With over 2,700 snake species, there is a huge variety in behavior, appearance and characteristics for a prospective keeper to choose from. Small snakes include some attractive, non-poisonous species that are fairly straightforward to care for. While some research is advisable prior to making a final choice, there are many general points that demonstrate how interesting and easy these snakes are to keep.
Snake Handling
Snakes sense their surroundings by flicking their forked tongue in and out of their mouths then pressing the tongue against the Jacobson's organ, which is a smelling organ in the palate of the mouth. Most snakes will get used to being handled and can in many cases be encouraged to do so by being fed after being handled, though as snakes do not feed very often this should be done sparingly. Handling sparingly is advisable in any case because snakes can be easily damaged. Their skin can be delicate during shedding or sloughing as it is usually known.
The snake body should also be supported and the snake should not picked up near its head or tail when unsupported as the small bones in those areas will break and seriously damage a small snake. A bite from a non-poisonous snake can usually be treated with antiseptic cream and a dressing or plaster.
Snake Feeding
Snake diet does vary by type of snake, so research is necessary. For example, many of the small snakes eat earthworms but all snakes are predators and would normally eat prey such as small mice either live or newly-killed. Snake food for these types can also be a small, frozen, dead rodent.
Adult snakes eat food whole and as a result, a slight bulge can be observed in their body during a prolonged digestion.
Most snakes do not need feeding very often, some even less frequently than once a week. Feeding snakes small amounts perhaps twice per week can be beneficial and is often advised when the snake is in poor health. Some snake species can be fed on artificial foods but usually only if this has been their diet from young, and care is needed.
Snake Cages
Most small snakes kept as pets live best in a warm terrarium with a dry floor cover of tree bark, wood shavings or peat though newspaper can be used for some types. Heat for snakes is best administered by a heater pad placed below one end of the tank, allowing the snake to cool at the other end when it needs to. Snakes will drink a lot of water. Terrariums need to be kept clean by regular cleaning every few weeks to prevent any build-up of bacteria which will affect the skin of the snake.
For some species, lights capable of a full spectrum, including Ultraviolet, is required to keep the snake in the best of health. The tank will need to be kept humid during the sloughing of the skin. The onset of the sloughing is signalled by a loss of appetite and the snake's eyes going a blue-white glaze.
Old snake skin is discarded, unlike some lizards that re-ingest it.
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