How to Feed Live Rats to Snakes Safely: A Step-by-Step Checklist

Here's how to feed live rats to snakes safely. Weigh your snake and pick a rat about 10% to 15% of its weight, no wider than its mid-body. Offer it with tongs when your snake is active. Stay and watch the whole time. If the rat isn't eaten in 15 to 30 minutes, take it out. Never leave it in overnight.

That's the core of it. The rest of this guide walks through each step, what can go wrong, and what to do if it does.

Not sure which size to buy? Text Mike your snake's weight at (520) 451-4380, and he'll help you pick.

Before You Start: Size the Rat by Grams

Size is the biggest safety step. A rat that's too big can hurt your snake, and it's harder to eat.

Use two checks:

• Weight. Pick a rat that's about 10% to 15% of your snake's weight (ReptiFiles).
• Width. The rat should be no wider than your snake's mid-body (PetMD). Chewy's vet-reviewed guide says prey more than about 1.25 times the widest part of the snake is too big (Chewy).

Here's how Mike's rat sizes line up with snake weight, using the 10% rule many keepers follow:

Between two sizes? Go with the smaller one. For ball pythons, our What Size Rat for a Ball Python? guide has more examples. The feeder size guide shows every size in grams.

What You Need

Get these ready before the rat goes in:

• [ ] A kitchen scale that reads grams
• [ ] Long feeding tongs
• [ ] A timer (your phone works)
• [ ] A clean, secure bin to hold the rat until feeding
• [ ] Your reptile vet's phone number, in case of a bite

The Feeding Steps

Follow these nine steps every time you feed live.

1. Weigh your snake. Do this before each feed if you can. Pick the rat size from the table above.
2. Check that your snake is ready. Skip live feeding if your snake is in shed. Its eyes turn a cloudy blue-gray before a shed (VCA). PetMD notes that loose eye caps can blur a snake's vision during this time (PetMD).
3. Don't handle your snake first. Wilbanks Reptiles suggests no handling for at least 24 hours before and after a feeding try (Wilbanks).
4. Pick the right time. Feed when your snake is most active. Ball pythons are active at night, so PetMD says to feed them at night.
5. Pick the spot. You can feed in the enclosure or in a separate bin. See the FAQ below for the trade-offs.
6. Offer the rat with tongs. Keep your hands clear of the strike zone. Never use your fingers.
7. Start your timer and stay. Watch the whole time. Don't leave the room, even for a minute.
8. Take out any rat not eaten. If your snake hasn't struck in 15 to 30 minutes, remove the rat and try another day (ReptiFiles).
9. Let your snake rest. Leave it alone after it eats. Keep handling off for a day.

How Long to Wait, and When to Take the Rat Out

This is the question keepers ask most: how long should you leave a rat with a ball python, or any snake?

Short answer: only as long as you're watching, and not long at all.

Why the rush? A rat that isn't eaten starts to defend itself. VCA warns that rodents "will often begin biting the snake if they are not eaten within several hours." VCA also says uneaten prey left with a well-fed snake can cause serious wounds (VCA).

Use the short limit. Thirty minutes is plenty. If your snake hasn't struck by then, try another day.

Signs Something Is Wrong

Take the rat out right away if you see any of these:

• The rat is biting, scratching, or climbing on your snake.
• Your snake pulls back, hides, or acts scared of the rat.
• Your snake shows no interest at all.
• The rat looks wider than your snake's mid-body.
• You notice your snake is going into shed.

A missed meal is fine. Try again another day. If your snake keeps refusing, our guide Why Won't My Ball Python Eat? covers the common causes.

If Your Snake Gets Bitten

Even with care, bites can happen. Here's what to do:

1. Remove the rat right away.
2. Look the snake over for cuts, bleeding, or swelling.
3. Call a reptile vet the same day. VCA says bite wounds need fast vet care, because infections can turn serious quickly (VCA).
4. Keep the enclosure clean and simple until the vet sees your snake.

The University of Illinois vet school says any bite from prey means a vet visit. Small wounds are often treated with antibiotics and pain medicine. Deep wounds may need surgery (University of Illinois).

Don't have a reptile vet yet? The ARAV vet finder lists reptile vets by area. For more on bite risk, read Can a Rat Kill a Snake?

Keeping the Rat Until Feeding Time

The best plan is to buy close to feeding day. That way you're not keeping rats for long.

If you do hold a rat for a while, keep it in a clean, secure bin with air holes, food, and water. Keep it out of direct sun.

In Tucson, heat matters. The National Weather Service lists a normal of 68 days a year at 100°F or hotter in Tucson (NWS Tucson). Never leave rats in a parked car. In summer, plan your feeding and buying for the cooler part of the day.

Our guide How Long Do Feeder Rats Live? covers keeping live feeders in more detail.

Feed With Care, or Feed Frozen

Live feeding works when you size by grams, stay and watch, and take out any rat not eaten. If your snake takes frozen, that's a fine choice too. Our live vs frozen guide compares both.

Need live rats in the Tucson area? See sizes and prices on the live feeder rats page. Then call or text Mike at (520) 451-4380 with your snake's weight and how many you need. Mike replies the same day.

Nothing ready in your size? Get batch alerts, and Mike will email you when a new batch is ready.