What Do Snakes Eat?

Written by Kyrstie Waters (last updated April 29, 2009)

Snakes are interesting creatures. What they eat depends on many different factors including species, size, growth and habitat. Some snakes prefer warm-blooded prey and eat only small rodents or birds. Other snakes eat other reptiles, fish, insects, spiders, worms and many more.

Small snakes eat smaller prey. The smaller the snake, the smaller the prey will be. These smaller snakes will eat earthworms, fish, tadpoles, small frogs, and small rodents. Insects are generally too hard for a small snake to digest because of their hard outer shell. Larger snakes will eat larger pretty such as rabbits, guinea pigs, chicken, and quail. Some very large snakes can eat small antelope! Wow!

Some snakes prefer to eat other snakes. The King Snake and the King Cobra are two snakes that prey on other snakes. It is easy for these snakes to swallow another snake because their bodies are shaped the same. The King Cobra snake is the largest venomous snake in the world. It mostly preys on other snakes, while the King Snake preys on other animals such as rodents.

When it comes to snakes, it is "eat or be eaten." A snake will usually only eat prey that is smaller than itself. Most snakes eat only once a week or twice a month, depending on the availability of food. Some snakes have a deadly venom that they use to kill their prey by biting into them. Venomous snakes have two hollow teeth for allowing the venom to pass through their teeth and into their prey.

All snakes are carnivores and swallow their food whole. Snakes can swallow their food even when it is bigger than their head, even bigger than their body! They usually swallow their prey head-first, by expanding their jaw until it completely covers their prey. Their jaw unhooks from its joints to allow it to expand to the width of their prey. A snake's skin stretches easily to allow room for the food to make its long journey to the stomach.

Snakes are extraordinary creatures. No other reptile is quite like the snake, so they are amazing to learn about. The way that these limbless creatures can survive in the wild, how they prey, how they swallow their food, and even how they defend themselves are all very unique and fascinating facts.

Author Bio

Kyrstie Waters

MORE FROM KYRSTIE

Giving Medication To Dogs

Giving medications to dogs can be very difficult. There are a few techniques that can help you give medications to your ...

Discover More

Basic Care For Mice

Mice, like all other animals, need a balanced diet. They like to try new things and different kinds of food, so ...

Discover More

Basic Care of Hamsters

Most hamsters need to be hand tamed by their owners when they are new pets. Some hamsters have not been domesticated as ...

Discover More
More Pet Tips

Top 10 Exotic Pets

Everyone needs a little help when choosing their pets. If you have ever wondered about some pets that would be a little ...

Discover More

What Types of Spiders Make the Best Pet?

A Chilean Rose tarantula is an idyllic spider for beginners. They are very easy to care for, very inexpensive, and ...

Discover More

Basic Spider Care

Though spiders are easy to care for, they do require some maintenance from you. The basics of spider care are housing, ...

Discover More
Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is one minus 0?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)