Western Tiger Snake's Diet
The Western tiger snake is a small, highly venomous snake found in western Australia. It is commonly called the black tiger snake, as there are other black tiger snakes found in southern Australia and Tasmania. Its diet is relative to where it is most commonly found, as it tends to live in areas with higher concentrations of prey because Western tiger snakes are strict carnivores and do not eat any vegetation or insects.
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Diet in the Wild
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In the wild, the Western tiger snake tends to eat any small prey that are small enough for them to swallow. These prey can include mice, other small rodents, frogs, lizards and smaller birds. Younger snakes tend to hide in marshes and swamps to have a diet of primarily frogs because they are slower-moving prey items, while adult Western tiger snakes prefer to eat rodents, lizards and birds because their hunting abilities are far more developed.
Diet in Captivity
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In captivity, the diet of the Western tiger snake is similar to any other captive snake; they may be fed rats or mice that are either alive or have been thawed from frozen. Other snake keepers may feed their captive Western tiger snakes birds, small lizards or chunks of meat, such as chicken.
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Hunting Prey
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Tiger snakes are great climbers and have been known to climb up trees to get to bird nests and eat baby birds, and feathers have been observed in Western tiger snake feces. Western tiger snakes are also known to crawl into burrows where smaller rodents live to find their prey.
Use of Venom
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Western tiger snakes are among the 10 most venomous snakes in the entire world. This venom not only allows them to defend themselves against attack, but also to incapacitate and digest their prey with ease.
Warning
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Western tiger snakes have a venomous bite that is fatal in 60 percent of untreated cases. Care should be taken when feeding captive Western tiger snakes, as their varied diet and voracious appetite typically creates an aggressive feeding response where they can strike without warning if they smell prey.
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