0
Care of Snakes
Although many people fear them, snakes are a popular pet and be quite tame with proper care. Ask questions here about the habitat, diet and behavior of pet snakes.
813 Questions
Yes and yes. My big bruiser kitty takes down garter snakes and munches then up with abandon. A cat a friend had when I was a kid attacked and injured his small boa constrictor.
How do royal pythons reproduce?
If you look at the underside of a snake near its tail, it has a small vertical slit. This is its vent. The cloaca (vent) is a genital and anal opening. Males have hemipenes, which means they have two penises. Likewise females have two receptive areas for the hemipenes. The male inserts the hemipenes into the female's cloaca and ejaculates. Females can store sperm for over a year.
How often does the corn snake eat?
Garter snakes (there's no such thing as a 'garden snake') have high metabolisms, and eat every 2 to 3 days, when fed on a diet of invertebrates and fish.
When fed rodents, they may eat once or twice per week, once they are adults.
I would say no, the reason why is because I bathe my snake(s) frequently. They do have an odor if their cage is dirty it does pick up an odor on them and its cage. After relieving themselves(bathroom time) their cage picks up and odor too.
Can someone give you a list of pet snakes under 6 feet long please?
There's quite a few species under 6 feet long that make reasonable 'pets'. Garter snakes rarely exceed 3 feet. Corn snakes average around 5 feet in length. Even Royal Pythons are shorter than 6 feet at adult size (although in any species there areexceptions !)
snakes don't look for there food. They smell and if they smell an animal, they would go after it and try to eat it.
Do corn snakes like to live with other corn snakes?
Nothing. Snakes are solitary animals that only come together to breed.
Forcing snakes to live together can cause several problems:
1. stress due to one snake trying to be dominate over the other snake. this snake will take most of the food and the hides it likes. the other will be very stressed and as a result have reduced immune system functionality, eat less, and not be very happy.
2. cannibalism. while not common in all species, it does in fact happen with nearly all species. all it takes is for one to mistake the other as food and eat it, and then possibly die due to the size of the meal. is it really worth the risk?
3. disease and parasite transfer between the snakes. if snakes are housed together, any parasites or diseases that one has, the other will also get. if one gets sick, then you've doubled your vet bills.
all this risk for what? it doesn't really save money, tanks and supplies are cheap.
all it saves is a few cubic feet of shelf space.
Is it safe to have poisonous snakes as pets?
Poisonous snakes cannot be kept as pets. Keeping a venomous snake with its venom sacks intact is dangerous. The venom sacks can be removed, but the snakes need to inject this venom into their prey to be able to digest it. The venom helps to break down the tissues of the snakes food. A de - vonomed snake will soon starve to death.
Refer to Wikipedia for more information.
EDITED: Actually, venomous snakes can be kept in captivity by an experienced keeper. They are most certainly not "pets" in the sense of something like a dog or cat, they are more like specimens in a collection.
Snakes that have had their venom sacks removed are called "venomoid", and they can still live perfectly healthy lives. The myth that they need their venom to digest their food is false. However, the practice of venomoiding snakes is seldom done correctly, the only place that does it legally and correctly is Venomoid Inc. Venomoids should still be treated as fully venomous snakes, as if the procedure is done even a tiny bit incorrectly, the snake can still produce venom or in some cases regenerate their venom glands to some extent.
Is a corn snake good for little kids?
Snakes typically make great pets for kids, compared to other reptiles they're inexpensive and they're low maintainence. Although a neglectful situation should always be avoided Snakes tolerate minor neglect such as missed feedings better than other pets. A Ball has a very calm nature, but for a first time snake owner I would recommend a Corn Snake for numerous reasons. Ball Pythons adult size is roughly 5 ft, however they have proven to be girthy snakes and will require a slightly larger enclosure than a Corn, which as an adult can be maintained in a standard 20 gallon LONG terrarium. Ball Pythons, some times require up to two weeks to acclimate and during this time need to be left completely alone, no handling, feeding or constant observing. My personal Python only took about 5 days before she was venturing out searching for food, where as my corn was exploring minutes after being put away in his new home. As far as feeding, once acclimated Balls eat consistently but if the acclimation never occurs the snake never eats. Corn Snakes although secretive themselves tend to be a little more active, but every snake is different my ball dances around her tank sometimes and sometimes its days before I see the Corn. So in general Ball Pythons are great first time pets but they require a little more patience and when full grown a larger enclosure than Corn snakes. The Python itself is usually pricier, a basic Python usually runs here about $50.00 but some morphs in the specialty shop reach up to $800.00 and even rarer varieties of the Ball Python can cost up to Five-Thousand Dollars. Where as Corns tend to display a wider variety of colors and more reasonable prices. The average ball Python lifespan is 20-25 years, with some specimens living well into the 50's. Corn Snakes can be expected to live around 15 years and sometimes early twenties. So base your decision on the kid, a snake is a long-term companion and they recognize different people but establishing the "Pet-to-Owner" bond won't happen. Ball Python's require a little more investment and patience and if the kid can handle that fine. If you think a basic Corn being hardy and more easily maintained then go with the Corn. Before purchasing any pet though, understand that it is a long term commitment and if the kid loses interest there should be a responsible adult to step in and care for the Snake. I have to stress locking or sliding screen lids to prevent escaping, you'll need locks designed to prevent it, a full grown snake can push heavy books off the top of the tank with ease and losing a snake is heartbreaking. Most importantly, before purchasing any snake, request to see it eat. A good dealer with nothing to hide will not deny this request, many people cut corners with snakes and its disasterous. Do not be surprised if the guarantee on the snake of whatever kind if as little as 3 days. Confirming the snake eats will save you from being stuck with a specimen that at all costs wont eat (it does happen), I got all 4 of my snakes from the same shop and still would request a feeding demo. A full belly makes acclimation easier for the snake, and because they should'nt be handled for 24-48 hours after eating, it makes a nice excuse to use during acclimation for a very excited kid. Good Luck, Snakes make great pets but not for everyone, they're very unique and educating. However, I ask that you please do a little reading, ask plenty of questions, and consider alternatives if you feel you can't meet the minimal but appropiate needs of the snake.
What wood is safe for a corn snake to have in its tank?
I would use a store bought artificial log. Try not to use a real log, or one that you find.. Artificial logs are the best as they are clean. If you use a log that you find, your snake can get parasites and other bad stuff. Corn snakes generally do not need a log. It would be pretty rare to see him/her actually using it, but, a log looks good and if they do end up using it, it'll provide them a way to get exercise.
-
If you want bedding for your corn use aspen, do not use anything with cedar or pine in it, (including hides) this affects their respiratory and can cause death.
Aspen is not always the best type of bedding to use.. It clumps together and doesn't hold humidity as well as other substrates.. Shredded coconut can be a bit pricey if you have a collection of snakes, but it is pretty good. Newspaper, although plain, is very sanitary and easy to clean.. (lots of substrates require vacuuming your floor after..)
What is the average life span of the Californian king snake?
King snakes typically reach an adult length of around 60 inches - sometimes more.
Do snakes return after shedding their skin?
Yes they have got seven layers of skin and every five years they peel off one because it is too hard but when the get to the end of their seventh layer just before the rip them selves open their mind relaxes them and puts them to sleep during that moment the snake dies. So an average snake should reach up to thirty five years old.
What is the difference between the king snake and the corn snake?
Corn snakes are a different species, but closely related to Rat Snakes as they are in the same genus. Corns belong to the species Elaphe guttata while many of the rat snakes are subspecies of Elaphe obsoleta.
The Latin word elaphe means deerskin. in most species, their skin feels like finely tanned deerskin. Some people see the patterning of the belly scales of Corn Snakes as resembling maize, a colorful ancestor of our modern day corn.
How do you convince your dad to buy you a pet snake?
This depends on the reasons for not getting a dog. Reasons may include:
- Time. Dogs need you to be able to spend time with them each day.
- Cost. Dogs can be expensive to buy and to keep. They need good food, accommodation, may need registration and vet bills may get expensive if the dog is injured or unwell.
- Experience. Many people do not want to have a dog because they are not experienced in training or handling them.
- Space. Even small dogs need space to run around at some time of the day.
- Cleanliness. A dog is an animal and even with the correct handling and grooming, can introduce dirt into a home (including shedding hair) that some people do not want to deal with.
- Damage to property. Some environments are not suited to some dogs personalties, and they may damage furniture etc. especially in the case of puppies that are still learning.
- Allergies. Some people have allergic reactions to dog dander and saliva, and cannot cope with the high allergen load that an indoor dog would create in their home.
- Disinterest or dislike. Some people do not relate well to dogs or do not enjoy them being around.
- Responsibility. Having a dog means you are responsible for their well-being and for everything they do. It can be a worry for some people, and for them might be more than the amount they would enjoy having a dog.
- Time-frame. Some people do not want to have a dog because they are not confident that they will be in a position to look after it for the whole of its life. This could be twenty years or more.
Find out the reasons that your father does not want to have a dog. Talk through them with him, and find out which ones are the most significant to him. Some of them you may be able to help address, by taking on responsibilities yourself or by researching information that would answer his questions. Remember though that these responsibilities are for the whole life of the dog. Some reasons may be addressed by carefully choosing a dog to suit your household. Some may not be able to be addressed at all.
How often do ball pythons shed their skin?
It varies greatly - according to the species and age of the snake. A baby corn snake, for example, will shed every 10 weeks or so - as it's got lots of growing to do. By contrast, an adult Burmese Python may only shed once every two years.
If you think they are, that's what you think. I personally don't think they are dumb but its right for people to think whatever they want to think.
Some of the biggest tend to be females between 5-6'. I have been unable to find any record of one exceeding 72" but someone will correct me if they see an exception.
I have 5 corn snakes and my longest corn snake is 6"8', 80 inches, 203cm. I'm trying to find out if there is any one with a longer one I an currently in the process of trying to sort out for getting Monty in to the Guinness Book of World Records, I was told Monty is male when i got him but now seem to think he's female as my longest male corn is 5"3, hope this helps out.
Trap one or buy one from the pet store. Never ate a snake before! If you are talking about feeding one , you need to get the correct food that he likes. Some of them go a long time without food though.
What are some good names for pet snakes?
I have LOTS of reptiles (I breed them) - and among the names of some of my Royal (ball) Pythons - I have Anthony, Caesar, Brutus, Marvin (the singer MeatLoaf's real name) and Freddie (after Freddie Mercury !)
What kind of snake is white with black rings in Illinois?
the Australian brown snake even tho it ain't brown prob a relative, also known as easten brown.
How many eggs can a snake lay in its lifetime?
It depends on the species. Some species produce as few as 4, others as many as 120. The average seems to be about 10 for small snakes, 20 for medium sized, around 30 for larger snakes. Giant boas and pythons often produce about 60
