If you plan on getting one, you need to ask: What is a good snake for beginners? They might all seem the same, but choosing the best pet is an important decision.
Some people prefer small skinny snakes, while others like big constrictors that they can handle more easily. Whichever snake you want, you need to do proper research on each!
In this article, I share what you need to do and think about before buying a snake and which ones make the best pets.
What Is A Good Snake For Beginners? Keep This In Mind!
Going out to buy a new pet always sounds fun in the spur of the moment, but there are some things that you should keep in mind before choosing to house a snake.
Do Research
First, you need to research the best snakes that can be kept as pets. You should find out what they eat, how big they get, and what type of enclosure they need.
There are more than 3700 snake species, but only some do well in captivity. You can’t choose one without the knowledge you need to house them.
Diet
Snakes are carnivorous reptiles, and a necessity in their diet is dead, frozen, and thawed rodents. If this sounds too gruesome for you to handle, or you’d feel sorry for the mice and rats, it would be best to opt for a pet with legs, wings, or fins.
Keep in mind that you would be the lucky one putting the dead prey in your snake’s tank, and you’ll have to watch them eat to make sure they don’t choke.
Enclosure
When choosing a comfy little house for your snake, you need to keep the size they’ll be when fully grown in mind. Usually, a snake needs a tank with a perimeter double the size they’ll be when stretched out. Snakes get very large, and a small tank will not keep them from growing to their full extent.
Environment
Different snakes have different environmental needs. Some need warmer areas and humidity, while others prefer cooler spots that are chilly. You need to find out what your snake’s natural habitat looks like, whether they prefer climbing or sleeping under objects, and if they like to relax in water or prefer sand.
Handling
Snakes bite whether they are venomous or not. You should leave them to get used to their new habitat before trying to handle them. There are ways to handle your pet snake, but if you’re one for snuggling and cuddling, this would not be the best pet choice for you.
Life Expectancy
If you’re not in it for the long run, choosing a snake isn’t a good idea. Some species can live for longer than 20 – 25 years! This means that you’ll have many expenses on food and vet visits in your future, and a snake isn’t a pet that you can just pass on to your neighbors or put back in the wild.
The 7 Best Beginner Snakes For New Pet Owners
Ball Pythons
Ball Pythons are the most popular pet snakes, and they can live for over 30 years in captivity. They grow up to be very large and require high humidity levels in their tank. You should also have a water bowl ready that would be large enough for them to soak in.
Rosy Boas
These escape artists come in various colors, and they like a frozen, thawed mouse two to four times a month. They can live for 25 years or more, but you may have trouble finding one because they aren’t as widely available as other snakes.
Garter Snakes
Garter Snakes are easy to keep as pets and mostly live off earthworms or a fish-based diet. Captive-bred Garter Snakes are easy to handle and have a docile temperament. If you choose this active little reptile, be prepared to spend about 10 years of your life with them!
Corn Snakes
Corn Snakes are super easy to handle, and they’re relatively docile. These snakes are popular because they have a unique color combination, and they don’t grow too big. Corn Snakes are very easy to breed, making them widely available. If they are well taken care of, they’ll stick by you for more than 20 years and eat all the rats you can find.
California Kingsnakes
They are known as ‘king’ snakes because they are very good at hunting down and eating other snakes in the wild. You should handle your Kingsnake regularly because they can get quite nippy if they feel neglected. You also shouldn’t let this snake near other animals like birds or lizards because they’ll think it’s time for dinner.
Brown Snakes
Brown Snakes eat snails, slugs, and earthworms. They’re everywhere in the wild but pretty shy, and you’ll see them on their way out rather than in. The only downside is that it’s tough to find captive-bred brown snakes.
Green Snakes
There are two types of Green Snakes ( rough Green Snakes and smooth Green Snakes ), and both of them aren’t too fond of being handled. They munch on crickets and other bugs and don’t have an aggressive nature.
In Conclusion
Snakes can make good pets if you handle them with care. You need to set up an environment they can be comfortable in and feed them a healthy diet.
Choosing the right snake for you might be a challenge, but I hope you have an easier time narrowing your choices down after reading this article. If you have any more questions about beginner snakes, pop them in the comments!
FAQs
What is the friendliest snake?
The friendliest snake is a Corn Snake. They're easy to handle and widely available.
What snake is least likely to bite?
Boas and Ball Pythons are the least likely to bite. They capture and constrict their prey, so they would likely do the same to you (luckily, they don't eat humans)!
What snakes like being handled?
Snakes don't like being handled, but Corn Snakes and Ball Pythons warm up to people the quickest.
Should snakes be kept as pets?
Snakes can make good companions and require minimal care.
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