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Choose to keep one snake as a pet is very different from other livestock and companion animals. It is a difficult and potentially risky process. The creatures have unique care requirements and grooming. You need to make sure that you choose one that is right for your best handling capabilities.
Choosing a pet snake
Most snakes are tame. Many are dangerous (even the tame ones). But it is usually the circumstances of the aggressive behavior. If you are going to keep – and trust – a snake, they will fascinate! – you need to be committed and empathetic to their needs.
If you think of a snake, keep the following in mind:
- Snakes can live for two decades. This is a long-term commitment.
- Houdini could learn from snakes. They are extraordinary escape artists. Snakes don’t look for freedom, but they find it. It is important to have an enclosure that your snake cannot outsmart.
- Most likely, you will have to feed the animal live prey. You can offer them frozen or pre-killed prey (the safest choice), but the live food will keep them active and interested. If you get frozen, prepare to keep everything from insects until rats and mice in your freezer.
- Unless you are an experienced handler, you continue to limit or poisonous snakes – even those that stay small – is not recommended.
Use a breeder
Get your pet from reputable breeders and sellers. Wild snakes you catch will be stressed. They are prone to diseases and parasites. These traits will make taming difficult.
Plus, using a breeder or a good seller will increase your chances of getting a healthy creature. You are not a vet, but do your own cursory assessment before getting a snake. Look for residual skin, air bubbles from the nose, mouth rot, or closed eyes.
Ask the owner for a feeding demonstration. If you go the pre-killed route, you need to know if your desired reptile is taking it and eating well. For example, the ball python is a picky eater and is known for its feeding problems. You want to clear that up before you bring a snake into your home.
How to deal with a snake?
You want to get the pet used to your presence. And no owner wants a snake they can’t hold! But you do want to do it safely. Young snakes, unaccustomed to human touch, will need some training.
Wash your hands first. Any smell can be mistaken for food. Cleaning also reduces the possibility of harmful parasites or bacteria being transferred to the hose. One day it may not be necessary, but you want to get the snake used to the human presence.
Rest your hand in the cage for up to three minutes before the first treatment. The suspicious snake will probably avoid you at first. Ultimately, their strong sense of smell, which you recognize, will lead them to investigate.
Don’t think a soothing conversation can help. Although snakes are not deaf, they cannot hear human speech. So just read your magazine or watch “America’s Got Talent” while your hand is in the tank.
Always move predictably and slowly. Never surprise a snake! Even if you just look through the glass. Approaching your snake – in or out of its enclosure – straight or from the side. Not from above and never call yourself surprising. That snake will surprise you!
Speaking of surprises, don’t try to pick up a hissing snake. The snake is either scared or on the defensive. Don’t mess with it after it has had a meal. STAY AWAY when shedding. Until it gets used to you, a good time to handle your reptile is when it is tired but awake.
The Best Pet Snakes
Snakes are great pets! They are unique and fun. There are more than 3,600 species worldwide and most are suitable for captivity. The following 10 animals are popular and relatively low maintenance. These are breeds that stay small. Most breeds eat live food, so if you’re squeamish about that, get a Guinea pig. You have options for kids, for beginners and advanced.
So here is a list of great snakes, known for their easy care, temperament and appearance.
#1 Child Python
Child pythons grow between 2.5 and 1.20 meters in size, making them rare medium-sized snakes that stay small. These are great pets for beginners and are docile enough to be supervised around children. The reptile needs the most basic care and diets rodents. Their temperament is excellent if they are handled gently and regularly. They live up to 30 years and will run you somewhere between $70 and $350.
#2 Common Good Constrictor
Because of their very large size, boas are not the best pet for the beginner. Measuring 13 to 16 feet in length, the boa constrictor requires an experienced handler. Found in South and Central America, the boa snacks on deer, lizards, fish, and other creatures. You can feed them as pets rabbits, rats, and chickens. You want to keep them away from children. Boas are strong and can wrap tightly when stressed or threatened. The regular boa costs between $60 and $200.
#3 Western Hognose Snake
native to the U.S, Canada, and Mexico, the Western Hognose snake is known for its upturned pug nose. Active in the morning and evening, the varieties snack on toads and small lizards and mice (when toads and lizards are not available). The Hognose digs holes to find toads hiding in the sand.
The Hognose is good with proper handling and their hissing is not an aggressive behavior. The boa costs $100-$700.
#4 Garter Snake
garters are among the world’s most populous wild snakes and popular pets. Caught garters gnaw on worms and small fish. With common heating and lighting requirements, they do not require much maintenance. It is good to put them on with a sun lamp, because the garter loves to rest in the sun. They don’t grow longer than four feet, making them a rare little snake. The garter snake is a famous backyard invader and being quite harmless and tame they are good for children. The hoses are cheap at under $50.
#5 Ball Python
The ball python is known for its pickiness and its food. They prefer thawed or freshly killed meals, but there are times when they stop eating altogether. But their disposition is calm and docile and suspicious. You are going to spend some time earning their trust. A characteristic of the snake is that it curls into a ball when intimidated. They can grow thick and remain small, reaching a maximum of one and a half meters. Ball pythons live up to three decades and cost $25-$200 depending on their rarity.
#6 California Kingsnake
The Cali King Snake is usually brown-black with yellow stripes, bands, or speckles. An excellent beginner snake, the Cali King is a shy, docile animal that is handled regularly. The snake does not lash out when stressed. The breeds prefer to curl up and hide. They have basic care requirements, eat mice and live up to 20 years. You can have your own for between $70 and $170.
#7 Corn snake
The grain snake is a top choice for beginners. native to the United States, they are mostly in terrestrial habitats. If done by professionals, you can catch them in the wild. However, breeds in captivity are healthier with calmer temperaments. You can keep the three to four foot long snake in a 20 gallon aquarium. They eat pink mice and have few medical problems. Look for a cost that is usually in the $40 to $100 range.
#8 African house snake
The adaptable African house snake can live in many ecosystems. In his native sub-Saharan Africa, they find solace near human dwellings. These animals are harmless, but have a tendency to stress over unfamiliar environments and loud noises. But because they run rather than bite, the animals are a safe bet for children. Beyond its brown hue, you can distinguish the African house snake by a thin stripe of white or brown running from head to tail across the top of its body. Prices start at $70.
#9 Milk snake
The milk snake calls Mexico and the United States home. A rare smaller snake for beginners, it has rings of orange, red, white, yellow and black. Often confused with the coral snake, the milk snake is not venomous and has an impressionable docile temperament. You can’t have more than one in a single environment as these creatures tend to cannibalize each other. They grow up to six feet tall. Depending on the species, a Milksnake costs between $70 and $100.
#10 Gopher Snake
There are nine subspecies among the gopher snake breeds, including the bullsnake, the Sonoran gopher, and the Pacific and Great Basin gophers. Sizes range from three to seven feet. They have mistaken behavior and color range for various poisonous species. This is also because one of their defensive qualities is to fool predators by imitating dangerous animals such as: rattlesnakes. Although not particularly domesticated, the gopher makes good family pets if handled with care. A gopher snake costs between $30 and $100.
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