How to House Pet Snakes

Snakes are becoming a very popular pet in the United States. Pet snakes, though, can be expensive. You need to be sure that the housing will keep the snake in. While a simple glass or plastic aquarium might work for some species, generally a pet snake requires special cages and enclosures. Here's how to best house a pet snake.

Things You'll Need

  • Aquarium tank or plastic tub
  • Heat mat or heat lamps
  • Screen mesh
  • Clip-on locks
  • Shredded paper (or bark, gravel, soil or carpet)
  • Rocks or pieces of bark
  • Decorative plants, branches and/or vines
  • Thermometer
  • Humidity gauge
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Instructions

    • 1

      Start with a glass or plastic aquarium if you have baby snakes. You can house smaller snakes in such a container, but you will need to move on to a larger enclosure as the snakes grows.

    • 2

      Use a large tank or molded plastic tub for your pet snake. Make sure it is large enough depending on the size of your snake. Many types of snakes need room to move around.

    • 3

      Place a heat mat on roughly half the bottom of the tank, or use clip-on heat lamps placed on top of one half of the tank.

    • 4

      Make sure the enclosure is locked and secured. A screen mesh with clip-on locks works best for the top of the tank.

    • 5

      Line the bottom of the tank with a substrate such as shredded paper or bark, soil, carpet or gravel. All work equally well, and the choice is simply a matter of personal preference.

    • 6

      Set rocks or large pieces of bark inside the snake's cage. These items give the snake something to rub against when it sheds. You can also add decorative plants, small branches and vines.

    • 7

      Keep the tank at the required temperature and humidity level for your particular species of snake. Use a thermometer and humidity gauge to ensure the environment is maintained.