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Snakes can make interesting and enjoyable pets if you learn how to properly care for them. Most illness seen in snakes is caused by improper housing or diet. A large variety of snakes are available for sale; some make better pets than others. One should consider the snake’s personality and adult size when deciding which species is right for you. With good care many snake species can live 8-20 years or more.
Many snakes will become tame when handled regularly. Small species tend to be faster moving and more easily startled, but can do less harm if they bite. Commonly kept small snakes include king snakes, corn snakes, pine & gopher snakes, and indigo snakes. These are generally even tempered when tamed and are attractively colored. Most are temperate climate species. The other commonly kept snakes are the boas & pythons. These snakes generally become fairly large. The boas tend to be more even tempered. The Common Boa (also called the Columbian or Red Tailed Boa) is very popular; adults may reach 10-12 feet and are quite heavy. Pythons are more unpredictable and hence more dangerous as adults; some species such as Reticulated Pythons and Anacondas grow well in excess of 20 feet and are quite aggressive. Two of the most even tempered pythons are the Burmese Python, which may grow to 18 feet as an adult, and the popular Ball or Royal Python which is small, usually not more than 6 feet long as an adult. These 2 attractive pythons are probably the best choices for pets among this group of snakes. Venomous snakes are always aggressive and are very dangerous; these are not recommended as "pets" for anyone but a very experienced reptile keeper. Even "devenomized" individuals may occasionally still retain part of the venom gland and should be handled with extreme care.
Always move slowly when handling your snake, and wash hands if you have handled its food recently. Aggressive snakes can be held behind the head to prevent biting, but the body should always be supported at the midpoint; never allow the neck to support the snake’s weight. Many snakes tame readily with regular handling.
Most snakes eat live prey; small snakes may eat insects or pinkie mice; larger snakes may eat mature mice, rats or even rabbits. In general the snake’s diet is balanced due to eating whole prey, and they require no supplements. Avoid feeding insects or pinkies for long periods; rodents who are more mature are more nutritious due to the digested plant material in their stomach which provides vitamins. Always feed healthy looking rodents who are not obese; do not fast the rodent prior to feeding it to the snake. Many owners feed the snake in a different cage; this way the snake doesn’t expect food in its regular cage, and the owner is at less risk of being struck at when they put a hand into the cage. Always wash hands after handling rodents so the snake doesn’t mistake your hand for food due to the smell. Feeding pre-killed frozen rodents (thaw them first!) prevents rodent bites and reduces disease such as parasites. Small snakes eat more often, usually every 7-10 days. Larger snakes eat larger meals and take longer to digest them; a snake who eats several mice or a large rat may not need to eat for 2-2½ weeks. Very large snakes who eat a rabbit (or multiple rats) may be fed monthly.
Try to duplicate natural conditions. The most important factors are heat, humidity & light. Large terrariums are best. Heating: unless you wish to heat an entire room to a high temperature, the cage should have mostly solid sides and top (not screen) to help trap heat & humidity. Glass and Plexiglas are popular cage materials; Plexiglas is lighter, stronger and can be easily cut and drilled. Wood is cheap but is not recommended for flooring as it is hard to clean; avoid woods which produce splinters. A reptile heat pad placed under the terrarium is a good heating method. Hot rocks provide heat but must be covered (with other rocks, turf, etc.) to prevent direct contact which may burn the snake. Heat lamps are useful but must be at a safe distance to prevent burns (at least 18 inches usually). Heat lamps must not be bright if used at night; the best are lightless ceramic-coated lamps such as made by Pearlco or Flukers; dim purple or red coated night bulbs may also be used. Monitor cage temperature at several spots with good mercury or dial type thermometers; avoid color strip thermometers which stick to the cage wall as they are not accurate. Take temperature readings in the shade away from heat sources to be accurate. North American snakes can be kept at 70°-80°F air temperature; semi-tropical snakes do well at 75&°-85°F, and tropical snakes require 80°-90°F. The terrarium can have a temperature gradient with a warmer and cooler side, but all areas should fall within the snake’s ideal temperature range. If the cage temperature is uniform then aim at the middle of the temperature range as an ideal temperature.
Humidity is often required to help snakes shed. Tropical and semi-tropical snakes usually do best with humidity levels of approximately 80%. A small water bowl in a warm cage usually provides adequate humidity if the moisture is trapped with glass or Plexiglas cage walls and roof. A small amount of ventilation is required (screen works well) but too much air flow allows loss of heat & humidity.
Lighting requirements vary between species. The boas & pythons generally do not require a UV source, although UV light does seem to stimulate appetite and activity even in these species, and a snake who doesn’t eat may improve with UV exposure. For many small species such as King Snakes you should provide both visible (white) light and ultraviolet light in the 280-320 nm spectrum (called UV-B). This mimics outdoor sunlight which these snakes may require. Our climate provides too little sunlight, and window glass or Plexiglas filters out most of the sun’s UV rays. Lack of proper lighting may cause poor or picky appetites, poor growth, and bone disease. Provide correct lighting with a fluorescent "full spectrum" light. Reptisun (made by Zoo Med) and Reptile D-Light provide strong UV levels; other brands with weaker (but adequate) UV output include Verilux, Reptile Daylight (Energy Savers Unlimited), Reptiglo, Reptasun (by Flukers), and Vita Lite. These are all fluorescent tubes; in general no regular incandescent bulb produces good UV light. These lights have a limited effective lifespan and should be changed every 6-8 months when in use. A good day length is 12-14 hours of light. These lights won’t cause burns, and they need to be close to the pet to be effective, usually closer than the length of the light bulb. (A 24 inch tube should be within 18 inches of the snake to be effective). Avoid plastic or glass barriers between the light and the pet. Call us for light sources. NOTE: More recently some full spectrum incandescent (screw type) round bulbs have appeared which do produce strong UV levels. These resemble regular light bulbs but are actually Mercury Vapor Lamps; they produce high UV output and heat, so must be kept at a safe distance (at least 18-24 inches away). Their effective life span is uncertain; change them yearly to be safe. These devices typically cost $45-$100, and when shut off must have a "cool down" period before they can be turned back on. Other "full spectrum" round bulbs which cost less and require no "cool down" cycle are simple filament- type bulbs and do not produce good UV output.
Branches may be provided for the snake to climb on. A small water bowl provides drinking water and cage humidity. Do not allow prolonged soaking and defecating in the water, as this contaminates the water source and may also cause skin infections. Artificial turf is a good cage bedding which can be cleaned and reused. Sand, gravel, corn cob, walnut shells, etc. may be used (especially with burrowing snakes), but are harder to keep clean and may cause bowel blockages if eaten.