One of the most popular snake species for those who are new to reptile keeping is the corn snake. These originated in the south-eastern United States, where they got their name from often being found in and around storehouses containing harvested corn, or from the pattern on their belly scales which is said to resemble ancient corn (maize). Grain stores present a perfect source of food for mice and rats, which in turn are excellent prey for the corn snakes.
They can be found in many different colours and with a variety of patterns and, although young corn snakes start off quite small, they can grow to around 6 feet in length and live for around 20 years.
Another popular snake for people starting out in reptile keeping is the royal python. This impressively named snake is a native of sub-Saharan Africa, and supposedly owes its name to the fact that Cleopatra wore one around her wrist as a living accessory!
They are also known as ball pythons because of their tendency to curl up into a ball when they feel threatened. In captivity, they tend to live for around 20 to 30 years and grow to around 3 to 5 feet long and are much more heavily-bodied than corn snakes.
Snakes should be kept in a vivarium, a specially made enclosure suitable for reptiles. Snakes require a very specific environment in their vivarium, so make sure to always do your research to provide them with their ideal home. Explore our curated Essentials for Snakes collection, ensuring your snake's comfort and health.
Snakes that are larger or more active need a larger vivarium so that they have more space to roam around. Juvenile snakes may prefer small hides in a larger vivarium, or a smaller vivarium to make them feel more secure but this will need to be upsized as they grow. Some species of snakes are arboreal or semi-arboreal, so they should be given vertical space with accessories to climb and perch on. Vivarium design and size will vary with snake species. It is important to research your chosen snake and provide them with the type of vivarium which best matches their needs.
Heat - Snakes can have an overhead heating element such as a basking lamp or deep heat projector controlled with a thermostat, as well as an appropriate guard to prevent burns if your snake decides to explore out of curiosity. The heating equipment should be at one end of the vivarium to ensure that there is a ‘cool’ side and a ‘warm’ side. Snakes adjust their body temperature by basking in heat or retreating to cooler areas, so having a gradient of temperatures in a vivarium allows them to thermoregulate.. There are several ways to provide vivarium heating, for example basking lamps, non-light producing heaters such as ceramic lamps or heat mats. These should always be controlled using an appropriate thermostat. It is essential to ensure that pets do not come into direct contact with any of the heating equipment used, as the equipment can be at a very high temperature, for example ceramic lamps can get to 200°C. There should be thermometers in your vivarium to ensure that it’s at the correct temperature, preferably one on the cool side and one on the warm side. Different snake species will have different required temperatures.
Light - Do not keep your vivarium in direct sunlight as it can result in temperature fluctuations. Instead, you should supply a light source on a timer to mimic the day/night cycle. It is not usually considered that snakes require UVB light like most diurnal lizards do, although it’s good practice to provide it for them. Check the specific requirements for the species you’re looking to have as a pet.
Humidity - Your snake will need it’s own specific humidity range, but also it is usually good practice to provide an area of increased humidity to help when it’s shedding. Keep a hygrometer in the vivarium so you can keep an eye on how humid it is. It can help to have a small hide that has moistened sphagnum moss, as this creates a higher humidity in a confined area that will minimally affect the overall humidity of the vivarium.
Safety and security – It’s important to make sure that the vivarium is secure. Snakes are surprisingly strong and can easily lift a loose lid or open doors that are not closed properly. A lock is recommended for sliding-front vivarium, or clips for removable mesh tops. Snakes are naturally curious and as they come out of their shell, you’ll notice them exploring their enclosures. For this reason, it’s important to have guards on heating lamps and lighting. Tape of any sort – including duct tape and double-sided tape – poses a significant hazard and can cause wounds when being removed, so is best avoided entirely in your snake’s enclosure.
Hides and decorations - You should give your snake an area to bask, as well as areas in both the cool and warm areas of the tank to hide. Ensure that any decorations you put into the enclosure won’t result in younger or smaller snakes getting trapped in hollow walls or holes. Clean all hides and decorations thoroughly with a reptile-safe cleaner before adding them to your vivarium.
Check out our Reptile Heating & Humidity section for everything you need to maintain the perfect vivarium. For lighting, check out our Reptile Lighting & Accessories range
Snakes re carnivorous (with some species specialising in particular foods, such as eggs or insects), and the most popular choice of food for the most commonly kept pets snakes is appropriately sized defrosted frozen rodents. Frozen rodents should be defrosted at room temperature never in a microwave or in warm water. Microwaves will cook the mouse, and they may decide not to eat it at all. Defrosting in warm water can cause widespread contamination if the water spills or splashes, and often results in uneven defrosting.
Make sure to give the area where you are preparing the rodents a good clean and disinfect when you are finished too, as they are raw meat and should be treated with similar hygiene precautions.
When feeding, it’s always a good idea to use a pair of long tweezers to prevent your snake mistaking your fingers for a delicious rodent.
Different snakes will feed on different sizes of prey at different life stages, so you must research the requirements of your specific species of snake.
Yes! As well as food, it’s important to make sure that your snake always has access to fresh water. Place a bowl of it in the vivarium so that they never go thirsty and remember to clean and refill it daily. Ensure that the bowl of water is large enough for your snake to sit inside and bathe if they wish too, as it can help with shedding. Keeping the water on the warm side of the enclosure will increase humidity if needed.
There are plenty of species of snakes that can be kept as pets, corn snakes and royal pythons are usually considered good for those starting out with reptiles, because they have been bred for generations in captivity so are more used to being handled and may even be considered domesticated. However, remember that snakes are unlikely to be affectionate like a dog or cat can be. The most commonly kept snakes are royal pythons (also known as ball pythons), and corn snakes. Both of these snakes generally have good temperament, although corn snakes can be surprisingly speedy when they want to escape!
Though they may not need the same husbandry as many small mammal pets, they will still need investment of time and effort to keep them happy and healthy. Vivariums for snakes need to be set up and maintained correctly for your species of snake to keep them healthy. This requires research, resources and time. Once set up they must be monitored daily for temperature and and humidity levels, snakes of course will need to be fed, and their vivarium's should be cleaned regularly.
Snake lifespans vary depending on the species. Having a snake as a pet is a big commitment, with many pet snakes living up to 20 years or more..
Snakes tend to be solitary creatures that enjoy their own company. For most species you should avoid keeping multiple snakes in one habitat, even if they are of the same species. Snakes don’t tend to seek out human contact in the way that dogs and cats do, however they do benefit from a short period of handling daily to keep them accustomed to human contact and this allows you to check on their overall health.
The best way to keep your snake healthy is to feed it regularly, with the correct food, ensure that the humidity and heat within the vivarium is appropriate for the species, and to make sure that fresh water is always available.
Snakes may not exhibit as obvious signs of illness as mammals may, but with experience you’ll be able to spot when there’s a change in your snakes health or behaviour. Signs to watch out for include:
- Lack of appetite
- Weight loss
- Lack of movement
- Regurgitation (bringing undigested food back up)
- Inability to right themselves or getting stuck upside down.
- Breathing through the mouth or wheezing
- Red or inflamed skin