The Ringneck snake (Diadophis punctatus) is a small, harmless colubrid snake species commonly found throughout much of the United States, southern Canada, and central Mexico. Known for their secretive nature and distinctive neck band, these snakes play an important role in their ecosystems. This article delves into the dietary habits of ringneck snakes, exploring what they eat in the wild and as pets, and other interesting facts about their feeding behavior.
Physical Characteristics and Distribution
Ringneck snakes are generally small, with adults typically measuring between 10 to 15 inches (25-38 cm) in length, although some subspecies like D. p. regalis can reach 15-18 inches (38-46 cm). They have smooth scales and are usually dark gray to bluish-black on their upperside (dorsal), sometimes with opalescent highlights. A distinctive yellow, red, or yellow-orange ring around the neck distinguishes them, although some populations may have reduced or absent neck bands. The underside (ventral) is typically yellow-orange to red, often with crescent-shaped black spots along the margins.
These snakes are found in a wide variety of habitats, including open woodlands, rocky hillsides, wet environments with abundant cover, riparian areas, and even urbanized areas. They prefer locations with plenty of cover and denning sites, typically below an elevation of 7,200 ft (2,200 m).
Missouri is home to two subspecies: the prairie ring-necked snake and the Mississippi ring-necked snake. The prairie ring-necked snake is the more common, with a shiny dark gray or gray-brown upperside, a yellow or orange neck ring (usually with a black hind edge), and a yellow belly with irregularly placed black spots. The Mississippi ring-necked snake, found in southeastern Missouri, is slightly smaller, may have a narrower or interrupted neck ring, a yellow belly, and black belly spots usually arranged in 2 or 3 lengthwise rows.
Natural Diet of Ringneck Snakes
In their natural habitat, ringneck snakes primarily feed on smaller salamanders, earthworms, and slugs. They also consume lizards, frogs, insect larvae, small salamanders, and even juvenile snakes of other species. The specific frequency with which they choose prey depends on the availability of these organisms in their environment. For example, Michigan populations of the Eastern Ring-necked Snake (Diadophis punctatus edwardsii) feed almost exclusively on red-backed salamanders.
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Prairie ring-necked snakes in Missouri primarily eat earthworms. They find prey under rocks, with a pair of enlarged teeth in the back of their mouths helping them swallow. Like many snake species, ring-necked snakes use scent to locate prey.
Ringneck Snake Feeding Behavior
Ringneck snakes are nocturnal hunters, relying on their keen sense of smell to find prey at night. Once they locate their prey, they use a combination of constriction and envenomation to secure it. Although they are only slightly venomous, they are not considered dangerous to humans.
These snakes do not have a true venom gland, but they possess an analogous structure called the Duvernoy's gland, which evolved to aid in subduing larger prey items. Most subspecies are rear-fanged, with the last maxillary teeth on both sides of the upper jaw being longer and channeled; the notable exception is D. p. edwardsii, which is fangless. The venom, produced in the Duvernoy's gland behind the eye, drains out of an opening at the rear of the maxillary tooth. Ring-necked snakes will strike, constrict, and then maneuver their mouths forward to ensure the last maxillary tooth punctures the skin, allowing venom to enter the prey's tissue. This secretion significantly affects the righting response of the prey. Since ring-necked snakes are rarely aggressive to larger predators, it is believed that their venom evolved as a feeding strategy rather than a defense strategy.
Diet of Ringneck Snakes in Captivity
As pets, ringneck snakes are typically fed worms, crickets, and slugs. Pet ringneck snakes are generally fed 2-4 times per week. Since pet ringnecks typically receive a significantly less varied diet than their wild counterparts, it is important to dust their food with a vitamin and mineral supplement powder before each feeding. Although many people generally think that snakes eat mice, ringnecks appear to have an aversion to eating mice and other mammals. Because of the ringneck’s small size, it may be more likely that a rat will eat it, rather than it eating the rat.
Other Interesting Facts
- Baby ringneck snakes may go up to two weeks without eating after they hatch. Once they’re ready to start eating on their own, baby ringneck snakes will start to eat small insects and worms.
- Ringneck snakes are nocturnal hunters that use their keen sense of smell to find prey. At night, they will come out to hunt for food. Once they have located their prey, the ringneck will strike quickly and constrict their prey by coiling their body around it and squeezing tightly.
- Ringneck snakes are not poisonous, meaning that other animals can safely eat them without being harmed.
- As a defense mechanism, ringneck snakes may coil up their body like a corkscrew and exhibit their brightly colored belly, which is usually yellow or orange. This vibrant display may resemble the warning colorations of other poisonous animals, such as some types of frogs and insects.
- During brumation, reptiles slow their activity to conserve energy. They sometimes emerge on warmer winter days to bask and get a drink of water. However, they don’t eat. Many ringneck snakes brumate together in communal dens. During this period, their body temperature is too low for them to be able to digest their food properly. This means they have to fatten themselves up in the season leading up to winter in order to have enough energy stores to last them until spring.
- Ringneck snakes provide a valuable service by eating harmful pests, such as slugs, snails, and insects. They also play an important ecological role by contributing to the biodegradation of leaves, sticks, and other organic matter.
Conservation Status and Threats
Ringneck snakes are generally not considered endangered. However, some subspecies, such as the Key ring-necked snake (Diadophis punctatus acricus), face threats like climate change and habitat loss. Native to the Florida Keys, the chain of low-level islands that make up the archipelago make the species highly vulnerable as rising sea levels impact their island habitat. Due to the clearing of their pine rockland habitat, as well as predation by invasive species, getting hit by cars, flooding, and rising sea levels, their populations have been in decline.
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