Best Snake Cage Options

Snake Care Tips For Beginners

The first thing that comes to mind for many people when thinking about a snake is slimy. Most don't realize that a slithery reptile can also be a great pet. This is due to how snakes are portrayed in popular culture.Although some snakes in the wild can be extremely dangerous, many types are completely safe. Let's look at a few basic facts about your potential pet snake.

Basic Facts About Pet Snakes

The type of snakes people own as pets can live up to 20 years. This makes them great for kids over a certain age as they will grow up with them. Note that cats have an average lifespan of 2 to 16 years while dogs live between 10 to 13 years.The length of a pet snake is up to a meter and they require a tank. A snake that is suitable for a home has a mild temperament and requires little maintenance.

Putting Your Family At Ease

One of the first obstacles to obtaining a pet snake is having your family accept it. Most people are uneasy and afraid in the presence of a snake. Your family is probably no different.All fears are triggered by the absence of knowledge and the same holds true for snakes. The reason your family members might react is that they do not understand that a snake can be completely safe. It is your job to educate them so they can be completely at ease.While it is possible that you may not achieve this goal, there is a right way to go about it. The most important argument you can have on your side is the ability to show that you are responsible enough to care for the snake. The other people in your home will not want to constantly run into your snake throughout the house.The second thing that you need to do is to show them the true nature of snakes. You have plenty of conditioning to overturn from horror movies all the way to documentaries on the Australian outback. A few videos of mild-mannered snakes in home environments may change their minds.Part of caring for a snake is providing a hospitable environment for it. A house full of fearful people who are against you having the snake in the first place is not so hospitable. Show other inhabitants in your space that they are safe and be fine with the fact that you may not convince them. You can always get a pet snake if your living arrangements change in the future.

What You Will Need

Snakes don't need the degree of time investment that other animals do. However, they can be expensive initially as they require a few pieces of equipment. Being able to make this cash outlay is key to providing the proper environment for your slithery friend.

Enclosure and Hide Box

Your pet snake will need an enclosure and a hide box inside this enclosure. Snakes differ from birds, fish and other animals best suited for large spaces. In fact, most snakes, especially small ones, become anxious in open areas.This has to do with their instincts and natural habitats. Snakes tend to live under rocks and in tight holes in the ground. Vast spaces make them susceptible to predators and therefore cause them to feel uncomfortable.The kind of enclosure you purchase for your reptile depends on the type of snake. It is wise to choose your snake before buying any equipment so as to best select the appropriate habitat.A pet store that sells supplies for reptiles and amphibians will have a wide range of terrariums to choose from. These terrariums, or tanks, come with a variety of covers specifically designed for snakes.In general, arboreal snakes require taller enclosures while ground-dwelling ones need wider ones. A knowledgeable pet store employee will be able to help you choose what's best. They can also advise you on the substrate material with which you will line the bottom of the tank.For this, you'll need material such as sand, dirt and rocks to best mimic the snake's outdoor habitat. Alternatively, you can use a few layers of newsprint. This is a low-cost material made of wood pulp that is used in newspaper printing.The texture of the newsprint is great for the snake and its low price allows you to replace it often. Keep in mind, though, that the closer you make the enclosure to your snake's natural environment, the healthier it will be. If you choose a type of snake that is used to climbing, you'll want to include branches and vines.Some snakes may need exposure to ultraviolet light while some don't. This will influence where you position your snake's enclosure and hide box. Generally, it might be nice to give your snake the opportunity for some daily sunlight.

Tips for a Comfortable Enclosure and Hide Box

All snakes need a basking light. This is a lamp that you will place over a rock or branch in an area of the enclosure. Your snake will enjoy spending time there, so make sure it fits the needs of your snake's variety.For a hide box, you may choose a small cave made of rock or some cardboard that your snake can crawl under. This is where your snake will go for some rest and relaxation.To keep your snake's enclosure comfortable, you'll need a few thermometers and hygrometers. A hygrometer is a measuring device for humidity. Being that your slithery friend is a reptile, its ideal temperature and humidity vary from yours.Therefore, you should place thermometers and hygrometers along the enclosure floor and walls. This way you can monitor their terrarium and make adjustments as necessary. It's best to have a healthy temperature range inside the enclosure. The snake will do the rest by modulating its internal temperature accordingly.The cooler side of the enclosure should be around 80 degrees Fahrenheit and the warm side can be up to 90 degrees. A thermometer on each side of the enclosure will help you maintain these levels. As far as humidity goes, a comfortable level for you and your family is 35% to 45%. Your snake, on the other hand, is happiest when humidity is closer to 60%. Hygrometers will help you monitor the situation in the enclosure.All you will have to do to make adjustments is to increase or decrease the size of the water bowl in the enclosure. To maintain these temperatures, you'll need a heating device below the tank. You must set this up to be small enough to heat only part of the tank floor that is under the hide box.The secret is to create a heat gradient throughout the tank. This will give your snake the freedom to crawl to different parts of the enclosure as desired. The required heat cannot be provided by the basking light. You will need an appropriate below-tank setup.Failing to provide an adequately heated and humidified environment can cause your snake to suffer. To avoid this, check temperature readings several times a day for a week before placing your snake in its new home.Once you're certain that you have it right, you can bring your pet snake into its enclosure. You will then only need to monitor the readings to make sure that the heating source is operating properly and to make humidity adjustments.

Getting Exercise

Thankfully, your snake is perfectly capable of taking care of its fitness. If you've equipped your enclosure with branches, vines and rocks, climbing and getting around the habitat will be enough. For a larger snake, you may want to have a wading pool so that your pet can go for a swim.

Feeding Your Pet Snake

Snakes are carnivores and as such need to be fed meat. They eat their prey whole with their jaws able to open wide to facilitate this.Most types of pet snakes will eat mice and rats. Some will eat amphibians or even other reptiles. For some small tiny snakes, large insects can be enough.Feeding tips for your pet snake center around storing food and serving it safely. For starters, you should find out how your snake prefers its food.Most pet snakes will eat dead prey. This is convenient as you don't have to deal with providing live animals.In the case that your snake accepts dead prey, you'll want to have a separate freezer to store it. You should avoid storing dead mice and rats in a freezer with items that you and your family consume.If your snake doesn't eat dead animals, there are a couple of ways of getting around this. You can conceal the food item with a piece of fabric while you insert it into the tank. Alternatively, you can wiggle it to make it seem as if the prey is still alive.It may take a bit of theatrics on your part but it is certainly possible to achieve this goal. However, you need to be prepared for the possibility that your snake simply prefers live prey.This can get a little tricky. You will need to place a live animal in the tank and watch as your snake hunts it. You'll have to oversee the process as the frightened rodent can attack and injure your pet. Feeding your snake shouldn't be a life-threatening experience for it and you will need to be there to make sure everything goes well.

Grooming Your Snake

Approximately once a month, your snake will take about a week to shed its skin. Take notice of your snake's shedding. Not shedding its skin in a long time can signal a serious problem that you will have to address.Keeping the humidity in the tank at the appropriate levels will facilitate shedding. If your snake is experiencing difficulty in that area, add some moist paper towels. If raising humidity doesn't help your snake shed, you should visit the veterinarian.

Handling

Handling your pet snake is a sensitive matter. Dogs and cats can quickly become accustomed to you handling them. Snakes, on the other hand, need time to adjust. They also require a more mindful approach.A good rule of thumb is to allow your snake to have completed its first four or five meals before attempting to handle it. This gives your pet the time to acclimate itself to its new environment.When trying to handle your snake, make sure there is no bulge from its previous meal. Be gentle and place your hands under its belly to support its weight. You should only handle the middle third of the snake unless otherwise instructed by a vet.

Are There Any Regulations Governing Snake Ownership?

Depending on where you live, there may be regulations that govern snake ownership. The best advice is to seek out the rules that your local authority has set on the matter.When considering a move to a different state or country, it's important to seek out the local legislation. Doing your due diligence will prevent you from having to give up your snake.

Getting a Pet Snake

Despite being cold-blooded animals, snakes can be heart-warming and charismatic. They have a bad reputation because of popular culture and religious references. However, snakes can cause you to gain a new perspective on life.Snakes are masters of survival. They regulate their body temperature to suit their environment. Without limbs to offer them added mobility, snakes have to adapt to a world that is filled with dangerous predators.In that same world, they are forced to be predators themselves and consume their food in a way that makes them even more vulnerable. If you don't find snakes amazing as creatures, you probably should look into a different option.To offer the best experience for your pet snake, find out if your housing arrangements allow for them and be sure to create the best enclosure possible. Make all your preparations before bringing your new pet home and be ready to share your living space with a truly amazing species.