So You Want A Snake For A Pet, Choosing A Pet Snake

Snakes are not slimy and if you choose the right snake and use patience in time your snake can become quite tame. If you want to have a tame snake you need to handle it often and when you do handle it be sure to support its body and be sure not to drop it.

But one thing you really should do before you think about buying and keeping a snake is you need to do your own research and learn everything you can about the species of snake you are thinking of keeping. A King Snake like a California King Snake makes a perfect first snake for most people. They are beautiful and with self education you should be able to know exactly what your snake eats and what kind of enclosure and habitat your snake will require.

You really need to learn everything you can about the particular kind of snake you are thinking about keeping. Keep a journal and I strongly suggest you find a snake you can purchase locally. This way you will be able to ask the person selling the snake what the snake has been eating, how often the snake has been eating and what kind of enclosure have they been keeping the snake in. Write all this down so you can go back and see exactly how you need to care for your snake.

Remember when you choose a snake as a pet you are making a long time commitment. Your snake will probably live 20 years or more in captivity. Know that you will have to feed prey ( Usually Mice and Rats ) to your snake. Some but not all can be fed mice or rats that have been killed and come to you frozen. But you may have to feed some species of snakes live prey.

Know that most snakes are escape artist so its important to have a tank or enclosure with a secure top that the snake can not get out of. If you buy your snake locally ask the person you purchase it from exactly how you need to set up its tank or enclosure. And be sure to write everything down so you will be able to refer back to it.

How To Care For A Shedding Snake.

Be sure that you read the hub page I have on caring for a shedding snake. CLICK HERE NOW

No one but a professional should ever keep a poisonous snake. They are dangerous and should be left to the professionals. But also keep in mind that pythons and some boas will grow quite large if well cared for and should also be left to the professionals.

The King Snake species is a great snake especially for a first time snake owner. But again do your research. If your going to be keeping a king snake or maybe even several king snakes you should learn everything you can about the king snake species. There are four main species of king snake and 45 sub species of king snake. The king in their name refers to the fact that king snakes like to eat other snakes especially rattle snakes. King snakes also eat other snakes, rodents, eggs, and birds.

King Snakes are quite often kept as pets because of how easily they are to be cared for. A king snake is usually gentle and docile but you should not mess with them when they are eating. You should also try to acquire a king snake that can be fed on pre killed rodents as live rodents can bite your snake and hurt it.

You should provide your king snake with a large bowl of water and be sure to use a bowl for your water that will be secure so the snake can not easily turn over the bowl of water. The snake may want to soak in the bowl of water especially if it is getting ready to shed. And its very important that you clean its water bowl on a daily basis. The water must be kept clean and fresh.

Your king snake should be kept between 75 - 85 degrees and its real important to keep it in that range. If your king snakes cage or enclosure gets to dry mist it with a water bottle with bottled water. Don't use the water out of the spigot for your snake or snakes. Purchase and use bottled water to insure your snake stays healthy.

Keep in mind you can not keep two king snakes in the same enclosure as they will end up eating each other. If you are interested in breeding king snakes again do your research. You can use shredded newspaper as a substrate for your king snake and you should provide it with a hide box or two. You need to clean your snakes cage or enclosure at least once weekly and some times more often. You can keep a plastic box with tight fitting lid with holes punched in it to keep your snake in while you clean its enclosure or cage.

If you have questions about king snakes or keeping king snakes please post in the comment section below. I really would love to hear from you about your king snake so feel free to post a comment about king snakes now. And thanks for taking the time to read this hub page today.

Corn Snakes Also Make Great Pets.

CLICK HERE to read all about Corn Snakes.

It is always best to never feed live mice or rats to your snake. Rodents have very sharp teeth and they can injure your snake. At some pet shops and stores you can buy dead mice and rats that you just thaw and feed to your snake. You should also never feed wild caught rodents to your snake as this can spread parasites and other diseases to your snake.

There are a rare few snakes that will not feed on dead rodents. If you must feed live rodents to your snake inspect your snake after it has finished feeding and make sure it has not been injured. In the event that your snake does have a bite or a tear take it to the veterinarian. The veterinarian will know exactly what to do for your snake to get it well. If you plan on keeping a snake or snakes you should seek out a local veterinarian that is knowledgeable about snakes. Always be prepared.

If you ever notice something strange about your snake or if it starts shedding and several days go by with no progress take your snake to the veterinarian to get it checked out.