Ring-necked snakes mostly eat salamanders, earthworms, and slugs. They sometimes eat lizards, frogs, and some young snakes of other species. Ring-necked snakes in different habitats may eat different amounts of some species. Ring-necked snakes kill their prey with constriction, which is squeezing prey to kill it, and envenomation, which is using their venom. Ring-necked snakes usually don't try to hurt bigger animals. Instead of biting bigger animals, the snake curls up its tail, showing its brightly colored stomach.