How to Care for Queen Snakes

Queen snakes (Regina septemvittata) are non-venomous snakes found in North America mainly to the east of the Mississippi River and as far north as Ontario, Canada. They can be identified by the pale stripes on their belly. A queen snake has seven stripes when it is young, hence septemvittata. If one is found injured, it should be given to an animal sanctuary.

Things You'll Need

  • Tank or aquarium
  • Tank heater
  • Food
  • Rocks
  • Water
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Instructions

    • 1

      Feed the queen snake soft-shelled crayfish, newts, minnows, snails, shrimp, tadpoles and frogs. As snakes have no chewing teeth, anything with a solid shell is inedible.

    • 2

      Keep its aquarium or tank above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Like all snakes, queen snakes are cold-blooded and their body temperature needs to be at least this high to hunt.

    • 3

      Maintain a source of clean water in its enclosure. Queen snakes in the wild live next to, and in clean, fast-running water.

    • 4

      Ensure there are some rocks in the tank so it can bask to bring its body temperature up.

    • 5

      Allow the snake to hibernate. Queen snakes in the wild will collect in groups in holes in river banks during cold months.

    • 6

      Prepare for young snakes if there is a male and a female. Female queen snakes are ovoviviparous, meaning the eggs are incubated inside the female making it appear as though they give birth to live young.