Nutritional Deficiences

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As stated earlier, nutritional deficiencies and disease

resulting from malnutrition are relatively rare among captive

snakes because of their habit of consuming whole prey animals.

However, exclusive use of whole but immature prey animals, such

as pinkies (neonatal mice and rats), juvenile goldfish and

invertebrates, can create nutritional problems.  Furthermore,

certain snakes that receive a monotonous diet (no variety of prey

items) are also susceptible to nutritional deficiencies.



The hobbyist must find ways to supplement the prey items in these

cases before they are offered to the snake.  One method involves

injecting the prey items with vitamin and/or mineral

preparations.  Another involves implanting a gelatin capsule

filled with a powdered vitamin/mineral/amino acid supplement into

the prey animal (e.g. Nekton-Rep, Nekton-Products, W. Germany).