Choosing a Snake As a Pet is a Big Decision
Snakes are different.
They are not your usual kind of pets.
So choosing a snake for a pet requires a special kind of person and family to take care of them.
This is not your cute bunny or friendly pup that we are talking about.
Snakes are different, they are regal, they are majestic, and they are different.
Unless you and the rest of your family are prepared for the challenge and responsibility, you should not choose a snake for a pet.
First of all you need to be prepared to deal with rats and mice.
This is the preferred diet of snakes.
You may get lucky and get yourself a snake that thrives well on eggs, but by and large this may not happen.
First of all snakes are cold blooded creatures, and therefore need more care to survive.
Snakes crawl, and sometimes they slide or slither sideways.
Once they do this, it becomes difficult to keep track of them and this can be dangerous.
You need to choose a snake that has a docile nature and does not bite, plus it is not a fussy eater.
They should not grow to a huge size which will make them difficult to keep, and should not get snappish or ill when kept in captivity.
Given below are four types of snakes that fit these criteria.
Corn Snake : The adult corn snake does not grow over 6 ft in length, it is docile and can be easily tamed.
It does not fuss and will eat frozen rodents that have been thawed and given.
If you feed it regularly and look after it, it will live a healthy and long life.
Corn snakes come in various colors like snow, blood red, pewter and even multicoloured ones are found.
Kingsnake: There are many varieties of Kingsnakes and most of them are good as pets.
Grey banded Kingsnakes, Mountain Kingsnakes and Florida Kingsnakes are popular as pets.
These rarely grown beyond 6 ft and eat well.
They do well in captivity too.
They can be found in multicoloured and striped varieties.
The grey banded one is very popular.
Gopher Snake: Extremely easy to keep.
Once you raise a gopher snake by hand they become very tame and easy to handle.
They are excellent feeders and so they give no problems and are healthy.
They go slightly over 6 ft when fully grown.
They are very manageable and not at all dangerous.
They do not come in many colors but are a delight to behold.
The ball python: An adult ball python rarely grows over 5 ft in length.
They are docile and very reluctant to bite.
They do not need much space and do well in captivity.
Some ball pythons are finicky about food.
You may have to make regular trips to the pet store to get them live rodents to eat.
Other than that, they make excellent pets.
It is not easy taking care of a snake.
Before committing to keep one, read books about snake care, overcome your reluctance to handle rodents dead and alive on a regular basis and also learn how to clean a snake cage.
Only then should you keep a snake as a pet.
They are not your usual kind of pets.
So choosing a snake for a pet requires a special kind of person and family to take care of them.
This is not your cute bunny or friendly pup that we are talking about.
Snakes are different, they are regal, they are majestic, and they are different.
Unless you and the rest of your family are prepared for the challenge and responsibility, you should not choose a snake for a pet.
First of all you need to be prepared to deal with rats and mice.
This is the preferred diet of snakes.
You may get lucky and get yourself a snake that thrives well on eggs, but by and large this may not happen.
First of all snakes are cold blooded creatures, and therefore need more care to survive.
Snakes crawl, and sometimes they slide or slither sideways.
Once they do this, it becomes difficult to keep track of them and this can be dangerous.
You need to choose a snake that has a docile nature and does not bite, plus it is not a fussy eater.
They should not grow to a huge size which will make them difficult to keep, and should not get snappish or ill when kept in captivity.
Given below are four types of snakes that fit these criteria.
Corn Snake : The adult corn snake does not grow over 6 ft in length, it is docile and can be easily tamed.
It does not fuss and will eat frozen rodents that have been thawed and given.
If you feed it regularly and look after it, it will live a healthy and long life.
Corn snakes come in various colors like snow, blood red, pewter and even multicoloured ones are found.
Kingsnake: There are many varieties of Kingsnakes and most of them are good as pets.
Grey banded Kingsnakes, Mountain Kingsnakes and Florida Kingsnakes are popular as pets.
These rarely grown beyond 6 ft and eat well.
They do well in captivity too.
They can be found in multicoloured and striped varieties.
The grey banded one is very popular.
Gopher Snake: Extremely easy to keep.
Once you raise a gopher snake by hand they become very tame and easy to handle.
They are excellent feeders and so they give no problems and are healthy.
They go slightly over 6 ft when fully grown.
They are very manageable and not at all dangerous.
They do not come in many colors but are a delight to behold.
The ball python: An adult ball python rarely grows over 5 ft in length.
They are docile and very reluctant to bite.
They do not need much space and do well in captivity.
Some ball pythons are finicky about food.
You may have to make regular trips to the pet store to get them live rodents to eat.
Other than that, they make excellent pets.
It is not easy taking care of a snake.
Before committing to keep one, read books about snake care, overcome your reluctance to handle rodents dead and alive on a regular basis and also learn how to clean a snake cage.
Only then should you keep a snake as a pet.
