Question about smooth green snakes and feeding neccesities

[gunblast_thinkfast]

I was wondering if feeding LIVE insects was a necessity for smooth green snakes. Would they respond well to dead insects so long as the food is kept interesting?

[aaron lynch]

id have thought so its the movement that would trigger the snakes feeding response.
and youd have to kill the crickets etc first anyway so why not just put them in live?

[Dexter612]

Live would be the way to go. I don't mean to rattle your cage or anything but you're iffy about frozen mice and now you don't want to feed live insects, perhaps reptiles are not the best choice for you. You're either gonna have to feed a reptile live insects, or frozen/thawed rodents, that's just how it's done.

[Ssthisto]

Originally Posted by gunblast_thinkfast

I was wondering if feeding LIVE insects was a necessity for smooth green snakes. Would they respond well to dead insects so long as the food is kept interesting?

Unlike dead rodents - which can easily be jiggled around on tongs - it's quite difficult to jiggle around a dead cricket in a way that is enticing to an insect-eating snake.

The insect-eating snakes are also quite often skittish and do not make ideal pets.

What is it exactly that you like about "snakes" as a whole? It might be that there is a snake out there that's right for you... but most of the ones that make good pets are the ones that take mice as prey items; these are the ones that are easiest to keep and breed generally!

[Barney_M]

these snakes are known for being difficult to keep well in captivity. needing uv lights, moderatly high humidity and live insects only. its hard enogh getting lizards to feed on dead insects let alone an insect eating snake

[retri]

why dead, its LIVE food, I seriously doubt the snake would respond, from what I have seen greens are difficult enough to keep alive in captivity without messing about with its food

[vickylolage]

Well from having a lizards I know dead insects arent that grand for using as food. My beardies, leos etc dont entertain dead stuff if one falls in out of the tub by accident

[Dexter612]

Originally Posted by retri

why dead, its LIVE food, I seriously doubt the snake would respond, from what I have seen greens are difficult enough to keep alive in captivity without messing about with its food

Gunblast seems to have issues with the feeding of animals to other animals, yet insists on having a snake it seems. I suggested rough/smooth greens as a last resort because they're the only insectivorous snakes I know of and have actually seen for sale, there is the Dekay's snake but I've never seen one in a shop. I thought maybe he'd be okay with feeding live insects as opposed to dead mouse, since usually even people who are sensitive about mice don't care for insects, but it seems he'd like an alternative to this too.

I don't think feeding it dead insects is a good idea even if it can be done, but other than feeding a garter snake on earthworms or a hognose on frogs, I'm not sure what other suggestions there are.

Gunblast, as awesome as reptiles are, perhaps you'd be best just looking at them in pet shops, maybe ask the owner if they'd let you handle one. The way it seems right now, buying one is a bad idea unless you can detach yourself from thinking of them as being equally significant as the snakes you'd feed them to.

[aaron lynch]

Originally Posted by Dexter612

Gunblast seems to have issues with the feeding of animals to other animals, yet insists on having a snake it seems. I suggested rough/smooth greens as a last resort because they're the only insectivorous snakes I know of and have actually seen for sale, there is the Dekay's snake but I've never seen one in a shop. I thought maybe he'd be okay with feeding live insects as opposed to dead mouse, since usually even people who are sensitive about mice don't care for insects, but it seems he'd like an alternative to this too.

I don't think feeding it dead insects is a good idea even if it can be done, but other than feeding a garter snake on earthworms or a hognose on frogs, I'm not sure what other suggestions there are.

Gunblast, as awesome as reptiles are, perhaps you'd be best just looking at them in pet shops, maybe ask the owner if they'd let you handle one. The way it seems right now, buying one is a bad idea unless you can detach yourself from thinking of them as being equally significant as the snakes you'd feed them to.

very true, theres also eggeaters but theure often fussy feeders and imo not really a beginner snake. thinking maby a tortoise would be a better reptile for gunblast?

[ian14]

Are you sure it is a smooth green? As far as I am aware, only rough greens are available. Smooths need different care to roughs, as they are less arboreal.