Category Archives: pet snake care

Many people look to keep snakes as pets. Before getting your pet snake, you should be aware of some important issues like their food, habitat and other steps of care. First, let us know how we should select a pet snake.

THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN GETTING A PET SNAKE

1. The snake should have firm round body
2. The eyes should be clear, no discharge from eyes
3. No open mouth breathing or gasping for breath.
4. The inner part of the mouth should be uniformly pink
5. Shiny, smooth skin without any scabs or sores
6. Clean vent without any swelling
7. No signs of mites should be found. To make this clear check especially around head/eyes, look for dusty specs on the
body, check your hands after handling the snake
8. The snake should move smoothly with no tremors
9. Always buy a snake that bred in captivity
10. Before bringing it home the snake should be thoroughly tested with a veterinary
11. Make sure the snake is habituated to eating frozen food

PET SNAKE HABITAT

The babies are kept in terrarium. A Terrarium is a miniature landscape with living plants and small animals like snakes. Fully-grown snakes are kept in 20-25 gallon enclosure also known as a terrarium and sometimes called a vivarium. The enclosure is closed on all sides without any large holes as snakes are escape masters. The enclosure should be closed on the top with a tight fitting lid. Otherwise, the snake will move the lid by pushing with its head. The suitable substrate in the enclosure includes reptile bark, Astroturf, aspen shaving, mulch and paper towels. One can select the substrate depending on oneís taste and comfort of the snake. Snakes should be kept alone. They prey on fellow animals.

The snake’s body cannot generate heat so snakes depend on outside source to get heat. The snake moves between cool side and warm side of the tank to maintain its body temperature. Only one side of the tank should be kept warm and other side should be kept at a low temperature. The cool side of the tank should have a temperature of 23 degrees Celsius and the warm side of the tank should have a temperature of 32 degrees Celsius. The heat can be maintained by using heating pad, heating tape, white light heat lamps or ceramic emitters. It is not advisable to use hot rocks. Hot rocks may burn the snake.

The suitable humidity for a snake is 40-60%. Humidity is maintained by keeping the water source topped up. It is important to provide hiding areas in the tank. The snake feels secured when it hides itself in the hiding area and is not seen. We can use old cupboard boxes for hiding places. Hiding places are both on the cool side and warm side. We can even keep a clean branch in the tank so that the snake can climb and move in the tank. Duplication of the habitat is necessary for the snake to breed.

PET SNAKE FOOD

In captivity, snakes are fed with rodents, chicks and birds. Make sure that the feed animal is dead. The live animal may cause injuries to the snake in its attempt to escape. It is better to feed frozen animals.

SIGNS OF SHEDDING

As the snake grows in size it has to shed, itís old skin and gets a new one for its increased body size. When the snake sheds, it shows some signs. Special care should be taken during shedding. The signs of shedding are
1. Eyes become cloudy
2. Body color starts becoming dull
3. Refuses to eat
4. Becomes less mobile.

To maintain the moisture of the body the snake should be soaked in warm water. It may take 24 hours to shed the skin completely. Snake may not eat food for three weeks. Usually snakes shed once in2-3 months. A rough rock should be made available in the tank. The snake can push against this rock and remove its old skin.

IMPORTANT POINTS TO REMEMBER

1. Do not keep a pet snake in the houses where there are children below the age of five
2. Do not handle the snake more than once in a weak without genuine reason
3. Do not over feed your pet snake. This may shorten its life span
4. Never try to feed your pet snake by holding the food by its tail. The vision of the snakes is poor. They mainly depend on the sense of smell and temperature to find its food. There is a chance of mistaking your hand as its food
5. It is safe to wash your hands with antibacterial soap before and after handling the snake

When handled properly with required care, having a pet snake is a pleasant experience.

What You Should Know About Breeding Snakes

When you’ve had some success caring for captive snakes, you may find yourself interested in breeding snakes. This is often done, but it needs record keeping and attention to many details concerning the living arrangements of the snakes. The breeding is generally done in winter so the babies are born or hatched in the spring.

A fast note about determining the sex of a snake. This talent needs to be learned from an expert. It’s a tough process, often requiring the utilising of a metal probe to have a look for the male reproductive organ. Even the most experienced of snake breeders make a boo boo now and then.

Breeding snakes needs feeding them well for roughly 4 months, and then putting them into a cool state of hibernation. To do this, you need to fatten them up, especially females, for a few months in late summer, then lower the temperature for a few more weeks or months. The precise timing varies with the species, as do the temperature requirements.

In the hibernation, the snake isn’t fed, but is provided fresh water. When the time is up, the snake is steadily warmed up, and fed well again for a short while. Then the male and female are placed together. If she resists him, separate them and wait another week. If not, leave them together for one week or so.

A female snake that is developing eggs inside is called “gravid.” Some types of snake eat well in this time and others do not. The period it takes varies even in the same species. Again, the amount of heat provided makes a difference. Most females will shed shortly before laying their eggs.

Pregnancy takes from 4 to 10 months. The mum to be generally eats well during this time, but you need to choose smaller food items, since her within body space is getting more crowded. Shedding generally precedes giving birth, but it can be as much as another month before the birth. The litter size can range all the way from 10 to as much as 80 for large, tough females.

Some snakes give birth to live children rather than laying eggs. The boas are examples of this. The hibernation requirements for these tropical snakes are even less, adding up to just a couple of weeks with low night temperatures. Their humidity desires are higher, and they should be misted daily. With boas, you can add more than one male to the female’s enclosure.

Generally, when breeding snakes, snake babies should be removed and placed in separate containers lined with paper towels. The paper hand towels ought really to be kept clammy for the first 2 weeks. They’ll shed around this time, and can feed on pinkies or fuzzies (young mice) after the shed.

There might be a market for these young reptiles, and the process of breeding snakes is undeniably fascinating for the hobbyist. Do remember, though, that there are growing numbers of pet snakes being shoved off into rescue shelters as the owners just can’t handle them any more.

Be a responsible when breeding snakes and confirm your young snakes won’t just be more casualties.

Breeding And Caring For Baby Snakes Is Not Easy

Sadly, snakes, like all reptiles, will not breed easily in captivity. This is certainly no reason why herpetologists should just keep single specimens, in fact numerous species have bred while in the hands of private collectors, and there is no doubt if snake owners took the effort to invest in collecting a pair of snakes of both sexes there would be more baby snakes born in captivity.

Live-bearing, or viviparous, species such as boas, garter and water snakes seem to breed far more freely in captivity than egg-laying, or oviparous snake species. Should the herpetologist have the good luck to succeed, he or she stands a great chance of rearing the young. Baby snakes generally start off feeding after their initial slough, which takes place a few days after birth. The young of water and garter snakes, probably the most easily bred of all reptiles in captivity, can ordinarily be started on little fish, tadpoles, and earthworms, while individuals from the much larger species, like the egg-layers, start off on very little mice, possibly hairless or new born. Care ought to be taken to make sure the most aggressive of the the baby snake brood doesn’t monopolize the foodstuffs provided; it can be thus a good idea to separate the heavy feeders from the weak eaters. Baby snakes should normally be given small things to eat, even if they might deal with much larger food, for they have a tendency to gorge on their own and this can result in death.

Baby Snakes From Egg-laying Species

Egg-laying species are extra challenging to rear because of need to have to the perfect medium in which to hatch the eggs. Fine sand and leaf mould are ideal in this respect, though good results have been obtained with foam-rubber, newspaper, and even by leaving the eggs suspended in a plastic bag. Regardless of what medium is used, the eggs need to be handled as little as you possibly can, though frequent checks really should be made, and damaged or obviously infertile eggs removed. Even though a measure of humidity really should be preserved, the hatching medium should by no means grow to be soggy – a continuing temperature of about 29°C is required for hatching. Hatching normally takes place within five to 10 weeks according to the species. On hatching, the baby snakes might be cared for in the exact same way as many of viviparous snakes. The snake-breeders major dilemma is that of sexing his pets. Sometimes the double-structured penis of the male is noticeable when the reptile relieves himself, but it is very difficult to catch a glimpse at the exact right moment. Usually the female has a heavier body compared to the male, and her tail is a fair bit shorter and significantly less tapered; the male generally has a longer, more slender tail, tough it is touch to tell with out close examination and a pair of snakes of both sexes for comparison.

Snakes regularly shed their skin

Due to growth, snakes regularly cast off their skin in a process called sloughing (pronounced sluffing). This happens far more often than is mostly realised : a younger, healthy snake is probably sloughing every month. When just about to slough, a snake secretes, in between the newly-formed and the old epidermis, a layer of liquid that may be seen through the translucent eye scales. During this time period reptile remains well concealed, generally refusing all food. The milky appearance quickly vanishes and the snake subsequently rubs its snout against rough, solid objects so that they can split the skin: rocks and branches ought to be furnished in the terrarium for this reason. Eventually the skin splits and by consistent rubbing of its body, the snake escapes from the older skin more likely than not simply leaves it in one piece, inside-out.
Sometimes pet snakes will need assistance with sloughing. If specimens in this circumstance may be kept in a bath of water at a temperature of 24°C for several hours, this can soften the skin and make it possible for it to be gently removed.

As a general rule, you SHOULD NOT help pull the skin off SNAKES,you stand a better chance of injuring the reptile than helping it.

It is sometimes beneficial for snakes to be sprayed with water, occasionally, throughout the slough, however, if the drinking facilities permit your snakes to immerse themselves in water no concerns need occur.

Snakes are probably one of the most maligned creatures in the animal kingdom, circumstances brought on by superstition and ignorance. Without exception they are really wonderful, clean creatures, several species adapt themselves easily to captivity. With the thousands of species identified, just a mere handful are venomous, and just a comparatively few are capable of seriously doing harm to humans.

Feeding Snakes

Generally, snakes consume their prey whole, regardless of whether it consists of insects, fish, amphibians, mammals, or birds, this is made feasible because of the maneuverability of the loosely attached jawbones and the flexibility of the skin. Snakes depend mostly on scent to locate their prey – the continually flickering tongue picks up particles from the environment and transfers them to a sense organ, called Jacobson’s organ, located in the roof of the mouth.

Quite a few disputes have raged over the need for supplying live prey to snakes. While it is true a snake can deal swiftly and painlessly with any prey it might wish to consume, it should always be kept in mind anytime rodents are used for feeding there is always the potential the prey may turn on the snake. A snake in cases like this, whether it is a powerful constrictor or even a venomous species, will often fail to retaliate and may even sustain fatal injuries. The majority of captive snakes, even those straight from their natural environment, accept dead prey plus its much less dangerous for the snake. Should an occasion occur in which live food must be used, both the comfort of the prey as well as the safety of the snake is helped by leaving food for the prey inside the cage as well.

Rodent-eating species are fed with mice, rats, or rabbits, depending on species and size. Guinea pigs (cavies) should not be offered to reptiles because their particularly tough skin and hair can trigger serious digestive troubles. The amount of food given at every meal, typically weekly, clearly is determined by the size and species of snake. Smaller, active snakes need more food in relation to their size compared to larger, more lethargic species – consequently a four foot rat snake would require about three or four adult mice weekly, however one rabbit may possibly keep a twelve foot python happy for a few weeks. Snakes shouldn’t be permitted to gorge themselves too heavily, given that, particularly in captivity, they have a tendency to gain excess weight with an alarming rate. A healthy snake ought to have a well-rounded body without being fat; it’s advisable always to keep your pet slightly hungry in order to maintain its interest in food.

Snakes Sometimes Go On Hunger Strikes

Hunger strike is a concern often experienced with captive snakes. Often a snake will go on a hunger strike for many weeks or even months, and then start to feed again. This is typically the behavior of snakes that would, in their native countries, either hibernate or perhaps be impacted by drought, and assuming the snake continues to be taken care of, this type of extended fast can do the reptile no harm – in some instances it might even be beneficial.

Typically hunger strikes happen in recently imported animals. Every effort must be made to supply such snakes with as wide an assortment of food as is possible: a snake coming directly from the wild might not recognize a white mouse as food, but it could take to a brown one or maybe a small gerbil. Raising the heat in the vivarium might encourage the snake to eat food. Should this be unsuccessful, switching off all of the lights and leaving the snake in complete darkness could help. It is amazing how easily the presence of a human can put a shy reptile off its food, therefore, the owner really should try to curb his / her enthusiasm for a while by leaving the snake on it’s own after offering its food. Forced feeding might possibly be recommended in cases of hunger strike, but may very well speed up instead of postpone the animal’s death. A snake is a really delicate creature, and attempts to force food down its throat – that may be regurgitated later – are definately not beneficial. If kept in proper surroundings and provided the appropriate food the snake should eat eventually; if it doesn’t it’s possible the snake is ill or physically hurt, possibly due to transportation. Of course, it’s advisable the future owner observe an individual snake eat before he / she buys it.

The majority of snakes which in their natural habitat prey on birds can readily accept day-old chicks. Often these may be purchased from commercial hatcheries when the undersized chicks are destroyed after sorting.
Species including garter and water snakes, which generally feed on live fish, may be coaxed into eating strips of flesh from larger fish. At the start they may need to be tempted with live minnows or goldfish, but nearly all will quickly adapt to more readily available food.

Why would you want snakes as pets?

I would ask, why wouldn’t you want snakes as pet? Most people do not often think of snakes as pets; but undeniably this attitude is beginning to change. Snakes can be kept as pets without difficulty: snakes neither make undue mess nor must they be taken out for walks. And many them are lovely: a Boa Constrictor, a garter snake, or perhaps a hog nose snake is often as beautiful as any bird or tropical fish. Though possibly not as friendly as a dog or cat, a python or boa can be nearly as lovable; with plenty still that can then be found out about them, the pet owner is in a perfect position to help make fresh findings and observations. The adventurous snake keeper will potentially want to breed from his or her stock: there are a number of species which have not yet been reared in captivity.

What do you need to provide to keep snakes as pets?

If you are going to keep snakes as pets, it is especially vital to provide a place to accommodate the snake before it is either purchased or caught. This preparation is needed due to the temperature it may need, plus many snakes are really gifted escapers.

The vivarium or terrarium is a special cage for various types of small animals requiring more than simply a normal common box to exist in. It is essential to make an effort to create a microcosm of the natural environment to which the reptile is accustomed in the vivarium.

The prerequisites for a vivarium in which to keep snakes as pets; warmth, nutrition, light, as well as area. These necessities will probably will impact the eventual personal choice of snake. The owner of snakes as pets has to be completely satisfied that he or she will keep his / her choice of pet comfortable as well as fed, and supply it with enough light as well as space or room. A modest vivarium for just a few snakes, as an example, could be easily heated by way of a 40 watt bulb, however a big python or boa would need several 250 watt radiant light bulbs to reach an acceptable temperature. Some snakes could possibly feed contentedly on worms, uncooked egg, and chopped meat, though a large python may require several whole chickens or rabbits per week. The contrast is undoubtedly an extreme one, however it does stress the need for thinking cautiously with regards to the accessibility of a regular source of the proper nutrition: a snake may easily accept brown-and-white or practically black mice, and yet may appear indifferent to white mice. In practically all cases their food needs to be recently killed; if the odour and body heat are lacking it seems merely an object instead of food, and may even be rejected – even by a starving snake.

Space or room is very important for the healthy growth and development of all reptiles. Some may seem to do very well and to feed with barely adequate room to turn round, but their normal rate of growth can be limited. Contrary to the opinions of a few people, snakes do stretch themselves out, and very energetic reptiles such as racer snakes might injure themselves when artificially constrained.

Another important thing to consider in the selection of a snakes as pets will be the availability of the species. Reptile exports are banned from both Australia and New Zealand, and many North American species are vigorously protected. India, too, has restricted the foreign trade of almost all its native fauna. Importing may also be restricted and it is wise to check government policies prior to making any arrangements. The amateur may possibly be best advised to buy only those specimens readily available in their own region. Many respected pet dealers can source reptiles, though these are usually offered to order – through specialist suppliers – rather than from stock. These specialized dealers will most likely deliver a list of their stock to any possible client. Some of these listings are really comprehensive, suggesting the food and living environments of the reptiles; and many provide the creature’s Latin names.