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One of the many exotic pets that suffer from fad popularity is the snake. There is a serious problem with the fad nature of exotic animals, leading to poor care for many of them. An exotic species might impress your friends but please examine the difficulties of owning a snake. People view snakes as requiring minimum care. Snakes require very special care from temperature to housing, diet and health. Many people soon become illusion and unhappy with their pet Snake. Some people out there love their snakes and take very good care of them. So I suppose they make a good pet for a select few people.
What makes a snake a good pet? They are quiet and docile, and most snakes are easy to handle. They are also clean and odorless. Some Snake pet owners get misty eyed over their baby's first shed.
Snakes have been viewed differently by many cultures throughout the ages. Christianity viewed snakes as demonic, from the stories of the Garden of Eden. I'm afraid these stories have cause millions of snakes to be killed. Other cultures have honored the snake. They see the shedding of the skin as rebirth. Do you ever wonder why the snake is seen on the symbol of medical professionals?
"the crosier of Asklepios, Greek god of medicine, is still the symbol of the medical professions. The snake that is twisted around the crosier, the Aesculapius sign, stands for good health and a long life. According to a Greek myth, the figure Aesculapius discovered medicine by watching as a snake used herbs to bring back another snake to life."
In many areas the government regulates snakes so before purchasing find out about the legalities of owning a snake in your area. Many require permits and accurate record keeping.
Buying A Healthy Snake
Find a qualified vet before buying a snake and bringing him home. Snakes have slower metabolisms so they could have an illness and it will be a long time before symptoms appear. Make sure the snake you are considering buying is free of mites and ticks. Check for evidence of wounds or infection by checking his scales. Look for mucus in the mouth. Check his eyes. Make sure the snake is not aggressive. An aggressive snake will hiss and pull into a strike position. His tongue will flick straight in and out. A calm snake will flick his tongue in an up or down fashion and move about comfortably.
Housing and Equipment
Make sure you have his home ready for him before you bring him home. You want to make 100% sure that the enclosure you are planning to use is escape proof. Make sure the cage is easy to clean, is well ventilated and is of adequate size. A good formula to use is 3/4 square foot of floor space for foot of snake.
Temperature
One end of the cage should be heated with a hot rock or an under tank heater. The other side should be cooler so the snake can choose to cool down when he needs to. A thermometer is important since just being off by a couple degrees can cause the snake not to eat. The temperature range should be between 80F and 88F by species of snake. Find out the exact correct temperature of the species you purchase. Snakes are cooled for hibernation. A broad-spectrum light should be on for about 12 hours a day. Snakes need light to survive, too.
Food and water
Fresh water should be supplied daily. Snakes are carnivorous. A snake is fed once a week. Younger snakes should be fed more often. Find out what food or foods that the species of snake that you are purchasing requires. Many snakes eat rats and mice. Be sure to remove any live mice or rats that your snake hasn't eaten in an hour's time. He isn't hungry and live rodents have been known to ingest captive snakes. Vitamin supplements should be provided.
Cleaning
Snakes harbor Salmonella and dangerous bacteria. Wash your hands after handling your snake or any of the material that comes in contact with him. Do not use bleach, Lysol or Pinesol on the cage or accessories, these substances are dangerous for snakes. Find out from a pet store what the correct disinfectant is for snakes. Clean the cage as it gets dirty. Cleaning and disinfecting is very important when dealing with a snake.
Shedding
Snakes shed their skin. This takes place about once every month to three months. During this time, don't be concerned because the snake will refuse his food. Remember to remove his rodent dinner after one hour if he hasn't eaten or else he could become dinner himself.
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