Snakes stand out as captivating and distinctive reptiles, and it's easy to understand why. Compared to common pets like dogs or cats, most snakes are relatively easy and cheap to maintain. They don't need daily walks, are relatively quiet, odorless, and allergen-free. With numerous species of varying shapes, sizes, colors, patterns, and morphs, there's a pet snake to suit everyone.
One potentially off-putting aspect of snake ownership is that most species require rodents as a primary food source. However, some snake species have alternative diets that may be more appealing. While rodents are a common food source for snakes, some species have specialized diets in the wild, including crayfish, scorpions, arachnids, and centipedes. While many of these species are better suited for experienced keepers, this article will examine species or groups of species that make suitable pets, thrive in captivity, and have easily attainable or commercially available diets. Note that many species on this list are wild-caught, so it's important to find a reputable, captive-bred source whenever possible. It is also important to research the dietary and nutritional requirements of any alternative diets for the optimal health and nutrition of your pet.
Overview of Ahaetulla Prasina
The Asian vine snake, scientifically known as Ahaetulla prasina, is native to Southeast Asia and lives in a forest habitat. The Latin word prasina translates to leek green. Other common names are Gunther’s whip snake, Boie’s whip snake, Oriental whip snake, and Jade vine snake. While there is limited data available on different types of Asian vine snakes, scientists have recognized four subspecies of this snake. Other similar animals include the red racer snake, twig snake, and Mandarin rat snake.
Physical Characteristics
This snake is notable for its bright green scales and a body the width of a pencil. The head of an Asian vine snake is pointed and has been compared to a spear. If you study the shape of this snake’s head, you’ll notice a bump on both sides at the back of its head. One of the most interesting facts about this snake’s fangs is they’re located in the back of its mouth. These snakes have a vertical black pupil in each of their yellow eyes. This feature is different from the green vine snake that is native to South America. This snake has the same bright green scales and pointed head.
Habitat and Distribution
As its name indicates, these snakes spend a lot of time blending in with the branches of trees in forests. The Asian vine snake lives in Southeast Asia, with its range including the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Myanmar. They live in moist or dry forests as well as in shrubland habitats. Their narrow, green body allows it to blend in with the branches and vines of a tree. These snakes are even known to practice a swaying motion to further blend in with their forest habitat.
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Dietary Habits in the Wild
The main source of food for the Asian vine snake is frogs, but they eat lizards and insects as well. An Asian vine snake’s thin, narrow tongue can look a lot like a worm to a frog or a lizard. So, if this snake is on the ground moving through a swampy area in its habitat, it will use its tongue to lure a frog or toad toward it.
Hunting and Feeding Behavior
When it comes to capturing their food, these snakes are aggressive hunters. They aim their spear-like head at the neck of their prey. The snake strikes at its prey, grabbing it and releasing its venom. One of the most intriguing facts about this snake is it will not just strike, but chew on its prey.
Adaptations for Hunting
Asian vine snakes are thought to have adapted to their environment in several ways. These snakes are believed to have evolved in their colorations, becoming lighter in order to deflect heat from their bodies in their tropical habitats. They are also said to have developed thicker skins that hold onto moisture and keep them more hydrated in dry climates, and during droughts and extremely high temperatures. While many other snake species only hunt during the night, the Asian vine snake also hunts during the day, and it’s likely that this evolution is due to there being reduced competition for food sources during the day.
Captive Diet and Feeding
While the Asian vine snake can make an interesting pet, their specialized diet can present challenges for keepers.
Suitable Prey Items
In captivity, their diet should primarily consist of small frogs and lizards. Finding a consistent and reliable source of these can be difficult. Insects can be offered as a supplementary food source, but should not be the primary diet.
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Feeding Frequency and Methods
They are aggressive hunters, so live feeding is often necessary to stimulate their natural predatory instincts. The frequency of feeding will depend on the age and size of the snake, but typically, juveniles should be fed every 5-7 days, while adults can be fed every 7-10 days.
Nutritional Considerations
It is important to ensure that the prey items are properly gut-loaded and supplemented with calcium and vitamins to prevent nutritional deficiencies in the snake.
Challenges and Considerations
One of the biggest challenges is the specialized diet of frogs and lizards. These can be more difficult and expensive to obtain than rodents. Additionally, ensuring the nutritional value of these prey items is crucial for the snake's health.
Ethical Considerations
Sourcing live prey can raise ethical concerns for some keepers. It is important to source prey from reputable breeders who prioritize the humane treatment of their animals.
Conservation Status and Threats
There is no population data available for the Asian vine snake, however it is described as widespread and commonplace in the Philippines and Indochina and has a stable population. Humans are a big threat to Asian vine snakes because in some countries including Vietnam and China, the snakes are hunted to make snake wine, in which snakes are bottled and infused in rice wine or grain alcohol, and as part of traditional medicines. The Asian vine snake’s predators also include birds of prey, cat species, and other, larger snakes.
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Other Snakes with Specialized Diets
Garter Snakes (Thamnophis spp.)
Perhaps one of the most underrated genera of snakes to maintain in captivity, and which are indigenous right to much of the United States and Canada, would be garter snakes! With roughly 30 different species and subspecies, garter snakes can be available in numerous color, patterns, and even many morphs in captivity! They are also fairly unique among snakes in that some studies out there have even shown that these snakes may in fact be communal, are able to be housed together with very little to no fear of cannibalism or other adverse effects! Most species of garter snakes will readily eat earthworms or nightcrawlers, small feeder fish of appropriate nutritional quality and value, or other insects and invertebrates, although some will also eat rodents as well! They also do not attain very large and unmanageable sizes, with most species reaching typically 2 to 3 feet in length, and typically have very hardy and/or cold-tolerant care requirements as well!
Water Snakes (Nerodia spp.)
Water snakes, which are within the same family of live-bearing, or oviparous colubrid snakes as garter snakes and other species known as “Natricinae”, consist of roughly 12 or more species and subspecies found throughout the United States and Canada! Water snakes, too, can be available in numerous color, patterns, and even many morphs in captivity! While these snakes can be initially somewhat nervous and readily willing to bite and musk as their defense, water snakes can become quite bold and accustomed to captivity as well, and like garter snakes, are able to be housed together with very little to no fear of cannibalism or other adverse effects! Most species of water snakes will readily eat small feeder fish of appropriate nutritional quality and value, although some will also eat rodents as well!
Rough Green Snake (Opheodrys vernalis)
Rough green snakes are a relatively small, slender bodied species of colubrid snake indigenous to the southeastern United States. These slender, usually bright green snakes are also largely semi-arboreal, and enjoy climbing and basking in low branches, shrubs or bushes, or low trees. They also do not attain overly large sizes, either, with most adults reaching about 18 to 24 inches, or possibly up to as much as 30 inches in large individuals. These jolly little green snakes can make for very appealing display species, which can also utilize their coloration and even some unique behaviors (such as swaying back and forth slightly to mimic the effect of a shaking leaf or twig in the wind) to be potentially very cryptic as well. These snakes can be fed feeder crickets, or other insects supplemented with calcium in order to do well. However, there are still a few drawbacks to rough green snakes, in that most, if not all are still wild-collected, and can also be fragile and delicate snakes when it comes to handling.
DeKay’s Brown Snakes (Storeria dekayi) and Ringneck Snakes (Diadophis punctatus ssp.)
Both DeKay’s brown snakes and ringneck snakes are two species of small, fossorial, or secretive, burrowing snakes indigenous to Canada and much of North America, and which can also have several different species and subspecies throughout their ranges as well! Seldom exceeding much more than roughly one to one and a half feet in length, or anywhere from about 10 to 18 inches, these small, secretive snakes enjoy residing underneath semi-most and humid rocks, logs, leaf litter and debris, or even man-made trash in a variety of habitats, including even vacant city lots and parks! Most of these diminutive snakes are also very reluctant to actually bite when they are threatened, instead either opting to “musk” (or produce a bad-smelling substance to ward off predators), or display their bright red, pinkish, orange, or yellowish undersides in a startling display of colors to any would-be predator. Although these small snakes are quite harmless and inoffensive, there are also drawbacks to some of these species as well in that they can be tiny and fragile when it comes to handling, especially neonates, making feeding them a challenge. They will generally, however, eat small earthworms, slugs, snails, or other soft bodied insects and other invertebrates, although some can be large enough to also eat small frogs or other amphibians, or other small vertebrates.
Egg-Eating Snakes (Dasypeltis spp.)
Another group of very unique and “oddball” snakes, which have captured at least some level of attention and popularity recently have been the egg-eating snakes! These relatively small snakes as adults consist of about five or six different species found over much of sub-Saharan Africa, and which do not attain overly large sizes, with most species only becoming about 2 to 3 feet in length, or 24 to 36 inches. As their name perhaps implies, the best known attribute of these snakes are that they are among the very few genera of snakes which have evolved and adapted to have become exclusively feeding on bird’s eggs, which are raided on the ground or in trees. Also extremely unique among snakes is the fact that they lack teeth, instead having only a projection on the inside of their throats which crack the contents of the egg while it is being ingested, leaving only an empty shell to be regurgitated! This “egg-celent” diet has attracted some to egg-eating snakes as an alternative to rodent eating species, although as with many others on this list, there are a couple of drawbacks as well.
Elephant Trunk Snakes (Acrochordus javanicus) and Tentacle Snakes (Erpeton tentaculatus)
An elephant trunk snake, or tentacle snakes, may be the choice one has been looking for! Both are relatively primitive families of snakes, found in freshwater to coastal, or brackish water swamps, mangrove wetlands, and other coastal areas of southern to southeastern Asia! These snakes are also especially unique in that both are completely aquatic, and are not generally known to exit the water for life on land! What’s more, is they are almost exclusively fish eaters as well, although other amphibians, or aquatic invertebrates they can locate and ingest may also be eaten! The tentacled snake especially, is perhaps the more bizarre-looking in appearance of these two species, in that these snakes possess a pair or series of fleshy, tentacle-like projections at the ends of their snouts, which are now believed to emit electro-sensitive fields in the water surrounding them in order to locate and detect their fish or other aquatic prey! Both species’ loose, and baggy appearing skin and scales also aid in their movements to be able to grasp and ingest their slippery aquatic prey.
Mexican Vine Snake (Oxybelis aeneus)
The Mexican or Brown Vine Snake (Oxybelis aeneus) inhabits relatively arid environments, including dry forest edges, overgrown thickets, wooded grasslands, brushy hillsides and densely-vegetated canyons. The natural diet is comprised of lizards, treefrogs and small birds; small arboreal rodents and insects may also be taken, but detailed field studies are lacking. Youngsters feed primarily upon frogs and lizards, and usually refuse all else. Captive breeding has rarely been accomplished, and is not well-documented in the literature. Research into this area by private keepers would be most valuable to this snake and its relatives.