How to choose a snake?

Selecting & Caring for Your Snake

Family: BoidaeAlbino Ball PythonPython regius
There are approximately 2000 distinct species of snakes and they are found on all the continents except Antartica. You can see why there are many docile snakes readily available as pets!
     Venomous snakes can be found anywhere that non-venomous snakes are also found, though there are more venomous snakes in Southeast Asia than anywhere else. Rattlesnakes are found only in the western hemispere. All snakes that live in the sea are venomous.

Pet appeal - Why snakes make good pets!     Many snakes make good pets because they are quite docile, easy to hold, and easy to care for. Snakes are very clean, virtually odorless, quiet, and other than the large boas and pythons, they don't eat much so they are inexpensive to feed. There are a wide variety of non-venomous pet snakes to choose from.
How to Choose Your Snake:     When deciding which snake or snakes are for you, keep the following basic considerations in mind:

• How much do you want to spend?
• How much space do you have for it?
• What type of disposition do you want in your pet?
• How hardy is it and how easy is it to feed?
• What color, shape and size do you want and is that snake readily available?

Many snakes are protected so check with authorities in your area on laws governing your choice of snake.
Handling Your Snake:     To hold a snake, approach the cage slowly as this is the snakes home and it may try to defend it. If it is a tame snake, slowly reach in and grasp the snake firmly behind its head. Support it's body with your other hand as you pick it up. If it is not tame, reach in and grasp it behind the head quickly, or use a snake stick.
     Don't handle a snake after handling its food, it can smell the food on your hands and may mistake your hand for its supper. Also, don't handle a snake for two days after you've fed it as it needs time to digest its meal. Handling it too soon may make it regurgitate its food.
Always wash your hands before and after handling your snake!Snake Characteristics:     Snakes are reptiles with a lung or two, but no gills. They have no moveable eyelids and no external ear openings. Snakes have a retractile forked tongue which they use to pick up odors from the air and to taste. They are limbless, have scales, and will molt or shed their skin between two to five times per year (young snakes can molt 8 to 12 times per year).      Snakes are made up of four parts; a head, a neck, a body and a tail. Their bodies range in length from 7 1/2 inches, such as the worm-like Texas blind snake, up to 32 feet as in the reticulated python of Asia. The anaconda snake of South America is the largest snake in circumference, measuring up to three feet (one meter) around.      They can live a long time, ranging from about three years up to 25 or 30 years, depending upon the type of snake and its environment.


Snake Movements:     Though they have no have no legs, all snakes are able to swim. Many snakes can climb and some can burrow. They move in several ways; some move with a rectilinear movement, others have a serpentine movement, and still others move with a sidewindy motion.      There is an Asian snake that can glide through the air by flattening it's body and using it like a parachute. Some water snakes flattened their tail and use it to propel themselves through the water. No snake can move backward!
Housing:     Keep the decor simple. Housing size should have the diagonal of the cage at least as long as the snake. There needs to be fresh water for the snake to drink and occasionally bathe in, absorbent material on the floor, and a hiding place. Provide a warm broad spectrum light 10 to 12 hours per day. Most snakes will also need a substrate heating device, but also a cool shade area to move to when they are too warm.      For more detailed information see theBasic Reptile and Amphibian Care: Housing.
Diet - Feeding Your Snake:     All snakes are carnivores, designed to eat whole food. They are never vegetarians! Their diets range from rodents, fish, worms, frogs, and amphibians to lizards, insects, and often times other snakes.      You should sprinkle a vitamin supplement of calcium and vitamin D on their food. Specific foods are indicated with each snake listed.
Availability:     Beginner snakes are generally available and inexpensive. You can buy snakes at a pet store or from a breeder and you can collect snakes where allowed.      Wild caught snakes are seasonal due to their breeding times and can be difficult to adapt to captivity. Captive bred snakes though more expensive, are generally easier to get. They are often healthier than wild caught snakes, they adapt more easily to cage conditions, and they are relatively parasite free.