Snake Feeding Schedule Calculator
Prey size and frequency from snake weight and species.
About this calculator
This calculator estimates feeder prey size and feeding frequency from two inputs that are entered separately and don't automatically cross-check each other: Snake weight and Life stage. Prey weight is a percentage of Snake weight, and that percentage tapers with Life stage (15% for hatchlings down to 6% for adults, reflecting the common herpetoculture guideline that younger, faster-growing snakes eat proportionally more), while Feed every and Feedings per year are set entirely by Life stage on their own preset schedule (roughly every 6 days for hatchlings, stretching to every 21 days for adults) and don't respond to Snake weight at all. Because the two inputs aren't linked, selecting a Life stage that doesn't match your snake's actual Snake weight -- for example, an adult-weight snake with Life stage left on Hatchling -- produces a prey size and feeding frequency built for the wrong life stage.
Always set Life stage to the bracket that actually contains your snake's current weight. The weight brackets themselves (under 100g hatchling through over 1500g adult) are illustrative, calibrated loosely to common mid-sized pet species like ball pythons, corn snakes, and kingsnakes; a species that reaches a very different adult size (a small garter snake, or a large Burmese python) won't fit these brackets well, and general prey-size percentages are a starting point, not a substitute for species-specific care guidance from a reptile veterinarian or established keeper resource.
Inputs
Results
Prey weight (g)
36
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter Snake weight (grams), Life stage (0-3), and Prey cost each ($).
- Review the Prey weight (g) result.
- Use Feed every (days) and Feedings per year to inform your decision.
How the result changes with Snake weight (grams)
| Snake weight (grams) | Prey weight (g) |
|---|---|
| 150 | 18 |
| 225 | 27 |
| 450 | 54 |
| 750 | 90 |
What each input means
- Snake weight (grams)
- Current weight of your snake in grams.
- Life stage
- Match this to your snake's current weight bracket above -- these weight ranges are illustrative for common mid-sized pet species (ball pythons, corn snakes, kingsnakes) and won't fit every species.
- Prey cost each ($)
- Average cost per prey item (frozen/thawed feeder rodent).
What each result means
- Prey weight (g)
- Target prey weight in grams.
- Feed every (days)
- Days between feedings.
- Feedings per year
- Total number of feedings per year.
- Annual food cost ($)
- Estimated yearly cost for feeder prey.
- Monthly food cost ($)
- Estimated monthly feeding cost.
How this is calculated
Worked example, using the default values
- Identify Input ParametersSnake weight (grams) = 300, Life stage (0-3) = 1, Prey cost each ($) = 3 = 3 input(s) provided
- Calculate Prey weightPrey weight = snakeWeightG * preyPct36 = 36
- Calculate Feed everyFeed every8 = 8
- Calculate Feedings per yearFeedings per year46 = 46
Engine last updated . Checked against 2 independently-derived tests — how we verify calculators. Built by Paul Gunder, a software engineer, not a licensed financial, medical, or legal professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Snake weight affect how often I feed, or only how much I feed?
Only how much. Prey weight scales directly with Snake weight, but Feed every and Feedings per year are set purely by Life stage on a fixed schedule and don't respond to Snake weight at all. Two snakes at very different weights but the same selected Life stage get identical feeding frequencies, just different prey sizes.
How does feeder-rodent sizing here compare to feeding live prey instead of frozen-thawed?
This calculator's prey-weight percentages and cost assumptions are built around frozen-thawed feeder rodents, the standard and safer choice most keepers and veterinarians recommend over live prey, which carries a real risk of the prey animal injuring the snake during an unsupervised feeding attempt. Live rodents also tend to cost somewhat more per item than frozen-thawed ones at most reptile suppliers, so if you feed live, expect your actual Annual food cost to run a bit higher than the estimate shown here.
Why does Prey cost each change Annual food cost but not Prey weight?
Because those two outputs come from completely separate parts of the calculation. Prey weight depends only on Snake weight and Life stage's percentage; Annual food cost is simply Feedings per year multiplied by Prey cost each. Raising the price you pay per feeder item changes your budget, not the biologically appropriate prey size for your snake.
Are the feeding percentages and intervals here specific to my snake's species?
No -- they're general herpetoculture guidelines (prey around 15% of body weight for hatchlings tapering to roughly 6% for adults, feeding every 5-28 days depending on life stage) that apply reasonably well to common mid-sized colubrids and pythons kept as pets. Species with very different adult sizes or metabolisms can need meaningfully different prey-to-body-weight ratios or intervals, so confirm against species-specific care information before relying on this for an unusual or less common species.
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