What Do Baby King Snakes Eat?

September 13, 2022 by Marjorie R. Rogers, MA (English), Certified Consultant

Baby king snakes are born with an innate hunting and foraging instinct. Their diet typically consists of small lizards, frogs, snakes, mice, and other rodents. In the wild, these creatures can be found slithering through forests, fields, and gardens in search of their next meal.

While their natural diet is varied and nutritious, captive-bred baby king snakes may require a more specialized diet to thrive.

Baby Florida King Snake feeding

If you’re wondering what baby king snakes eat, the answer is mostly small rodents and lizards. They will occasionally eat other snakes, but this is not their preferred diet. Baby king snakes typically hunt at night, using their long tongues to sense the presence of prey.

Once they locate their target, they strike quickly to capture it. King snakes are non-venomous constrictors, so they kill their prey by wrapping their bodies around it and squeezing tightly until it stops breathing. They then swallow their prey whole, head first.

This process can take a while, so if you see a king snake with a bulge in its stomach, don’t be alarmed – that’s just dinner!

What Do King Snakes Eat

King snakes are a type of nonvenomous snake that is found in the Americas. There are many different species of king snakes, and they vary in size, color, and patterns. King snakes are known for their ability to kill and eat other snakes, including venomous snakes such as rattlesnakes.

Most king snakes will eat small mammals such as mice or rats, lizards, frogs, and birds. They will also eat other snakes, including venomous ones. In captivity, king snakes can be fed a diet of frozen/thawed mice or rats.

It is important to offer a variety of sizes of prey items to keep your king snake healthy and fit.

Credit: www.everythingreptiles.com

What Do You Feed a Baby Kingsnake?

A baby kingsnake’s diet consists primarily of small lizards and rodents. Pinkies, or newborn mice, are an ideal food source for young snakes as they are easily digestible and packed with nutrients. As the snake grows, it will be able to take on larger prey items such as adult mice or rats.

It is important to offer your snake a variety of different food items to ensure that it receives all the nutrients it needs to grow and thrive. A healthy diet for a kingsnake also includes a few pinkies per week along with an occasional treat such as a waxworm or cricket.

How Often Do Baby King Snakes Eat?

Most king snakes will eat once a week when they are young. As they get older, they will typically eat every other week.

How Do You Take Care of a Baby King Snake?

Assuming you mean in captivity: King snakes are a type of colubrid snake, and they are native to North America. There are many subspecies of king snakes, and they come in a variety of colors and patterns.

The average lifespan of a captive king snake is 15-20 years, but some have been known to live up to 30 years. When choosing a captive king snake, it is important to select one that is healthy and has been captive-bred if possible. Wild-caught snakes can be more difficult to care for and may carry parasites or diseases.

It is also important to choose a snake that is the appropriate size for your enclosure; baby snakes will need a smaller enclosure than an adult, for example. Once you have your new king snake, there are some basic supplies you will need in order to take care of it properly. These include an appropriately sized enclosure with secure lid, substrate such as reptile bark or coconut fiber, hiding places, water bowl, thermostat/heat lamp, and food items such as pre-killed mice or rats (pinkies for babies).

It is important to create a temperature gradient in the enclosure so that your snake can regulate its own body temperature. A basking spot under the heat lamp should be around 90 degrees Fahrenheit while the cool side of the enclosure should be between 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit. You can achieve this by using a ceramic heat emitter on one side of the enclosure instead of a heat lamp if desired.

King snakes are generally docile creatures that make great pets for people who are interested in reptiles but don’t want something too high maintenance. They are relatively easy to care for as long as their basic needs are met and they make great “beginner” snakes for those just starting out in reptile husbandry.

When Should I Feed My Baby King Snake?

Assuming you are referring to a captive king snake, they should be fed every 5-7 days. A common method of feeding is to offer 1-2 appropriately sized prey items per week. The size of the prey item should not be much larger than the girth of the snake as they can have difficulty digesting large meals.

It is best to err on the side of offering smaller meals more often as opposed to large meals less often.

Conclusion

King snakes are a species of nonvenomous snakes that are found in the Americas. These snakes are known for their docile nature and their ability to kill and eat other snakes, including venomous ones. Baby king snakes typically eat smaller prey than their adult counterparts, but they will still consume lizards, rodents, and birds if given the opportunity.