Although snakes are not your typically cuddly pet, they are a fantastic pet, as it is much easier to care for them.
Pet snakes can be stunning and gentle animals, but you will need to provide them with a specific environmental and dietary needs to keep them healthy.
If you are asking your self “Should I get a pet snake?” and you do not know anything about them, here are some of the things that you need to know.
Contents
- Should I get a pet snake? Things you need before you get a pet snake
- Snakes can grow long
- Snakes are carnivorous
- The lifespan of your snake
- The age and competency of the pet owner
- Does pet snake bite their owner
- Decide the type of snake that you want and can afford.
- Know the other risks associated with pet snakes
- Know what your snakes love
- Know a suitable environment for your pet
- Buying your snake
- Reasons why you should not buy a snake
- Wrapping Up
Should I get a pet snake? Things you need before you get a pet snake
Snakes can grow long
Should I get a pet snake? Although young snakes are usually small. There are a few species of snakes that stay small forever, they can grow to several feet long and several inches in girth based on the snake species.
Some adult snake species can even weigh over 100 pounds when fully grown. It means you need to research the type of snake species that you want to keep so you can know the appropriate size of the tank t
keep them.
Snakes are carnivorous
You need to understand that snakes are meat-eaters, and if you are not comfortable with that, you should not get a snake.
You should also know that snakes do not eat just any meat as they prefer to eat mice or rats.
Snakes are picky eaters, and you need to know what a snake loves to eat before you get them. You can ask from the breeder or pet stores to know more about the snake before you opt to buy it.
The lifespan of your snake
Some snake species can live for a long time, and you need to consider this before you buy them.
It is best to know the lifespan and the life cycle of your snake.
So you can prepare ahead and ensure that you give them enough time and proper care that they need.
You will also need to handle your snake from a young age to reduce aggression. Handling should be done once or twice a day so that they can learn that you are not a threat.
The age and competency of the pet owner
Before you bring a pet snake home, you should try to think about the other people that will be in your home.
If you are planning to get a snake for your young ones, you need to look for snakes that do not grow larger or one that is too quick.
Although snakes do not get aggressive if they are treated and handled well at a young age.
It is not everybody that knows how to take their proper care. You should ensure that everybody in the house is capable of taking care of your chosen snake.
Does pet snake bite their owner
Pet snakes can bite their owner for different reasons.
But you will find a lot of docile snakes that you can keep.
You should keep in mind that snake bites do not hurt as bad as people think. Some of the reasons why pet snakes become aggressive is to protect themselves, or they are not used to handling.
You should also avoid reaching for its feeding bucket after you fed it because they may be protective of their food to avoid bites. You can easily prevent pet snake bites by getting it to expose to human contact for a few minutes every day.
Decide the type of snake that you want and can afford.
There is a wide range of snake species, and you will also find different types of snakes from each species, this means it may be hard to decide the type of snake that you want.
If you are not experienced, you can search for docile snakes like corn snakes, milk snakes, a ball python, and so on.
Getting a snake as a pet can also be costly if you are looking for rare snake breeds, and you can search online from different websites that sell snakes and look for the specific morph to be sure of the price.
Know the other risks associated with pet snakes
The only risk with a pet snake is not only about the bites. Snakes, just like all reptiles, can carry salmonella, which can make you feel ill. If you are keeping snakes where kids are, ensure you teach them how to wash their hands after handling snakes.
Know what your snakes love
Snakes are solitary creatures in nature, and they do not love crowds or loud noises. Because of this nature, it is best if you keep just one snake per habitat. You should also try to continue handling your snake to the minimum because some do not like people handling them.
However, you can handle your snake for around one or two times a day to get used to human contact. Snakes also prefer routine and consistency. Ensure you stick to the same routine for changing of water, feeding, and cleaning of the tank.
Know a suitable environment for your pet
You will need to provide your pet snake with a suitable environment to live and thrive in.
Getting an appropriate environment does not necessarily mean getting water, flora, and other parameters from their natural environment. It means maintaining proper humidity and temperature levels.
You can search online for the suitable temperature and humidity range for the type of snake you want to keep.
Once you know the requirement, you can then fit its enclosure with a thermometer and hygrometer to make sure the environment is ideal. You can also add other accessories like heat lamps, artificial plants, extra water bowls, and so on.
Buying your snake
One of the most important things when you want to buy your pet snake is to avoid buying them from a pet store.
You will easily find numerous qualified people where you can buy them. The reason why you should not purchase from pet stores is that most pet stores hire people with little knowledge of the animal that they will care for.
They may mistakenly get the animal injured or sick before you buy them.
No, I don’t agree! Pet stores have been certified with the buy & sell snakes. They know what they need to guide buyers before buyers purchasing
William
Where to buy a pet snake?
You can opt for a qualified breeder at your local all animal expo or online that is selling snakes to buy from them. This is an excellent option since the breeders are knowledgeable, and they will take all the necessary precautions that need to be taken.
Check our recommend for a good breeder here
Reasons why you should not buy a snake
Snakes require a unique environment.
Most pet owners that buy snakes as a pet do not know about the unique needs of a snake.
For a successful rearing of a snake, they need a specific type of diet, different temperature requirements, special substrate, and specialized lighting.
If you do not provide your pet snake with a suitable environmental need, it may suffer from an injury or develop an illness.
It is tough to read snakes.
It is quite hard for pet owners to read snake behavior, unlike other common pets like dogs and cats.
Snakes cannot vocalize what they actually need, and all they would do is stare at you.
If you are not an experienced pet owner, snakes are different ball games from conventional pets, and you will find it hard to determine what they exactly need.
Snakes do not like captivity.
Snakes are wild animals, and they prefer exploring the jungles and swamps than just staying in a cage. By keeping a snake as a pet, you are relegating them to an enclosure where they cannot stretch out to their full length or move around as they would like.
Although many pet snake owners claim that their snakes like them, this is not true. Snakes are not social animals, and they do not like people at all. It prefers shying away from people and does not enjoy being handled. Handling snakes can cause a high level of stress on the snake, which can lead to accidental injury. Handling can also lead to sickness in a snake, and they may suffer because they cannot inform their owners.
Snakes can easily break out of their habitats.
Snakes are escape artists of the pet world as they can easily escape from anywhere you keep them. Since they are carnivorous animals, they can easily feed on other conventional pets like cats or even hurt people in the environment.
Snakes can accidentally bite you.
Pet snakes are carnivorous animals, and their diets consist of numerous different types of live animals.
Snakes can feed on animals like mice, rabbits, crickets, and several other animals. Although you can get these foods from pet stores, snakes do get aggressive during feeding and can accidentally bite you.
However, most snakes kept as a pet are non-venomous, but your body may react differently to its bite.
If you are not ready for the expenses and complications associated with a pet snake, it is best to avoid them.
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- 58 Pages - 11/12/2017 (Publication Date) - Greenslopes Direct (Publisher)
Last update on 2023-01-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Wrapping Up
Snakes can be very rewarding and interesting animals to keep as a pet if you are looking for a unique animal to keep as pets.
By reading this article, you can ensure that a snake is a right pet before you decide to commit.
