For picky eaters
Snake won't eat frozen mice?
Check the enclosure first. Then try something new, served warm.
$24.99 $20.00 first order, code 20OFFGC! 10 pieces · $2.00 / piece
One Medium piece replaces a hopper mouse. An adult mouse takes 2 to 4 pieces.
Buy now6 Feeding Acceptance Guarantee: if your snake refuses six recorded feedings in six weeks, claim the product price back. Shipping is $6 to $9 under $70.
Check these first
A snake that stops eating is showing a sign, not a disease, and the cause is most often in the enclosure. Rule these out before you change the food.
- 1Temperature. The most common cause. Measure the warm end and the cool end: a snake that cannot warm up to its preferred temperature will not feed.
- 2Light and time of day. Lights left on around the clock put snakes off food, and a nocturnal species may only eat after dark.
- 3Shedding. Many snakes refuse food before and during a shed and start again when it is done.
- 4Season. Species from temperate climates may eat less in autumn, and adults may stop eating in the breeding season.
- 5Stress. Too much handling or a crowded enclosure can stop a snake feeding. Leave it alone between offers.
- 6The meal itself. Prey that is too large, or offered before the snake is hungry again, gets refused.
See a reptile vet if your snake is losing weight, regurgitates, struggles to breathe, or keeps refusing once the enclosure is right. Loss of appetite can also come from parasites, infection or other illness, and a change of food will not fix that.
Based on the Merck Veterinary Manual (Disorders and Diseases of Reptiles) and F. le Grange, Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment of Reptile Anorexia, WSAVA World Congress Proceedings, 2014. General guidance, not veterinary advice for your animal.
Then try something new
Buy now- Shipping is $6 to $9 on orders under $70, shown before you pay. Orders that come to $70 or more after any discount ship free. Most orders are processed within 1 business day.
- Code 20OFFGC! takes 20% off a first order and is applied for you at checkout.
- 6 Feeding Acceptance Guarantee: if your snake refuses six recorded feedings in six weeks, claim the product price back.
Will a snake that refuses mice eat it?
Every order is covered by the 6 Feeding Acceptance Guarantee. A snake that turns down its usual food may turn this down too, and some take it at the first offer. The Transition Guide in every order was written for reluctant eaters: scent, warmth and timing, one feeding at a time.
“Before he went on his hunger strike Mordecai was eating 2 Colossal Mice every 3 weeks. He loved to eat. Now with Reptile Food he is eating again and enjoying life again.”
“Mine was hesitant but after a few feedings, he takes this with no hesitation.”
“Took a little scenting and coaxing, but we were happy to get our ball python eating some Good Reptile sausages.”
Reviews from goodreptiles.com, word for word.
Soak, serve warm, offer.
Soak
Put the pieces in a small cup of hot water for 30 to 60 seconds, until they are soft like thawed prey.
Serve warm
Offer while still warm. Many snakes respond better to prey near body temperature.
Offer
Use feeding tongs or drop the food in the enclosure, as you would a mouse.
Which size, and how many pieces?
Find the feeder your snake last ate. The last column is the bag that covers the six feedings of the switch.
| You feed now | Per feeding | Covers 6 feedings |
|---|---|---|
| Pinky mouse0.5-3g | 1 piece of Pinky | Pinky 50 count ($49.99, or $40.00 on a first order) |
| Fuzzy mouse3-6g | 2 pieces of Pinky | Pinky 50 count ($49.99, or $40.00 on a first order) |
| Hopper mouse7-10g | 3 pieces of Pinkyor 1 piece of Medium | Pinky 50 count ($49.99, or $40.00 on a first order)or Medium 10 count ($24.99, or $20.00 on a first order) |
| Weanling mouse10-14g | 2 pieces of Medium | Medium 30 count ($49.99, or $40.00 on a first order) |
| Adult mouse15-30g | 2 to 4 pieces of Medium | Medium 30 count ($49.99, or $40.00 on a first order) |
| Jumbo mouse30+g | 6 pieces of Medium | Medium 60 count ($79.99, or $64.00 on a first order) |
| Rat pup30-40g | 5 pieces of Medium | Medium 30 count ($49.99, or $40.00 on a first order) |
The 6 Feeding Acceptance Guarantee
Reptiles can be picky, so the risk is shared. If your reptile does not accept the food after six separate feeding attempts, you can claim a refund of the product price.
- 1Make six feeding attempts within six weeks of the order arriving: about one a week.
- 2Film or photograph each attempt: the food, your reptile being offered it, and the refusal. Short videos are best; time-stamped photos work too.
- 3Email hello@goodreptiles.com within 7 days of the last attempt with your order number, the species and the six pieces of proof.
- 4Approved claims get the product price back to the original payment method in 5 to 10 business days. Shipping is not refunded.
Opened food cannot be returned; refunds are made through this guarantee. It covers orders placed on goodreptiles.com. A claim can be refused when the attempts are not clearly recorded, fewer than six are shown, or the food was not stored or used as directed.
How to offer it to a snake that is refusing food
The Transition Guide in every order brings the new food in beside the usual feeder. For a snake that is taking nothing, start with a piece on its own:
Scent it
Coat a piece with fluid from a thawed feeder, or rub it against one, then offer it as you would the feeder.
If it is refused
Leave it overnight, throw it away if it is not eaten, let your snake fast and try again. Use less scent each time it is taken.
What helps: serve it warm, offer at night with the lights low, or dip it in egg or broth.
Formulated by Dr. Ellen Dierenfeld, PhD, with two veterinary advisors.
Dr. Ellen Dierenfeld, PhD
Comparative animal nutritionist
More than 30 years as a comparative animal nutritionist, and one of very few people to have published scientific papers on snake nutrition.
Dr. James Bogan, DVM, MVS, DABVP
Reptile veterinarian
Chief Veterinary Officer of the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens and a past president of the Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians.
Dr. Emily Grzeda, DVM
Exotics veterinarian
An exotics veterinarian with a professional interest in reptile medicine and nutrition, who keeps reptiles herself.
What the lab found
Beef, beef bone, tripe, mussel, liver, heart and kidney, with chia seeds, gelatin and egg, freeze-dried and fortified with vitamins and minerals.
- Protein
- 55.2%
- Fat
- 29.2%
- Ash (minerals)
- 16.9%
- Calcium
- 5.35%
- Phosphorus
- 2.78%
- Energy
- 4,200 kcal/kg
Dry weight basis, from the lab report published on goodreptiles.com.
Frozen mice or Good Snake Food
Frozen mice
- Take up space in your freezer
- Thaw and warm before every feeding
- Messy prep and cleanup
- Hard to travel with or stock up
- Feeder sizes vary
Good Snake Food
- Stores on a shelf, no freezer
- Soak for a minute and serve warm
- Clean: no thawing, no smell
- Easy to keep stocked
- Pre-portioned pieces, the same every time
Questions keepers ask
My snake has not eaten in weeks. Is that an emergency?
A healthy adult snake can skip meals, and many do around a shed or as the season turns. Work through the checks on this page, weigh your snake weekly, and see a reptile vet if it is losing weight, shows any other sign of illness, or keeps refusing once the enclosure is right.
Will a snake that refuses frozen mice eat this?
Every order is covered by the 6 Feeding Acceptance Guarantee. A snake that turns down its usual food may turn this down too, and some take it at the first offer. The Transition Guide in every order was written for reluctant eaters: scent, warmth and timing, one feeding at a time.
How do I get a picky snake to take it?
Scent a piece by rubbing it on a thawed feeder, and use less scent each time it is taken. Serve it warm, offer it at night with the lights low, or dip it in egg or broth. The Transition Guide in every order takes it one feeding at a time.
What is it made of?
Beef, beef bone, tripe, mussel, liver, heart and kidney, with chia seeds, gelatin and egg, freeze-dried and fortified with vitamins and minerals. A small amount of plant material stands in for the stomach contents of whole prey. Formulated by Dr. Ellen Dierenfeld, PhD, with two veterinary advisors.
How many pieces does my snake need?
Match the feeder you use now. One Medium piece replaces a hopper mouse. An adult mouse takes 2 to 4 pieces. One Pinky piece replaces a pinky mouse. A fuzzy mouse takes 2, a hopper 3. The size guide on this page lists every feeder size.
What does shipping cost?
Shipping is $6 to $9 on orders under $70, shown before you pay. Orders that come to $70 or more after any discount ship free. Most orders are processed within 1 business day. We ship within the continental US.
Is there a discount on a first order?
Code 20OFFGC! takes 20% off a first order and is applied for you at checkout.
What if my snake refuses it?
Reptiles can be picky, so the risk is shared. If your reptile does not accept the food after six separate feeding attempts, you can claim a refund of the product price. The attempts have to be made within six weeks, each one filmed or photographed, and the claim sent within 7 days of the last. The product price is refunded on an approved claim; shipping is not. The steps are on this page, and the store's full policy is linked at the foot of it.
How do I prepare and store it?
Soak the pieces in hot water for 30 to 60 seconds until soft and serve warm, with tongs or left in the enclosure. Keep the pouch sealed in a cool, dry place; no freezer. Soaked food that is not eaten keeps in the fridge for 1 to 2 days.
Something new for a picky eater.
Whole prey snake food, soaked and served warm. Covered by the 6 Feeding Acceptance Guarantee.
Medium · 10 count $24.99 $20.00 first order, code 20OFFGC!
6 Feeding Acceptance Guarantee: if your snake refuses six recorded feedings in six weeks, claim the product price back.
Shipping is $6 to $9 on orders under $70, shown before you pay. Orders that come to $70 or more after any discount ship free.