Caring for a Baby Snake

Are you considering raising a snake? Many people like to get their pets as babies. This can be tricky with snakes. You’ll need to do lots of research to learn how to help your tiny buddy thrive. A vet offers a few tips on this below.

 Pros & Cons

There are some advantages to raising your pet snake yourself. People often find it easier to bond with animals they have raised themselves. Captive-born snake will also be more docile than a wild one would. Plus, they tend to be healthier, as they aren’t exposed to the hazards, diseases, and parasites that wild snakes face. However, baby snakes are quite fragile. If you’re a first-time snake owner, you may want to start with a slightly older snake.

Tank

You should have everything ready before you bring your snake home. When your pet is all grown up, he may need a fairly large habitat. For now, keep him in something smaller. Otherwise, it could be hard for him to find his dinner. Glass aquariums with screen tops are fine. You can also get tanks made of plastic or fiberglass. Just make sure it offers proper ventilation. For substrate, you can use newspaper, gravel and sand, or aspen or pine shavings. If you use sand, monitor your tiny reptile carefully, and make sure he doesn’t get any caught in his mouth. If he does, switch to another substrate. Your little buddy will also require a hide box and fresh water. Don’t forget to add some tank decorations, such as plants, branches, bark, logs, or basking rocks!

Temperature

Keeping your reptilian pal warm is very important. The exact temperature parameters you need will vary a little, depending on what type of snake you get. Most tropical snakes require temperatures ranging between 75 and 90°F. Snakes that can survive in cooler climates do best with a range of 75 to 85°F. You’ll want to keep the heat source outside the cage, so your little scaled pal doesn’t get burned. We don’t recommend using heating rocks, as they could scald your pet. Your vet can give you detailed advice.

Eating

You may find that getting your snake to eat is your biggest challenge. This isn’t unusual. Do not try to force feed your snake, unless your vet specifically advises you to. This should only happen as a last resort. There are a few other things you can try. Just be warned: these options are not for the squeamish. Ask your vet for more information.

Please contact us with any questions or concerns about raising a baby snake. We are always here to help!