Hot dogs for snakes: alternative method for feeding coral snakes (Micrurus corallinus) maintained at Butantan...

Snakebites represent a significant public health concern in tropical and subtropical countries. In 2025, approximately 21,000 incidents of snakebites were reported in Brazil, with 1.7% attributed to coral snakes. Although the incidence of coral snake envenomation in Brazil is lower compared to accidents caused by pit vipers, its venom is highly toxic and always considered a severe medical emergency requiring immediate intervention, a need that highlights the importance of maintaining Micrurus for antivenom production. Maintaining and feeding M. corallinus ex situ presents a significant challenge due to the lack of regular availability of their natural prey, snakes and amphisbaenians. This study developed an artisanal sausage for this species kept ex situ. The artisanal sausage was tested as a supplemental diet alongside traditional prey, focusing on acceptance rates, weight gain, and nutritional adequacy. For the sausage filling we used beef protein mixed with chicken liver, supplemented with essential and non-essential amino acids and calcium carbonate. Our findings revealed no significant difference in acceptance between sausages and snake prey, with 77% acceptance rate for sausages. Weight gain was comparable across diet types, suggesting that the sausages may provide nutritional support to maintain growth under the conditions evaluated. However, because the bromatological analysis was limited to lipids, protein, calcium, and phosphorus, the nutritional adequacy of the sausage diet could not be fully assessed, as other important dietary components were not evaluated. Despite this, the alternative diet should be considered a promising supplemental feeding strategy for Micrurus in captivity, rather than a fully validated substitute for natural prey. Further research is recommended to investigate the long-term health effects of this diet and to refine its formulation for optimal nutritional balance.