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Desert snakes may need it warmer, coastal species cooler. Know what your snake needs before you get it home.

There are some very well made thermostats that are specifically engineered for reptile keeping. These can regulate your temps automatically. Using remote sensor probes a constant reading of the hotspot in the cage is taken and by that reading the heat element is either turned on or off, maintaining a constant preset temperature.

Most snakes are easily kept on pine shavings, shredded aspen, newspaper, sand or gravel. Two to three inches in the bottom of the cage, spot-cleaned as necessary and changed completely on a monthly basis is fine for most snakes.

Snakes like to hide. They will appreciate you giving them hides in the cage. An abalone shell, a hollowed out log, a plastic container with an access hole made in it, anything that can be cleaned and is of sturdy nature will make a good hide. Your snake will crawl on and under it, hence the need for sturdiness. Put one on the cool side and one on the warm side so the snake can be hidden and secure on both sides of the cage. The water bowl can be placed between them.

Your cage is ready now. You've got three inches of shredded aspen in the bottom, heat strip on one side with a hide log above it in the tank, another hide on the cool side of the cage, and a nice forked branch crossing the cage from front to rear. Your water bowl is half full just the way it's supposed to be and your thermo/hydrometer is reading 87F and 46%. It's perfect.

When you bring your pet to his new home for the first time, you should leave him alone in the cage for at least two days so he can acclimate himself.

Give your snake at least a week in its new home before you try feeding it. Once it has eaten, do not hold it for the next two days. Snakes that are handled too soon after eating can regurgitate their meal. Daily handling is fine for snakes that have not recently eaten or are not in the shedding process.

Snakes should not be fed in the cages they live in. A separate cage or large plastic container with a closable top is fine for a feeding box. Snakes fed in their homes are more likely to associate an incoming hand with food than are those fed in a container used only for feeding.

Most snakes can be persuaded to accept previously killed food items. Frozen rodents are available at many pet stores as well as online. Thawed and warmed these dead rodents are safe to leave in the cage with your snake when you are not watching them, giving

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