Pet Snakes - Quick Facts!

Snakes are not for everyone. It takes a special person to love and care for a pet snake. Many people I know are too afraid to even hold a snake…much less raise one as a pet. Snakes are not ideal pets for children…especially small ones. They require a lot of specialized care and the feeding habits of these fascinating reptiles can be quite upsetting. After all, it is hard not to feel sorry for the mice, rats and crickets that end up as lunch or dinner. If you are interested in snakes and are trying to figure out if they would be the best pet for you, then take a look at the quick snake facts below. Have a slithering good time…and here’s to finding the perfect pet that fits your lifestyle!

Quick Snake Facts

Most Common Pet Snakes: Common Boa, Rosy Boa, Corn Snake, Rat Snake, Indigo Snake

Type of housing: Snakes up to three feet require a 15 or 20 gallon tank with a mesh top. They will also need incandescent lighting and a six inch water dish. Snakes over three feet will require a commercial or homemade wood and plexi-glass cage, appropriate lighting and an eight inch water dish. Believe it or not, snakes are extremely clean…this means that you must keep their enclosure clean if you want a happy and healthy reptile. You must also monitor the temperature of their enclosure and provide extra heat when necessary. Owning a snake means doing your homework! It is important that you find out the exact needs of the specific snake you own in order to care for it properly.

Diet: This is the part I don’t care for. Most snakes eat live mice and other small rodents. You can buy these at pet stores or raise your own. Smaller snakes eat a variety of insects. If you don't like the idea of keeping a container of crickets in your home, then you might want to consider a different type of pet!

Care: Clean and refill the water dish on a daily basis. Feed once or twice per week depending on the type, age and size of snake that you have. Clean cage when soiled and do a thorough cage cleaning with chlorine bleach at least four times per year.

Training: Don’t get your hopes up, you will not be able to teach your snake to retrieve a ball or play dead. The most you can hope for is a little bonding time with your pet snake. Over time, your snake will enjoy being held by you and will like the warmth of your skin. You can tell if your snake is happy by how calm he is when you are handling him. Snakes are not affectionate like cats and dogs can be…so don’t expect hugs and kisses!

Life Span: Snakes are a huge commitment!!! They can live up to 30 years depending on the species. It is a sad fact that many pet snakes die before their time due to lack of care.

Snakes are special pets that require special care. If you are interested in snakes, I suggest learning more about them before you actually purchase one. Knowledge is power and the more you know the better!