All 3,000 species of snakes, whether they are raised in captivity or born in the wild, will have the instinct of a hunter. While their vision is a bit unremarkable, they are excellent in detecting the movement that happens around them. You may not see an external ear, but they have a quadrate bone found beneath their skin that allows them to hear frequencies around 200-300Hz. Their sense of smell is also outstanding. Their tongue can collect particles in the air and send the information to the Jacobson’s organ to examine if the prey is nearby.
How Do Snakes Hunt?
The snake that grew up in the wild will be an opportunistic hunter. They will always hunt prey as long as there is an opportunity and ensure that they will not run out of supplies. Snakes in captivity are fed according to the schedule and will anticipate their feeding time. Snakes that appear hungry will look restless and seem like they are hunting for prey.
· Prey- Most snakes will be hunting for rodents such as rats and mice. They will also look for insects, rabbits, and other small mammals. Most of the rodents in the wild are brown. Therefore, if a wild snake was suddenly put in captivity, wherein the rodent being supplied has white fur, they may think it is unnatural and may initially reject them. It will take them some time to be familiar with the new prey.
· Heat and Movement- The snakes will hunt their prey by sensing movement and heat. Even the snake in captivity will show the same behavior. If you feed them dead prey, you will often find it challenging. The best thing to do is keep the dead body warm first before feeding it to the snake.
· Time- Snakes will usually hunt for their prey at night when their predators are asleep, and the darkness of the night can help conceal their presence. If you have a picky eater snake in captivity, you will find it easier to feed it at night.
What is the Regular Diet of Snakes?
Snakes are carnivores, which means that they mainly eat meat. They will be eating rodents, amphibians, eggs, insects, fish, reptiles, birds, and other mammals. Some of the snakes carry venom that they will inject on their prey to paralyze them, leading to lung and heart failure. Some venoms are designed to cause internal bleeding. Constrictors, such as anacondas and boas, will kill their prey by squeezing them until they die. It will not necessarily crush them, but it will prevent them from breathing. Snakes will not chew or bite their prey into small pieces; they will swallow them whole.
If you have a snake infesting your property, there is a possibility that you have another infestation happening. Snakes will prefer to stay away from human movements, but the presence of food is too irresistible to them. Therefore, solving your rodent and insect infestation can make your place less desirable in the eye of these reptiles.
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