How to Take Care of Snakes

Owning a snake as a pet can be a delightful experience. You wouldn’t think that they require much besides a place to stay and food. However, like any pet they require daily maintenance and attention. All the time that you devote to making a pet snake comfortable and happy can go a long way to maintaining its quality of life.

Things You'll Need

  • Books on the species of snake you own
  • Heating lamps and heaters
  • Thermometer to maintain the temperature
  • Cage
  • Food and water
  • Tongs for feeding
  • Mister
  • Phone number of a reliable reptile vet
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Instructions

  1. The First Steps

    • 1

      Choose a cage.. You need to find a cage from which your snake won’t be able to escape. A cage needs to have the type of substrate (sand or bark) that is found in their natural environment, and an area it can hide in. Snakes also like to climb, so providing an area that your snake can climb up off the bottom of the cage can be beneficial. There also needs to be an area for a small dish of water in which your snake can submerge itself. A mister is essential, as it provides the humidity that your snake requires. The amount of humidity needed will be determined by the species of snake you own.

    • 2

      Set an appropriate temperature in the cage. This is a very important element when it comes to the snake's health. The species of snake you have will determine the temperature that is suitable to your snake’s health. The temperature can be controlled with heating lamps that are attached to the top of the snake cage. There are also heaters that can provide heat to your snake through the floor of the cage. A thermometer is very useful in keeping the temperature stable.

    • 3

      Stick to a feeding routine and provide the type of food that it is accustomed to, as any change in food or feeding pattern can cause your snake to become ill. Feeding your snake may require a strong stomach and is not for the faint-hearted. Generally snakes that are kept as pets eat mice and other small creatures such as lizards or worms. These delicacies can usually be ordered and kept in your freezer until meal times. When it comes time to feed the snake, thaw the mouse (or other food item) in a bowl of warm water to bring it to room temperature. Once the food item is dried, place it in the cage with your snake, using the tongs. Your snake can also be fed live food items if you don’t mind keeping the mice in separate cages. You also need to give your snake supplements of calcium and Vitamin D to keep it healthy. The water also needs to be changed daily so that your pet snake has a fresh supply to drink and bathe in.

    • 4

      Shedding is a natural process with snakes. They shed their skins every two to three months. If the humidity of the cage is kept at the correct level you shouldn’t have any problems. You can also spray the snake down with a water bottle daily once the eyes have cleared to help the process along. The snakes eyes are cleared once the shedding layer has moved past the eyes. If you notice that the snake doesn’t quite shed its skin entirely, you can soak your snake in a bowl of warm water for an hour or so; the skin can then be gently peeled off.