How to Care for a Red-Bellied Snake I Found

Red-bellied snakes (Storeria occipitomaculata) are small snakes native to the Eastern United States. Red-bellied snakes only grow to between 8 and 16 inches long, but they have a conspicuous underside that ranges in color from bright red to orange, which they use to protect themselves from predators. When threatened, the red-bellied snake faces the predator and flashes its belly. The bright color confuses predators long enough for the snake to escape to safety. While attractive, red-bellied snakes can be difficult to care for in captivity, due to their specific diet. With the proper tank setup and care, red-bellied snakes make interesting pets at home.

Things You'll Need

  • 10 gallon aquarium
  • Aquarium cover
  • Heating pat
  • Thermometer
  • Newspaper
  • Small plastic container with cover
  • Sphagnum moss
  • Water dish
  • Garden snails
  • Worms
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place a 10-gallon aquarium with a secure lid in place, in a quiet location in your home away from windows or air conditioning vents. Though red-bellied snakes are not very good climbers, an escape proof cage is essential when keeping the snakes indoors.

    • 2

      Place a reptile heating pad under one side of the enclosure. Like all reptiles, red-bellied snakes are exothermic and require both warm and cool areas in their enclosure in order to regulate their body temperature.

    • 3

      Cover the bottom of the aquarium with newspaper. Newspaper is a cheap substrate for keeping red-bellied snakes that makes it easy to maintain a hygienic enclosure.

    • 4

      Fill a small plastic container with freshwater and soak sphagnum moss for 10 to 15 minutes. Once the moss is saturated, drain the water, squeeze the moss thoroughly by hand and press the moss so that it covers the base of the plastic container evenly.

    • 5

      Cut a small hole 1 to 2 inches in diameter in the center of the plastic container cover, using a sharp knife. Fit the cover over the container and place it in the aquarium. Red-bellied snakes are found in moist leaf litter and near riverbeds and creeks in the wild. The plastic container serves as a source of moisture for red-bellied snakes in captivity.

    • 6

      Place a thermometer over the heat pad in the enclosure and ensure that the temperature is between 83 to 88 degrees.

    • 7

      Fill a small water dish and place in the aquarium on the opposite side of the heating pad.

    • 8

      Introduce your red-bellied snake and cover with a large towel for 24 hours to allow the snake to adjust to the new environment.

    • 9

      Change the water every 2 to 3 days, or as needed, and replace the newspaper substrate as soon as the snake defecates.

    • 10

      Feed the snakes once every two weeks. Offer as many earthworms as they will eat at once. You can supplement their diet by offering snails, slugs, or insect larvae you find around your home garden. Remove any uneaten food if the snake does not eat it overnight.