diet. Similarly, if poor husbandry of prey items is practiced then they may serve as reservoirs for disease. Prey rodents should not have been treated with topical parasiticides e.g. permethrins, within three weeks of being offered to a snake (the dealer can confirm this). In addition, prey should not have been administered drugs such as antimicrobials and euthanasia compounds. In zoological institutions prey is often frozen at 0°C as a method of food preservation.
==Feeding live prey==
==Feeding live prey==
Because snakes hunt using olfactory senses, they can be easily trained to accept euthanised prey. It is not recommended to feed live prey for several reasons:
Food items should be humanely euthanised using carbon dioxide or cervical dislocation. Because snakes hunt using olfactory senses, they can be easily trained to accept euthanised prey. It is not recommended to feed live prey for several reasons:
# Excessive stress to the prey because of the environment
# Excessive stress to the prey because of the environment
# Injuries to the snake from the prey
# Injuries to the snake from the prey
# Illegal in the U.K.
# Illegal in the U.K.
[[Category:Snake Feeding]]