Brown Snake/DeKay Help with Feeding

[d_virginiana]

Ringnecks are generalists and will eat pretty much anything, i'm not sure on their ability to digest crickets as it probably hasn't been studied since they've never been popular among people or the pet trade. So I wouldn't say they can't, but I will say a varied diet is better and an only cricket diet most likely isn't healthy and will lead to problems. They are often found in groups in the wild despite the fact they have been known to prey on smaller snakes.

I could see that as justification for potentially keeping similar-sized ringnecks together, but not as justification for keeping them with another species. The only inter-species cohabitation for snakes I've ever seen recommended anywhere is between garters/ribbons/dekayi brown snakes. Definitely a bad idea with a snake-eating snake in the mix IMO.

Wild ringnecks eat primarily amphibians, slugs, and sometimes other snakes. I think they can eat crickets as babies? But regardless, I'd agree with you that a solely cricket diet is a bad idea. At the very least you'd need to supplement calcium. Probably vitamins too, since captive crickets are generally nutrient deficient. I've only occasionally seen them recommended as part of a varied diet for ringnecks, never as a staple.

I should have been more specific, and I just realized I said in my first post neither do; that should have referred to the dekay. I'm glad you made that post or I wouldn't have gone back and noticed! To my knowledge they are very closely related to garters and have almost identical husbandry. If that info is true, then they aren't able to properly digest chitin. I'm sure they will jump on a cricket if they get hungry enough, but that doesn't mean their system can handle the chitin long-term. If anyone has info in dekays being able to digest crickets please jump in and correct me (and I'll apologize for being a jerk about it lol), but I think they are pretty much identical to garters in that respect.
(The closest experience I have to Storeria dekayi is rehabbing Storeria occipitomaculata, and it was my understanding that the only appropriate invert feeders were slugs and worms. Generally dietary needs are pretty similar across a genus, so I'm not just pulling that out of thin air, but there are definitely people with more experience in it than I have)

[joeysgreen]

I think you might find that all of these small snakes are much more opportunistic than you might expect. If it's eating crickets, stick with it, but follow the advice to offer a variety seriously. Consider also adding crustaceans like sow and pill bugs as their exoskeleton is made of calcium instead of chitin... another perfect example of how variety can benefit. Make certain that all prey is gutloaded and consider a fecal/deworming schedule for your pets.

Ian

[Teresa]

I've never seen my DeKay snake eat. But I know S/he is because of how fat s/he is. I have the snake in a natural terrarium with snails, red wrigglers, and insect larvae. Remember sakes are cold blooded. They don't need lots of food to keep an elevated body temperature.

[guidofatherof5]

Welcome, I would ditch the red wrigglers. They are compost worms and secrete a defensive fluid that can kill garter snakes. Small earthworms or nightcrawler chunks are a lot safer. How long have you had her? Fat for a dekayi usually means gravid.

[Julie]

Hi all, my son's little Dekay's brown snake that he caught earlier this summer just had a whole litter. We've been dropping an earthworm in every other day or so, and the snake seems OK, though we haven't directly observed feeding behavior. What should we do for the babies? Is there a way we can feed them? Or should we just let them go?