About Snakes & How to Care for Them

There are numerous species of snake; more than 2,500, according to Pet Place, and each one will have its own environmental and dietary needs. However, if you and your family wish to keep a snake, it is important to know the basics of living with this legless reptile and what sort of care it requires.

  1. Basics

    • Snakes are not an easy type of pet to care for. They can live for many decades and some species will grow to more than 5 feet long. Snakes will require frequent trips to a veterinarian who specializes in reptiles for regular check-ups. If you are going to buy a snake, you will need at least a 30 gallon tank, but larger species will require a much larger enclosure. Since snakes are cold-blooded, they also require very specific temperature ranges. Most snakes are also carnivorous and prefer to eat live prey such as crickets, goldfish and mice.

    Enclosure

    • The size of your snake's enclosure depends on the size and the level of activity of the species. For snakes that are not active, the recommended enclosure size should be at least the length of the snake and at least three quarters as wide as its body, according to Pet Place. For more active snake species, it should be twice as big as the inactive dimensions. If your snake is an arboreal species, you will need to get a tall enclosure as well, giving it space to climb.

    Food

    • If you are squeamish about dropping a live mice or rat into your snake's cage, you can buy pre-killed, frozen rodents at your pet store. Smaller species will feed on goldfish or crickets. Some of the larger constrictors need larger prey, such as rabbits, which you can also buy frozen. Your snake's prey should be the size of its head or less. Feed your snake weekly, except larger snakes, which can live off one rabbit every 2 to 4 weeks. Water snakes cannot survive on goldfish alone. Feed them minnows or shiners so they can get their vitamin B.

    Heat

    • Most species of snake need an ambient temperature of 77 to 87 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Pet Place. Since snakes are cold-blooded, their bodies thermoregulate to the external temperature. If it's too cold, your snake could freeze. On top of the warm ambient temperature, your snake will require a heat lamp or a heat stone that's even warmer where they can rest and bask, especially at night. Snakes do need a continuous cycle of day and night, so a heat lamp that is on for 24 hours will not work.