Keeping a Pet Snake
25 Mar 2010
Finding out about snakes and how to care for them is as easy as purchasing a general snake care sheet or guide book. As you browse our web site we have several snake care sheets that describe things you will need to know in order to find the proper food, housing and watering facilities. The general snake care sheets begin with an overview of the snake you have shown an interest in. A description will be in this area so that you will understand the snake better. Also in the overview you can expect to see where the snake comes from, how large it will get, its scientific name and what the life expectancy is. All of these facts can help you decide if a particular snake is right for you before you buy.
Some of the more pertinent information that you can find on the pages of the general snake care sheets will involve food, substrates, housing and lighting. If for instance you were to choose a boa constrictor you would find out that the food will be different for a hatchling than an adult snake. No surprise there of course, but it will tell you what is the best food source and how much the boa constrictor should be fed and how often.
Housing for a snake is very important because it will most likely change as the snake grows. If you don’t have a lot of space in your home or flat you won’t want a snake that is going to become very large. You will get dimensions for the vivarium or terrarium as well as tips on what to put in them. Snakes especially need to have hiding spots so that they feel safe and secure. Artificial or natural rocks, plants and vines make great accompaniments to the snake’s habitat.
Substrates can be harmful to snakes if it isn’t the right type so you will want to pay particular attention to this section. They will recommend the right type of substrate for your tank as well as what substrate you should avoid.
Heating is listed in three forms. It will tell you basking temperatures, night time temperatures and day time temperatures. You may or may not need to add a heating element to achieve these temperatures. Lighting will be needed for the boa constrictor, but it doesn’t have to be special lighting. This knowledge can save you money and keep your pet snake healthy.
Maintaining your snake’s vivarium or terrarium should be taken seriously as you don’t want your snake getting sick. To keep your snake healthy follow the suggestions in the maintenance section and observe the instructions for you in this section as well. Water bowls will need to be maintained daily too and you can find information on how often to change the water, how to keep the water bowl clean and what type of water bowl works the best. Finally there will be a shopping list section so that you can easily outfit your new pet’s needs on the pages of this web site.
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