| Before you make that trip to the pet | | | | to your pet snake care list along with a |
| store, ask yourself "Why do I want a | | | | small potted plant, whether fake or |
| snake?" Is it because you're trying to | | | | real, and a shallow dish of water for |
| impress your friends? Is it because you | | | | soaking. |
| saw a killer anaconda in a popular film, | | | | As snakes are cold blooded, their body |
| and you'd like something along those | | | | temperatures depend directly upon the |
| lines to show people when they come | | | | temperature in their environment. Snakes |
| over? Do you want to shock or scare your | | | | have no self-cooling or heating systems. |
| parents and other relatives during | | | | They simply move into and out of the |
| holiday gatherings? Thanks to a nearly | | | | heat. It's imperative, then, that you |
| age-old role in mythology, folklore, | | | | maintain a daytime temperature of |
| religion, and, more recently, horror | | | | between 80 and 85 degrees and a |
| films and music videos, snakes are in | | | | nighttime temperature between 65 and 75 |
| high demand as pets. Unfortunately, many | | | | degrees in your snake's tank. An |
| people want a snake for all the wrong | | | | adhesive thermometer and a heat lamp or |
| reasons and fail to properly educate | | | | cage heater that goes beneath the cage |
| themselves about pet snake care before | | | | will help you accomplish these things. A |
| giving in to the impulse to accept a | | | | snake that is even a few degrees below |
| snake from a friend or buy one at the | | | | its optimal body temperature will often |
| store. A snake is not a fashion | | | | stop eating. |
| accessory, party trick, or practical | | | | Speaking of eating, you should probably |
| joke. Snakes are highly sensitive and, | | | | reconsider owning a snake unless you're |
| for the most part, wild creatures who | | | | 100% sure that you can handle feeding |
| should only be kept as pets for the | | | | live or dead mammals to your pet. |
| sheer pleasure keeping and observing a | | | | Smaller snakes will eat baby mice |
| snake can bring. If you fit the profile | | | | (called "pinkies") and medium to large |
| of a true snake fancier, then you've no | | | | snakes will eat either pinkies or adult |
| doubt studied up a bit already. If | | | | mice. Larger snakes may require larger |
| you're still deciding whether or not a | | | | meals in the form of baby chicks or baby |
| snake is the pet for you, learn more | | | | rabbits. Figuring out what your snake |
| with the following information. | | | | wants out of his meal may take some |
| Snakes, like all pets, have their own | | | | doing. Some snakes are terrified of live |
| unique set of requirements when it comes | | | | food and will only eat a mouse after its |
| to temperature, housing, and dietary | | | | neck has been humanely broken (this |
| needs. The size of your snake's | | | | kills the mouse instantly). Some snakes |
| enclosure depends, of course, on the | | | | enjoy hunting and will not eat food that |
| size of the snake you plan on owning. A | | | | has already been killed, and some snakes |
| good way to judge the amount of space | | | | don't care either way. While most snakes |
| your snake will need is to allow ½ | | | | can live for weeks without food, it's |
| square foot of floor space for every | | | | best to feed an adult snake once a week |
| foot of snake, provided the snake is | | | | or every ten days. Baby snakes should be |
| under 6 feet long. For snakes over 6 | | | | fed more often to support their growing |
| feet in length, ¾ a square foot of | | | | bodies. Check with a specific care guide |
| floor space is adequate. Snakes need to | | | | for your snake to figure out how much |
| feel secure in their new home, as they | | | | food to offer your pet per feeding. |
| will spend a lot of time basking or | | | | Once you've ascertained that your |
| hiding. A good solution is to get an | | | | motivations for snake ownership are |
| adequately sized aquarium and secure the | | | | driven only by your love for these |
| top with a pegboard to allow for proper | | | | creatures, use your newfound patience to |
| ventilation. Mesh should not be used as | | | | spend time searching for a variety of |
| a curious snake can rub his nose rose on | | | | snake that fits your budget and your |
| such material. The furnishings in a | | | | personality. Only buy a snake from a |
| snake cage can be relatively simple. | | | | reputable source, and make sure you've |
| Line the cage bottom with aspen | | | | either got an excellent book on pet |
| shavings, reptile carpet (or Astro | | | | snake care handy or an expert snake |
| turf), or pea gravel. Add a hiding place | | | | keeping acquaintance who can address any |
| such as a pre-made "cave," or a cave you | | | | questions you may have and help you on |
| make yourself out of various sized rocks | | | | the road to blissful snake ownership. |