Some household pets, such as dogs, cats, and bunnies, are adorable enough that, even if a person is not an animal lover, they can still appreciate why a friend or family member would choose to have one or more in their home.

However, one considerably more derisive pet is a snake, and much like Marmite, people tend to love them or, more often, hate them. If you are part of the former minority, then here is a beginner’s guide to keeping a pet snake.

Why a Pet Snake?

As touched on above, there are a lot of people across the country who would think you are absolutely barking mad to want to keep a snake inside your home, but there are actually plenty of reasons why snake lovers exist.

• Snakes produce no odor whatsoever
• Snakes are intriguing to watch and study
• Snake lovers are part of an exclusive community
• Snakes are a cost-effective pet
• Snakes are incredibly quiet
• Snakes do not require much time and attention (they prefer to be alone!)

Before You Collect Your New Snake…

As with any animal, owning a snake is a huge responsibility, and you have both a legal and ethical responsibility to do everything you can to ensure your snake has the best possible quality of life.

You must always consult with a professional and established vets, such as easyvet.com, who, even if they are not currently able to treat your snake should it become ill in the future, will be able to advise on the best places to go for snake advice and treatment options at home.

It is absolutely essential that you do not bring a snake into your home if you have any other pets, with the exclusion of perhaps a goldfish, as a snake’s instincts to hunt as a predator will always win out. Even if you are tempted to keep a snake in a separate room from your other animals, this is still an extremely bad idea, both for your snake and your other pets.

To prepare for the arrival of your new snake, the first thing you should do is to have one room and one room only where you will keep your snake, so you can categorically guarantee that, should your snake come with any unknown diseases, they will not transfer to the rest of the house. Like any living thing, your snake will need time out of their tank each and every day to move and stretch, and afterward, you should disinfect any area that your snake has touched, both for their protection and your own.

Naturally, different breeds of snakes have different individual requirements when it comes to being properly looked after, but there are indeed some general guidelines you should follow as a starting point. Your snake’s tank should always have fresh water, mineral and vitamin supplements, a good space for them to curl up and to stretch, and a secure latch and lid. Furthermore, you should also conduct thorough research as to the temperature the particular breed of snake you are looking to buy is used to and most comfortable with, and keep a thermometer in their room at all times.

Species of Snake to Keep as Pets

Naturally, however much you love snakes, it would be somewhat ill-advised to suggest bringing a King Cobra into your family home; therefore, it is important to be fully aware of the right species of snakes which are wholly suited to becoming a much-loved pet.

There are over three thousand different species of snake in the world, and what is more, new species and sub-species of snake are being discovered all the time. Within the different classifications and ‘families’ of snakes, there are three from which the majority of pet snake species come: Colubridae, Boidae, and Pythonidae.

The most common breeds of snakes that are kept as family pets include, in no particular order, Corn Snakes, Pythons, King Snakes, Garter Snakes, Boa Constrictors, and Rat Snakes.

Fascinating Snake Facts!

If you are, indeed, one of the chosen few who absolutely love snakes and are excited to keep one at home, then you will be amazed to find out just how absolutely fascinating snakes are:

• Snakes can live up to one hundred and seventy years
• Snakes’ teeth are curved backward
• New Zealand is an entirely snake-free country
• Some species of snake can fly
• Snakes have been known to explode when they eat too much
• The most common snake in the world is the Garter Snake

Interestingly enough, as amazing as these scaly reptiles are, approximately one in three people are absolutely petrified of snakes. Historians usually attribute this to an innate fear which has been passed down along the chain of human evolution. However, seeing pictures of snakes being able to eat a hyena, it is no surprise that some people are not keen.