Snake Keeping 101

In response to Perpetual Beginner's request, I am providing some basic information on keeping snakes. This is directed toward the novice snake keeper in general, not specifically to you Cindy, so when I talk about being responsible, don't take it personally.

In recent years, keeping exotic animals, such as snakes, as pets has become more and more common. What was once considered an oddity is now becoming mainstream. Unfortunately for the snake, however, many people buy them on impulse and don't have a clue as to how to take care of one. Taking on a snake as a pet is no different from taking a dog, cat, or horse for a pet. It is a responsibility that will last the life of the snake. They are not "throwaway" pets that you can just flush or release when you get tired of them. They are living creatures with needs, and deserve the best care you can give them. Remember, if you are a parent of a young child who wants a snake as a pet, you will be ultimately responsible for the care of that animal.

The first thing I would suggest anyone considering a snake as a pet do is to research your state and local laws to find out what kinds of snakes, if any, are legal to keep as pets. This includes determining if the snake you are considering is a protected species. There is nothing quite so heart wrenching than to find out your chosen species is illegal to keep in your area. Unless, of course, it is having Animal Control show up at your door and fine you thousands of dollars and confiscate your pet. Your state Fish and Wildlife department or the reference desk at your local library should be able to help you determine the laws applicable to snake keeping in your area.

The next step is to begin researching which species of snake are available in the pet trade. There are hundreds of them, some more suitable as pets than others. There are two types of snakes available for purchase that are not suitable for the novice herper (slang for snake keeper) under any circumstances, no way, no how, never never never. These are venomous snakes, for obvious reasons, and the large constrictor types--reticulated pythons, Burmese pythons and the like--for reasons that are equally obvious. They can kill you. They will kill you if given half a chance. Once you get a bit of experience, there are some mid range boids (pythons and boas) that are very beautiful and fairly easy to keep, such as the Red Tail Boa and the Brazilian Rainbow Boa.

There are others that are unsuitable for beginners for other reasons. Some are difficult to keep in captivity. Some have very particular husbandry requirements. Some don't eat. Some are aggressive. Some are very aggressive. Still others are so shy that you will never see them, and you certainly can't hold them.

On the other hand, there are many snakes available that are suitable for beginners. Research the different species available and determine which is right for you. Some questions you need to ask your self are:

• 1. How big does this snake get?
• 2. Will it be a danger to my family in any way, including the other pets we have?
• 3. What is the general personality of this snake? Is it calm, and will it tolerate handling?
• 4. What size enclosure does it need, and can I provide a secure enclosure of that size?
• 5. What are it's heating requirements, and how will I provide for those needs?
• 6. What are it's humidity requirements, and can I provide that level of humidity?
• 7. What does it eat? How often does it need to eat? Do I have a reliable source of food?

How does one find the answers to these questions? Researching on the Internet is a good option, however one does need to be careful when doing this. Anyone, literally anyone, can post a care sheet or web page with snake care information on it, whether he knows what he is talking about or not. As a novice, you won't know what information is accurate and what is not. How does one determine which information is correct? A lot of times this can be done simply by using common sense. If something sounds wrong, or feels wrong, chances are it is wrong. Secondly, buy a good pet care book about your chosen species. These books are usually written by well known and experienced snake breeders and are more likely to be accurate than something found on the Internet. Finally, join an online herp community. I recommend Cornsnakes.com. Even if your chosen species is not a corn snake, they have a General Chit Chat forum in which you can post questions about other species of snake. Another recommended site is FaunaClassifieds.com. I don't usually visit this one, but it has been recommended, and has forums for all species.

A couple of forum etiquette tips:

Do some research first. Don't post things similar to this: "I'm thinking about buying a corn snake. Tell me everything I need to know." This does not set well with established snake keepers. They will assume that if you can't put any effort into researching the proper care of your snake, you are not likely to actually perform the proper care of your snake. It is OK, and even encouraged to post something like this: "I'm thinking of buying a corn snake. I've researched and found out A, B, and C. Please verify if this is correct." This will show them that proper snake husbandry is important to you, and you will be respected on the site.

Do search the forums and read old posts prior to posting your question. It may be a common one that has been asked many times before. If you search, and still don't find the answers you seek, don't hesitate to post.

Do use correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation. This will make you appear more intelligent and less arrogant. It will also make your questions more comprehensible and therefore more likely to receive an intelligent answer.

Try to post your questions in the correct sub forum. Posting a long list of questions in the introduction forums , or posting a question about feeding your snake in the feeders sub-forum may not get you any answers.

Once you've determined which species of snake you want to purchase, the next step is to do a more thorough researching of its husbandry requirements and begin purchasing the supplies needed to properly care for it. You will need to get your setup up and running for a few days before buying your snake. That way you can iron out any bugs you come across before placing the snake in that environment.

Each species may have its own particular husbandry requirements, but all snakes need a few basic things:

1. An appropriately sized herpetarium, usually called a "viv" for short. Right now, you are probably wondering how I got viv out of herpetarium. It is actually short for vivarium, a commonly used term meaning "snake tank". Many things can be used to house snakes. Old aquariums work well, and screen tops and clips can be bought an most local pet stores. Vivs can be homemade from wood and Plexiglas. Or specially made tanks can be purchased. Some people even keep snakes in large Rubbermaid boxes. The only drawback to that is that as most of them tend to be opaque, and you can't see the snake as well. My preferred snake tank is a Critter Cage, made by All-Glass Aquariums. They have a sliding screen top with a place for a lock built in. A lock is a must where small children are involved. I've heard many a horror story about a small child getting into a snake tank without permission and allowing the snake to escape into the house. How big a tank do you need? The recommended size is one that is no less than 2/3 the length of an adult snake of that species.

2. Substrate--that is, something to put on the bottom of the tank. There are many types available out there, some better than others. Substrate can be a simple as newspaper or paper towels, or as fancy as specially made astroturf or cage carpet. Personally, I wouldn't recommend the latter two. They are difficult to keep clean and must be disinfected thoroughly each time the snake relieves itself, so a minimum of two pieces are necessary. Some substrates hold humidity better than others, so if you have a snake with a high humidity requirement, you will want to chose one of these, such as Eco-Earth. For most snakes, shredded aspen is the preferred substrate. It is safe, relatively inexpensive, and easy to spot clean. Substrates that should never be used include cedar shavings (toxic), pine shavings (possible respiratory irritant), and sand (unless you have specifically chosen a desert dwelling species adapted to live on sand).

3. A heat source--Snakes are cold blooded, which means they do not regulate their own body temperature. Therefore they need an external source of heating. Proper heating is essential for a snake to digest its food. Either too cool or too hot and the snake will be unable to digest and will regurgitate its food. This is a bad thing. On the flip side, the snake also needs a place to cool off. The recommended heat source is an under tank heater placed under one end of the tank. The size you get depends on how big your tank is. The heater should cover approximately 1/3 of the tank. Heat lamps can be made to work, but are not recommended. They tend to dry out the air, causing shedding problems, and aren't very efficient. Most pet stores will try to sell you an UV light, but snakes do not UV supplementation. Snakes don't need any sort of specialized lighting at all, and will do fine in the ambient room light. A fluorescent aquarium lamp may be used to see the snake better, but is not necessary. Another thing to be avoided are heat rocks and heat caves and the like. More snakes get burned by these than anything else. Which brings me to my next point:

4. An accurate thermometer and a regulatory device for your heating element are absolutely essential. Even the heating products made specifically for reptiles will get too hot if left unregulated. A plug in lamp dimmer works well for controlling the heat output. But to know how much you need to control it, you will need an accurate thermometer. Don't use the kind that stick to the side of your tank. They do not give an accurate reading of the temps where you need it. It is not necessary to know the temperature of the air half way up the side of the tank. You need to know the temperature of the glass directly above the UTH. This is the hottest spot your snake will come into contact with, and is what needs to be controlled. I recommend a digital indoor/outdoor thermometer with a probe. Place the probe directly on the glass above the UTH and under the substrate. Don't stick it down. Sure the snake will move it, but just move it back. Both the lamp dimmer and thermometer can be found at most Wal-mart or general hardware type stores.

5. Food: Most snakes eat mice or rats. However, you will need to find out what your specific species does eat, and if it isn't mice, can you find a steady supply of this type of food? Mice are easily obtained at most pet stores, though they are very expensive there. Frozen mice can be bought online at several places. I recommend either The Mouse Factory or Big Cheese Rodents. Yes, you will pay shipping charges, but even with those added in, it will still be cheaper than what you can buy at the local pet store. Since the mice are vacuum sealed, you can buy up to a years worth at once and make your shipping costs stretch. But what size do you need? The general rule is that the food item should be between 1 and 1.5 times the width of the widest part of the snake. Baby snakes eat baby mice, and as the snakes grow, so does the size of the mice it eats. And how often do you feed? Baby snakes should be fed one mouse every 5-6 days, and older snakes can be fed one mouse every 7-10 days. Snakes will also need a sturdy water dish that they cannot tip over, filled with fresh water.

6. Hides and Decorations: Finally, you will need a couple of hiding spots for your snake to be safe and secure. These can be as simple or as elaborate as you wish. From empty toilet tissue roll, perfect for hatchlings, to fancy resin cave like structures, the possibilities are endless. They will need a minimum of two, one on the warm side and one on the cool side, but especially for hatchlings, more is better. Fake vines and plants also give the snake more places to hide and provide as aesthetically pleasing effect for the snake owner. You will need at least one ornament with sort of a rough texture to aid your snake in shedding. Young snakes will shed about once a month, and older snakes about 3-4 times a year. It will need a hard, slightly rough item to get its shed started.

Now that you've got your snake's home all set up and ready, it is time to begin looking for that special snake. Search on the Internet and you will find literally hundreds of snake breeders out there who are willing to sell you a snake. Unfortunately, not all of them are honest. There are those who would take your money and not send you a snake, or send you a sickly or dead animal. But how do you know who to trust, then? Check the Board of Inquiry. You must be a registered member of that forum to post, but you can read messages without having to register. Read old messages, or do a search, to find out what people have to say about the breeder you have selected. Also check out the Good Guy Certification forum.

Another choice is to visit a herp show or reptile expo if there is one in your area. Find out if there is a local herp society in your area and begin attending the meetings. Many of them will sell you a hatchling, or will direct you to a reputable breeder.

While there are many options available to the person wishing to purchase a snake as a pet, however, one I do not recommend for the novice herper is buying from your local chain type pet store. Pet store employees are usually not as knowledgeable as they may seem. They are notorious for giving out bad pet care information. Even those who have experience and knowledge about snake-keeping are required to give out whatever information the corporate office tells them to. Remember, a pet store's main purpose is to make money. They don't usually care about you or the welfare of the pet you have just purchased from them. Often the animals they sell are unhealthy and kept in unsuitable conditions. Now, there are some good pet stores out there, with knowledgeable employees and healthy animals, but as a beginner, you will not know what is good information and what is bad. Nor will you be able to determine if an animal is healthy. Since snakes don't usually have symptoms until a disease is well advanced, you may not be able to spot the sickly ones.

Whatever you do, do not buy a sickly snake thinking you can nurse it back to health. You don't have the experience with snakes to do this, for one, and you will simply be supporting the bad husbandry practices of whoever you bought the snake from.

Finally, a couple of important things to remember. When you first bring your snake home, it is going to be scared and uncertain. Leave it completely alone for about a week to get used to its new environment. Then you can begin holding it for about 10 minutes a day. Yes, it will try to get away from you and may even rattle its tail and strike at you, but this is normal. It doesn't know that you aren't going to hurt it. With patient and consistent handling, most snakes will tame down very quickly.

After feeding the snake, it is important not to play with it for at least 48 hours. Handling it too soon can cause the snake to regurgitate its meal. This is a bad thing and we don't want it. If you use something other than paper towel, newspaper, or cage carpet, it is recommended that you feed the snake in a separate small container to prevent it from swallowing substrate with its meal. Once the snake has eaten, gently pick it up and return it to its home. Then leave it alone for two days to digest. They will likely go into hiding and not move very much during this time. This is also normal.

When the snake is getting ready to shed, it will often hide itself away. Its skin will turn milky, and its eyes will go a cloudy blue. This is normal. After a few days, the milkiness will clear up, then a few days after that, the snake will shed. The shed should come off all in one piece. If it doesn't, next time you notice your snake getting ready to shed, increase the humidity by misting the viv with water a couple of times a day. Also, some snakes will sneeze, click, pop, or whistle when getting ready to shed. This is normal, and nothing to worry about unless the noise continues after the snake has shed.

And last, while there are many species of snake available as pets, the one most often recommended for beginners is the corn snake. They are available in a wide variety of colors, and are very forgiving of a beginning keeper's mistakes. They are also relatively inexpensive, and easily obtainable within the hobby.

Good luck and happy herping!