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Care for Pet Snakes
Vivariums, Sun Light Lamps, Retile Tanks
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Just like other pets, snakes require proper care. And since they are not the typical
animal people are used to having in their houses, learning how to care for them requires more effort. Still,
they need the basic things that any animals should have: food, water, shelter and right temperature.
Food
Snakes in the wild hunt and eat small animals like rats so it is okay to feed your snake live prey. The problem in
feeding live prey is that your pet snake may get hurt, especially if it is not hungry enough to hunt or if it is
unsuccessful with it's first strike. As an alternative, many recommend a pre-killed prey. They can be bought in
numbers and can be kept in the freezer until they are ready to use.
How often should you feed your snake? Younger snakes should be fed more often than older
snakes. Snakes up to 9 months old should be feed an appropriately sized item once every 5 days; from 9 months
to a year old, every 6 days; from 1 to 3 years, once every 10 days; and for snakes that are more than 3 years old,
feeding it once every 14 days is enough. The size of the prey should be noted as well. An appropriate size of prey
is 1.5 times the girth of your snake.
You may not follow the guidelines mentioned above: if you are slowing growth or speeding growth
and as a preparation for breeding.
Water
As an essential part of any living creature's diet, clean water
should be made available all the time, even if your snake doesn't seem to drink at all. Water should be placed in a
shallow bowl so that it cannot be tipped over easily. Water should be at room temperature.
Shelter
A solid cage (aquarium or tank) is a necessity for snakes. Make sure that the cage is secured or clamped down
as snakes can squeeze through any available spaces. Provide hiding spots and materials that can be used for
substrate. A branch of a tree, pine bark chips and aspen shavings are good choices. Avoid using corncob, sand,
soil, cedar shavings and pine shavings.
Temperature
Correct temperature is vital to any reptile. A corn snake for example should be kept in an environment of 21-29 C
or 70-85 F. An overhead incandescent lamp and heat tape or head pads can be used to maintain a relatively constant
heat.
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