General Care:

 

Snakes are diverse creatures, therefore it is essential to discern which type is right for you before you make a purchase. The required conditions for the snake's habitat, its diet, personality, and the amount of space it will accommodate as an adult, are a few of the important aspects to consider (Leetz 34-35). Creating an appropriate environment for your pet ensures its happiness, well-being and longevity. This will also save you a great deal of time, money, and potential heartache.

 

Is Beauty Only Scale Deep?

 

~Temperament is an important factor to consider when selecting a snake. Many snakes have gorgeous coloration, but their habits and personality should also be an suitable match for the habitat and care you provide (Leetz, 36). (I feel like this would be a good place to mention some snakes you have that feature good temperaments for beginners)

 

Feeding and Nutrition

 

~Knowledge of your snake's dietary needs and environmental conditions are essential for getting your snake to eat and remain healthy (Leetz 50). Be sure that you are able to consistently obtain the types of food your snake needs before you purchase it (Leetz 48-49).

 

~Mice, rats, rabbits and chickens are good feeder animals. Obtaining these foods frozen is often the best choice since freezer storage is simple and allows you to keep the food for a long period of time (Bartlett 14). Be sure the food is thoroughly thawed before feeding it to your snake. One way to do this is to immerse the frozen animal in a jar of hot water. Microwaves should not be utilized because they do not thaw the food evenly, therefore some areas may still be cold or frozen (Bartlett 15).

 

~Earthworms and live feeder fish are excellent choices for other species of snake, and can be obtained from pet stores or bait shops. Goldfish should be avoided since many farm-bred fish contain enzymes that are harmful to a snake's health (Bartlett 13).

 

~If you feed your snake live mice or rats, do not leave them in the cage unattended. They may attack and bite your snake (Leetz 55).

 

~Vitamins and medications can be injected into your snake's food when necessary. This can be done simply by forcing the medicine I the rodent’s mouth, or by using a Pinky Pump.

 

There's No Place Like Home

 

~Your snake's cage should be secure, easy to clean, have proper ventilation, an adequate view, and of course enough space to accommodate the snake at its full grown size. For snakes 18-24 inches long, a 10-15 gallon terrarium will provide adequate space (Leetz, 44-45).

 

~Maximize the amount of space that your snake can utilize. Avoid large amounts of decoration and be sure to provide your snake with a place to hide. Some species of snake will need something to climb on in order to feel at home (Leetz 46).

 

~Newspaper is a popular, inexpensive choice for snake bedding (Cooper 162).

 

~Light and heat are vital to a snake. Keep the snake's cage away from drafts and windows, and be sure to attach a thermometer to the cage so that you can more easily document and maintain its temperature. Most snakes like their habitat to be between 78 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit (Leetz 47).

 

~ An incandescent bulb, infrared heat lamp, silvered reflector light, or a specialized reptile basking light are all suitable for providing proper lighting conditions (Cooper 161).

 

~ Ceramic heat emitters are a good choice for safely providing heat (Cooper 161).

 

~Water and soaking dishes should be available to your snake. These dishes should be heavy enough to avoid being spilled or disrupted by the snake's activities (Leetz 47).

 

~Snakes will appear blue when they are preparing to shed, and it is especially important that they have a soaking dish at this time (Bartlett 9).

 

~Proper levels of humidity are important to a snake's health. Different types of snakes will have varying humidity requirements, therefore it is important to research the needs of your snake of choice before acquiring it. Humidity can be adjusted by the amount of water in the snake's cage, and its proximity to the heat source (Bartlett 9).

 

~ Be careful not to spray air fresheners too close to your snake. Also, do not use the stick up variety of air fresheners since they can be detrimental to the snake's health (Cooper 164).

 

~Cleaning the cage regularly and providing fresh water daily will keep the snake healthy and happy.

 

 

Work Cited

 

Bartlett, Richard D., and Patricia P. Bartlett. Snakes: Everything About Selection, Care, Nutrition, Behavior, and Breeding,. Hauppauge: Barron's Educational Series, 2010. Print. Complete Pet Owner's Manual.

Cooper, Paulette. 277 Secrets Your Snake and Lizard Wants You to Know: Unusual and Usefu Information for Snake Owners and Snake Lovers. Berkeley: Ten Speed, 1999. Print.             

Leetz, Thomas. Snakes, as a Hobby: Everything You Need to Know to Get Started. Neptune City T.F.H. Publications, 1991. Print. Save-our-Planet Book.

Mehrtens, John M. Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Pub., 1987. Print.

 

Change your water daily!  Reptiles are known for deficating in their water dishes.Also, use a water bowl that is heavy enough that it cannot be tiped over.