Do snakes eat slugs, especially from your yard?
Some of them do. Some homeowners and farmers use these hissing reptiles to eliminate squishy critters and other pests from their properties. And you may also enjoy this benefit in your home.
However, remember that snakes are picky eaters, so your slithering pet may reject a squishy diet. Thus, you want to know if you can feed some slimy critters to the reptilian species you have at home.
I thus gathered vital information that could guide you when feeding slugs to your pet. Know the species that eat slimy prey, and see how they can help eliminate nasty pests from your property.
Do Snakes Eat Slugs and Other Garden Pests?
Snakes can eat slugs, but it largely depends on the reptile’s species.
Some have a mostly slug and snail diet, while others only eat slimy creatures when there’s no other prey in their habitat. And some only eat slugs while they’re still young, especially when they need larger meal servings upon growing up.
It’s thus vital to know your slithering pet’s specific needs before feeding them a complete slimy diet.
What Snakes Eat Slugs?
Some hissing reptiles that commonly eat slimy yard pests are:
1. Garter Snakes
This species is one of the most popular slithering reptilians that eat slimy critters. They are incredibly adaptive since they can hunt day and night for different types of prey. Aside from slugs, they also eat snails, rodents, grubs, earthworms, and frogs.
Here’s a video of a Garter snake eating slugs.
2. Brown Snake
These slithering reptiles are known for their slender teeth used to suck a snail out of its shell. However, they also consume other prey, including slugs.
Remember that these scaly animals are nocturnal species. So, they are likely to encounter squishy critters, which are also active at night.
3. Keeled Slug Snakes
These critters are famous for their exclusive slug and snail diet. They are nocturnal species that also possess unique teeth to shape for sucking out snails.
The thing is that these reptiles are native to Southeast Asian countries like Thailand. Thus, you should find a pet store that offers these slithering animals if you want one.
Can Your Snake Eat Only Slugs?
Remember not to force your scaly pet on any food it doesn’t want.
As mentioned above, each slithering reptile species prefer different meals. Some don’t eat slimy critters, others eat them occasionally, and others exclusively consume snails and slugs.
For example, most pythons reject slimy meals as they primarily feed on rats, mice, and rabbits. A slug-exclusive diet won’t meet their nutrient requirements, especially as they grow.
How to Feed Slugs to Your Snake?
Feeding slimy critters to your hissing pet is easy.
First, determine if your reptilian pet would eat squishy prey or not. You may refer to the list above to see if your pet is one of those typical slug-eaters.
If you’re still unsure, consult a veterinarian or a reptile breeder about the matter. Ask if you can feed them slimy meals regularly, occasionally, or never.
If your scaly pet can eat slimy critters, you can give them whole prey every meal. Most of them prefer to consume living prey, but you may train them to eat pre-killed food.
Moreover, remember the proper meal scheduling for your pet. You may feed baby slithering reptiles once every four to five days, and adults can eat every one or two weeks.
You might be interested in Do Snakes Eat Skunks?
How Can Snakes Help You in Your Garden?
Breeding slithering carnivores that eat nasty pests help your garden in significant ways:
1. They Eliminate the Pests in Your Garden
Most snakes that eat squishy critters also prey on other garden pests like insects, grubs, and rodents. Moreover, the hissing predators scare away some typical pests, so the nasty critters won’t even come into your property.
Thus, you don’t need to remove the pests manually or rely on harmful pesticides to grow healthy plants. Don’t worry because these scaly carnivores won’t harm your plants.
2. Reptile Droppings Can Serve as Fertilizers
You can mix your slithering friend’s droppings into the compost bin as fertilizers. Remember that these reptiles’ digestive tract thoroughly breaks down their food, so their droppings can provide nutrients to your plants.
3. They Don’t Damage Your Landscaping
Surprisingly, these reptiles don’t cause damage to their habitat.
As stealthy predators, they can move around without harming your plants. Moreover, they won’t damage your garden’s landscape as they don’t dig holes themselves. They will only hide in holes that other critters make, like rat burrows.
How to Make Your Yard Snake-Friendly?
Remember these tips if you want pest-eating snakes to stay in your garden:
1. Prepare Suitable Nests
Build a suitable nest on your property to make it attractive for hissing critters.
You can build one using old plywood or by leaving rodent burrows uncovered. They also love large rocks and old tree stumps.
2. Keep Your Other Pets Away
Reptiles and common household pets, like dogs and cats, are likely to hurt each other. For example, a dog might play with a wriggly reptile, and the snake might fight back with a bite.
So, find ways to keep them away from each other on your property. For instance, your garden with the snakes is in your backyard, so only allow your dog to play in the front yard.
3. Be Careful When Mowing Your Lawn
It’s common for these reptiles to get killed by lawnmowers.
So, always check your yard before mowing to ensure your slithering pets are in a safe spot. You may scare them away by stomping on the ground before the task.
Summary
Do snakes eat slugs and other garden pests?
Some of them do and could even have a slug-exclusive diet. However, other species may only eat slimy critters occasionally or refuse those meals altogether.
Thus, know the best meal options for your scaly pet before feeding them with these yard critters.
You may also purposely adopt a slug-eating snake to help eliminate pesky pests from your garden. Moreover, remember to make your yard suitable for them.
