by Wes Pollock

Created on: December 24, 2008   Last Updated: December 31, 2009

Snake Keeping for Beginners

Some snakes are an excellent choice for someone just learning how to keep reptiles. Some are not any good at all for beginners.

Any of the tree boas or tree pythons, the Burmese python, African rock python, green anaconda, reticulated python, amethystine python and any venomous snake should not be kept by the inexperienced. They are either known to be aggressive, grow too large too quick, or have environmental requirements that are not easy for a novice to achieve.

There are many species of snakes that can be kept by a novice. Some are burrowers and so need a deeper bedding. Some like to climb. They will need branches, vines or ledges on which to climb. Others live in a semi-aquatic world. Water loving snakes need more water than land in their cages. A great many snakes like it warm and dry, some snakes prefer warm and moist. Any of these environments can be simulated by an average person.

Snakes do not generate their own body heat. They are the same temperature as their surroundings. They are poikilothermic. This means you must supply the heat your new friend will need to be a happy healthy snake. Snakes need to be warm to eat and properly digest their food. If they're not warm enough they will not eat. If they don't eat for long enough they will waste get sick or waste away.

Once you have decided what type of snake you want to keep you need to set up an environment specifically for that snake. Some set ups can be very simple; artificial heat by light from above or a heat strip underneath the cage, or both if necessary, a water bowl, a hiding place, some shavings as bedding and maybe a branch to crawl on. All this in a cage made to house snakes and you have all you need for many kingsnakes, cornsnakes, gophersnakes, milksnakes, hognoses, pinesnakes, ratsnakes and many others. Most of these snakes can live twenty years or more.

Snakes that live primarily in the water, such as the gartersnakes, watersnakes and ribbonsnakes, need more water than their primarily terrestrial cousins.

Water in sufficient quantity must be provided for these snakes. This can be provided by a larger water bowl or making or purchasing a custom cage that was designed to be more aquatic than terrestrial.

Most snakes need a warm spot in the cage that is at least 86°F all the time. A high of 95°F is fine for many as long as the entire cage is not kept that hot. They must be allowed to move in and out of the heat when they feel the need to change their

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