The beauty of keeping
reptiles is that once you've set up their caging requirements and learned a few
basic skills, there are many species that can be safely and efficiently kept
within the home and should live out a full, healthy life.
Fortunately the vast majority of the suitable snakes one might choose to keep,
such as corn snakes, king snakes or milk snakes, require very little special
treatment and soon become very low maintenace captives.
Quiet, well-behaved, not requiring regular walks and virtually scent-free whilst
being unusual and fascinating, snakes can be an ideal pet for today's ever-busy
lifestyle. |
|
At
it's simplest, a glass fish tank with a specially-sold
reptile hood or one of the specially made reptile cages
(such as those available from http://www.petsmart.com) may
be used, and these are often available for sale second hand
in local papers.
Wooden cages should be avoided unless they are treated so as
to avoid any spillage from the water bowl (many snakes like
to bathe) and ventilation should be good as moist cages
often lead to skin complaints or respiratory problems.
A
length of around 30-45 cm is suitable for a hatchling snake
whilst an adult will require a length of 60-90 cm so it can
stretch out. |
|
The cage should be furnished with one of the
reptile-safe substrates such as beech chippings
or corn cob granules and should be placed 1/3 -
1/2 over a safe, specially-sold, low-wattage
heat mat to gently warm the substrate for the
snake.
These cost just pennies to run each day and
generate a gentle background warmth for your
pet.
In particularly cold situations such as bad
weather, during night-time or in a room which
doesn't warm up appreciably during the day an
additional form of heat is recommended, such as
a gauze-encased lightbulb, to warm the warmer
end of the cage (the "hot spot") to around
24-26'C.
|
|
This temperature should be
maintained at one end of the
cage throughout the day
though this may drop by a
few degrees at night without
worry of danger to your pet.
If using a bulb a thermostat
is recommended to enable you
to accurately control the
temperature and prevent the
cage overheating.
A hide should be included as
snakes are often quite
reclusive and like to hide
away for much of the day,
showing themselves early in
the morning and later in the
evening.
This could be a
specially-sold reptile hide
but I often simply use a box
- like an old cereal box -
as they're free and easily
replaced when they get
dirty.
A solid waterbowl - ideally
a terracotta dog bowl -
large enough for the snake
to submerge itself in
(bathing is good for the
skin) but difficult to tip
over should be filled with
fresh water and changed
daily as in a warm
environment plenty of water
is likely to evaporate, and
in addition many snakes like
to deficate in their water
bowl.
And apart from some food
you're now all set up! |
|
As you can see keeping the
smaller, more docile snakes
*doesn't* have the break the
bank, nor do you these days
need to "make do" with
substandard products.
Companies like ZooMed make
high quality, specialist
hardware for just this
purpose, and make it
available for a very
reasonable cost.
Now all you need to do is to
convince your
girlfriend/wife/mother to
let you have the snake
itself ;-)
Copyright 2006 Richard Adams
Richard Adams is
the owner and
founder of
http://www.aboutsnakes.com.
About Snakes is
one of the most
popular sources
of free reptile
information
online.
|
