Common Name:Ball Python or Royal Python
Latin name: Python regius
Native to: Central and Western Africa
Size: Adult ball pythons average in size from three to five feet
Life span: Ball pythons are one of the longest-lived snakes. It is not unusual for these pythons to live 20 - 30 years in captivity. One specimen lived for 47 years at the Philadelphia Zoo.
General appearance: Ball pythons are named for their defense behavior of rolling into a tight ball with their head in the middle. Like all other pythons, ball pythons have spurs at their vents. There are many different color morphs and patterns available today in captive bred specimens. The "standard" ball python has large chocolate brown markings with lighter medium-brown spots interspersed between the darker spots. The belly is generally off-white or a pale gray.
Housing requirements:
Enclosure: Remember that all snakes are escape artists and when designing an enclosure it is of the utmost importance that whatever enclosure is used is made as escape-proof as possible. Generally an adult ball python should be kept is a 30-gallon sized enclosure (12 inches x 36 inches).
Temperature: Daytime temperatures should be maintained at 80° - 85° F with a basking temperature of 90° - 95° F. Nighttime temperatures should be 75° - 80° F.
Heat/Light: There has been no evidence to suggest that photo periods affect the keeping of ball pythons. If a regular photo period is provided it is recommended to use fluorescent bulbs in order to minimize the extra heat generated by incandescent bulbs.
When providing heat, do NOT use hot rocks. Hot rocks are notoriously unpredictable and can cause serious burn injuries to your animal. Red basking bulbs or ceramic emitters can be used to generate basking spots. Under the tank heating pads can also be used to help raise the ambient temperature of the enclosure. It is recommended to routinely check the temperatures of the enclosure with thermometers.
Substrate: Newspaper and newsprint make excellent substrate even though it is not very attractive. It is easy to clean and is excellent to use when acclimating new ball pythons to their enclosure. Wood shavings can also be used, though cedar should never be used and some pine can also cause health problems as well. Aspen shavings are usually an excellent choice if using wood shavings. If keeping the snake on wood shavings, care should be taken when feeding the snake to avoid shavings becoming lodged in the snake's mouth.
Environment: Like all snakes, ball pythons are strictly carnivorous. Adult ball pythons can be fed two to three adult mice per week. Hatchlings and juvenile animals can be fed one appropriately sized prey item per week (i.e fuzzies for hatchlings, hoppers for slightly older animals).
It is important to note here that ball pythons are notorious for not eating on a regular schedule. This is especially true of wild caught specimens. Whenever possible try to obtain captive bred snakes that have already fed to minimize problems eating. If your new ball python does not eat immediately it is important to not panic. Ball pythons have been known to go months without eating and there are records of ball pythons of not eating for 22 months. Often a variety of foods may need to be offered in order to get the snake to eat and often many will only eat live food. If you are experience difficulty getting your ball python to eat you may need to consult several more in-depth texts on the subject. One excellent resource is The Ball Python Manual (see references below).
Diet: Hatchlings can be started off feeding on pinkie mice. Juveniles and adults can gradually take larger prey of fuzzy mice, adult mice or young rats. Young snakes can be fed 1 - 2 times a week. Thawed frozen rodents are the easiest and safest way to feed snakes. A supply can be kept in your freezer and there are no problems from live mice biting your snake. Water should be provided in a bowl. The snake will drink from it and may soak itself before it sheds.
Maintenance: Fresh water should be offered daily. If using newsprint then clean as needed. Wood shavings should be spot cleaned as needed. Periodically, the enclosure should be disinfected. A 5% bleach solution makes an excellent disinfectant. Be sure to rinse the enclosure thoroughly after disinfecting. As always, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after handling your ball python or any cage accessories.
Common Name: Corn Snake, Red Rat Snake
Latin name: Elaphe guttata guttata
Native to: Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States (from the Pine Barrens of New Jersey to the upper Keys of Florida).
Size: Hatchling corn snakes range in size from 9 - 14 inches in length. Adult corn snakes reach anywhere from 2 to five feet. Males tend to achieve a larger size than females.
Life span: 12 - 15 years, the captive record is 21 years.
General appearance: Corn snakes are a slender snake with black bordered, irregular red or rust colored dorsal blotches. Background color can range from brilliant orange to silvery gray. The belly is white with a black checkerboard pattern. The body scales are smooth to weakly keeled and the sub-caudal scales are divided.
*Note - because of the trend to strive for odd color and pattern morphs in captivity, many strains of captive produced corn snakes vary in appearance from the above described traits. For example, blood red corns lack the checkerboard ventral pattern and striped corns possess dorsal stripes instead of blotches.
Housing requirements:
Enclosure: From a 12" x 6" plastic "shoe box" or five gallon tank for hatchlings and juveniles to a 16" x 24" "sweater box" or 30 gallon fish tank for adults.
Temperature: Ambient air temperature should range between 78° - 82°F during the day and may drop to 65° - 70°F at night. Temperatures at the basking area should provide the snake with a constant hot spot of 85° - 90°F.
*Note - Many sub-adult and adult corn snakes will voluntarily cease feeding during the cool winter months. This coincides with their natural winter dormant period. If the snake refuses food for two to three weeks during the winter and appears otherwise healthy, the temperature in the enclosure may be allowed to drop to the mid 60's F for one to three months. If breeding is desired, this dormant period appears to increase fertile egg production.
Heat/Light: As stated earlier, corn snakes require a supplemental hot spot to adequately digest food and remain active. They should be provided with a heat pad or overhead incandescent light that will provide an area of about 1/3 of the enclosure that achieves a temperature of 85° - 90° F. Hot rocks are unstable and often get far too hot, therefore unless they are connected to a rheostat, which will control the temperature, they are not recommended.
Substrate: Newspaper, butcher paper, paper towel, indoor/outdoor carpeting, aspen shavings and cypress mulch (for larger individuals). Avoid any cedar based wood shavings, as they exude irritating and possibly toxic vapors.
Environment: Natural open wood and grasslands. Common around farms where this species helps to control potentially damaging rodent populations. In captivity, corn snakes should be provided with a warm, dry enclosure and should always have clean, fresh water provided in an easily accessible bowl. Animals will become stressed if they are not provided with a shelter where they can conceal themselves from view.
Diet: Corn snakes of all ages will feed on captive produced laboratory rodents (mice and rats). It is highly recommended that keepers feed their animals only humanely pre-killed food items to eliminate the risk of injury to the snake from the bite of a rat or mouse and prevent unnecessary suffering of the food animal. Never leave live rodents with snakes unattended. If live food is offered and not eaten within 30 minutes, remove it. Never feed captive snakes food procured from the wild. Wild animals possess potentially harmful internal parasites that can build up to debilitating numbers in captivity. Baby corn snakes should be voluntarily feeding on pink or fuzzy mice prior to their sale in a retail outlet. As they grow corn snakes should be fed appropriately larger food items. A good rule of thumb for feeding all captive snakes is that the food item should not be larger than 1 and times the girth of the snake at its thickest point. Adult corn snakes can be adequately maintained on 2 to 3 adult mice or one small rat a week.
Maintenance: Enclosures should be spot checked for fecal matter daily. It is recommended that carpet substrates be removed and washed at least weekly. Paper substrates should also be changed weekly. If conscientiously spot cleaned, wood based substrates can be replaced every 2 to 3 weeks. Water bowls should be cleaned and replaced at least weekly and any uneaten dead food should be removed after 2 - 3 hours..
Rainbow boas are so named because of their iridescent sheen. They can be found from Costa Rica through central South America in forests, woodlands, plains and swamps.
Common Name: Brazilian Rainbow Boa
Scientific name: Epicrates cenchria cenchria
Most Active During: They are nocturnal snakes, sleeping during the day and hunting at night.
Longevity (life expectancy): Brazilian rainbow Boa’s can live for 20+ years in captivity.
Position in Viv: Ground dwelling, but like to climb
Size: Brazilian Rainbow Boas can reach 7 feet in length.
Sexing: Brazilian Rainbow Boas are difficult to sex based on visible external differences until they are about three years old. Young can be sexed by probing. Females will probe a distance of two to four sub-caudal scales and males will probe to a depth of eight to twelve sub-caudal scales. Adult males have substantially larger spurs along the side of the vent and also have noticeably thicker bases of their tails due to the hemipenes. Probing should only be carried out by trained herpetologist or vet.
Water Supply: large bowl of drinking water must be available at all times and should be changed out daily or when soiled as the snake will also use this to soak in. This may be placed near the basking site to raise humidity. Misting the entire cage several times a day will also help maintain humidity.
Brazilian Rainbow Boas seem to be resistant to "blister disease" and will spend most of their time in moist areas, but a dry area should also be provided.
Substrate: Substrates are greatly debated and argued over. The simplest substrates I recommend are either paper/kitchen towels or newspaper for hatchlings or juveniles, and reptile bark for adults. A humid box containing damp sphagnum moss is also recommended. Because of the high humidity these snakes need, substrate must be changed frequently as it provides a perfect breeding ground for mould and bacteria.
Humidity Requirements: All rainbow boas are extremely sensitive to dehydration therefore maintenance of humidity is a must. Cages should be misted several times a day and a humid shelter should be provided. A humid hide can be created by a plastic sandwich box with a hole at one end containing moist sphagnum moss. A bowl of water large enough for the snake to soak its body in should also be provided.
A relative humidity of 75-80% is ideal, Humidity lower than 50% can lead to dehydration and even death.
Because of the high humidity, tanks should be kept very clean, substrate should be changed weekly as mould and bacteria grow rapidly in these conditions.
Temperatures and Heating Equipment: Temperature preferences vary for different subspecies, as mentioned earlier. The Brazilian Rainbow Boa is best kept with a maximum daytime high of 90°F at the basking site, an ambient daytime temperature of 78° to 80°F, and a night time temperature of 70°F. Heat is best provided by a ceramic bulb, guarded and controlled by a pulse proportional day/night thermometer, and using a good quality thermometer/hydrometer
Housing: Babies do better in small enclosures. For first few months a plastic box with holes drilled in the lid, or a small plastic aquarium, with water dish, hide box containing damp sphagnum moss and kitchen towel as a substrate would provide a perfect home.
Adults prefer larger enclosures, A 4x2x2 ft viv as a minimum. Branches can be used to increase the space available. Some adults love to climb, so a taller cage with branches for climbing could be provided.
As with all snakes, it is recommended that rainbow boas be housed individually except during breeding, this way you can monitor each snakes health better
Decor: Preferably 4 hides, a moist and a dry hide at the warm end and the same at the cool end and branches etc to climb on.
Diet: Brazilian Rainbow Boas primarily eat mice and/or rats. The size of the prey item should be no bigger than 1.25 times the girth (width) of the snake. Hatchlings can be fed every 5 to 8 days, juveniles every week to 10 days, and sub-adults/adult every 10 days to two weeks. Do not over feed Brazilian Rainbow Boas as they are prone to becoming overweight.
General Ease Of Care: Hatchlings tend to be nippy, but with patience and gentle handling they usually calm down. Their nippiness makes this species of boa less ideal as a child’s snake or as a snake for beginners to herpetology.
Additional Information: Brazilian Rainbow boas are beautiful snakes; they almost glow and under the right lighting have a sheen on them reminiscent of an oil spill, showing a rainbow of colours, hence their name. As stated these snakes are nocturnal, feeding at dusk. They are a medium bodied snake and are prone to being over weight in captivity. They are not the easiest animal to keep due to their humidity requirements and are not the friendliest of boas, juveniles tend to be very nippy, and so I would not recommend these as a first snake. However, with patience and regular gentle handling these snakes can make wonderful pets
Common Name: Kingsnakes
Latin name: Lampropeltis spp.
Native to: North America (excluding Canada)
Size: 3 - 4 feet average up to 6 feet
Life span: 10 - l5 years
General appearance: Head is small and not distinct from the body. They are smooth scaled with a variety of colors and patterns. Kingsnakes are constrictors and are usually active at dawn and dusk.
Housing requirements:
Enclosure: Glass aquariums are good to use and are easy to clean. Plastic shoe boxes can also be used. Hatchling kingsnakes can be housed in 10-gallon enclosures. Adults should be housed in 20-gallon enclosures or larger depending on size of the snake. A secure lid is essential or the snake will escape. Kingsnakes must be housed alone because they will eat other snakes.
Temperature: 75° - 85° F.
Heat/Light: Heating pads placed under one half of the enclosure are the best way to provide heat. This will give the kingsnake a range of temperature to move within. Aquarium glass can draw heat away from the kingsnake. Be sure to place a thermometer inside to measure correct temperature. Additional UV lighting is not needed for snakes. An incandescent basking light can be used during the day.
Substrate: Newspaper is inexpensive and easily changed when soiled. Other Choices are aspen shavings, outdoor carpeting or aquarium gravel which are more attractive to look at. A shelter or hide box is needed so the snake has a dark area to rest and feel secure. A rock or branch should be included to give an abrasive spot for the snake to rub upon to help with shedding.
Environment: In periods of low humidity a weekly misting is needed.
Diet: Hatchling kingsnakes can be started off feeding on pinkie mice. Juveniles and adults can gradually take larger prey of fuzzy mice, adult mice or young rats. Young snakes can be fed 1 - 2 times a week. Thawed frozen rodents are the easiest and safest way to feed snakes. A supply can be kept in your freezer and there are no problems from live mice biting your snake. Water should be provided in a bowl. The snake will drink from it and may soak itself before it sheds.
Maintenance: Cleanliness of the enclosure is essential. Waste products should be moved daily. Bowls must be clean with fresh water. Handlers are advised to wash their hands after holding any animals or animal related products.
Common Name: Milk Snake
Latin name: Lampropeltis triangulum
Native to: Southeastern Canada to northern South America
Size: From 6" to 28" for L. t. elapsoides, the Scarlet Kingsnake to 16" to 48" for L. t. gaigeae the Black Milk Snake and L. t. hondurensis, the Honduran Milk Snake.
Life span: 20+ years, average is 15 years.
General appearance: Milk snakes are represented by three general pattern types: tri-colored in which the snake possesses bold rings of white/yellow, black, and red/orange, which may or may not extend onto the belly and completely encircle the snake. The other commonly encountered pattern type for this species is that of a light tan, gray or cream background color with darker red, russet or brown dorsal and lateral blotches. The last pattern type belongs only to the black milk snake L. t. gaigeae. This snake starts out tri-colored but turns into a completely patternless black snake by two years of age.
Depending on the sub-species, milk snakes can be either heavy bodied (Pueblan, Black and Mexican) or slim (Sinaloan, Nelson's and Scarlet Kingsnake).
Housing requirements:
Enclosure: Milk snakes are secretive animals that prefer to conceal themselves. Because of their desire to squeeze into the tiniest of cracks and crevices, they are also born escape artists. Their enclosure should reflect these characteristics. The length of a milk snake's cage should be at least 2/3's of the snake's body length and should possess multiple hiding areas. Baby milk snakes will do well in either plastic shoe box containers or small glass aquaria, 2½ to 5 gallons. Adults can be successfully maintained in 16" by 24" plastic sweater boxes or larger glass aquaria, 20 to 30-gallon long tanks. In all cases, the opening to the enclosure must be secure or the snake will escape.
Temperature: Being a temperate to a sub-tropical species, milk snakes will do well with daytime ambient air temperatures ranging from 78° to 82° F. The air temperature may be allowed to drop to 65° to 70° F. at night.
Unless they are being brumated (hibernated) milk snakes should always have access to warmer localized temperatures to aid in digestion, immune function and metabolism. These higher temperatures are most easily achieved by placing a heat pad underneath ¼ to 1/3 of the enclosure and either set to the low setting or adjusted with a rheostat (dimmer switch) and monitored to make sure it stays within the appropriate range of 84° - 88° F. This thermal gradient will allow the snake to choose the temperature that suits its immediate needs.
Heat/Light: Added light is not necessary if temperatures can be maintained within the desired ranges with a heat pad. Milk snakes are crepuscular, meaning they come out during the subdued lighting of dawn and dusk. They do not like bright light.
If lighting proves to be necessary in order to maintain adequate temperatures, keepers should either use blue, red or black colored lights to reduce the brightness within the tank. If no other option is available, low wattage incandescent "white" lights can be used as long as the snake has adequate hiding areas and the lights are turned off in the evening. As with the other heat sources, temperatures should be monitored with an accurate thermometer.
Substrate: Being secretive, milk snakes will thrive in particulate substrates that they can bury themselves in. Acceptable choices are pine and aspen shavings as well as cypress mulch for larger specimens. Other acceptable substrates include newspaper, butcher paper, paper towel and indoor - outdoor carpeting (astro-turf). Never use cedar shavings as they exude compounds that can be irritable to the snake's mucus membranes.
Environment: The enclosure of a milk snake should always be dry. It should contain multiple hiding areas and a sturdy bowl for drinking. Water should be changed at least once a week.
Diet: In nature, milk snakes feed on a number of small vertebrates, including frogs, small rodents, other snakes and lizards. In captivity, most milk snakes will eagerly feed on domestically bred, pre-killed mice. Snakes should be well started on rodents prior to sale in a retail outlet. Never feed your milk snake foods procured from the wild, as they will transmit harmful internal parasites. As the snake grows it should be given proportionately larger food items. Babies with start on pre-killed pink mice, while adults of most sub-species can handle pre-killed sub-adult mice. A good rule of thumb when feeding any captive snake is that the food item should not be larger than 1½ times the girth of the snake at its widest point.
Maintenance: If kept in a dry cage with a sturdy water bowl, milk snakes can be very easy to maintain. The cage should be spot cleaned for feces daily if particulate substrates are used (mulch, shavings etc.) If paper substrates are used they should also be changed as they are soiled. The entire cage should be cleaned with an antibacterial dish detergent at least monthly. As stated earlier, the water bowl should be disinfected with antibacterial soap and changed at least weekly.
Common Name: Burmese Python
Latin name: Python molurus biuittatus
Native to: Southeast Asia, Indonesia
Size: Burmese pythons can easily reach 17 to 18 feet in length and reach weights of 200 pounds or more. It is possible for these snakes to reach 10 feet in length in their first 18 months. The largest recorded length was 26 feet.
Life span: Burmese pythons routinely live 25 years or more in captivity.
Special Note: Due to the large size and longevity of this species special care needs to be given to Burmese pythons and is not recommended for all hobbyists. Taking care of a snake this large is a long-term and often expensive commitment. This species has been known to cause death to people due to ignorance and improper handling. These snakes, like all snakes, should NOT be handled around your neck.
General appearance: Because of the abundance of specimens in captivity there are now many different color and pattern morphs available. Some of the more popular morphs that are commonly found are the albino, green, labyrinth, granite, and tiger.
Housing requirements:
Enclosure: Young Burmese pythons can temporarily live in a 20-gallon or larger aquarium until larger housing is constructed. Due to the massive size of this snake custom housing is usually the only option. Enclosures should be at least six to eight feet in length by two to four feet in width by three to four feet tall though larger enclosures are always encouraged to give the snake more room. It is not recommended to use unfinished wood, as it is hard to disinfect.
Temperature: Daytime temperatures should be maintained at 85° to 90° F with a basking temperature of 90° to 93° F. Nighttime temperatures should be maintained at 75° to 80° F.
Heat/Light: At this time UV light has not been proven to be required for snakes. A 10 to 12 hour photo period can be produced using a standard incandescent bulb. Using incandescent heat bulbs or ceramic emitters can produce basking spots. Using under the tank heating pads can raise ambient temperature of the enclosure if necessary. Hot rocks should never be used under any circumstance since they can result in burns to animal. It is recommended if lighting is inside the enclosure in enclose the fixture in wire mesh to protect the snake from accidental burns.
Substrate: Indoor/outdoor carpeting such as Astroturf™ can often provide an excellent substrate that is easy to clean and disinfect. Linoleum is also another excellent alternative. Other substrates such as newspaper, and aspen can also be used. Cedar is not to be used, as it is toxic. If the Burmese python is kept on wood shavings it is recommended to not feed it on that substrate as accidental ingestion of shavings can lead to intestinal blockages.
Environment: Burmese pythons come from the tropical rain forests and need a fair amount of humidity. Too much humidity can lead to bacterial infections while too low of humidity may cause problems when shedding. A water container large enough for the snake to soak in should be provided, but you may find it necessary to remove it at night in order to control humidity levels. Hide areas should also be provided. As the snake grows larger the keeper often has to become more creative. Cutting a hole on one side large enough for the snake to enter through can modify large plastic bins or garbage cans to become excellent hide boxes.
Diet: Hatchling Burmese pythons can eat a small adult mouse as their first meal. As the snake becomes larger, larger prey items should be offered. Adults will require adult rabbits. Young snakes can be fed one to two times per week. Adults should be fed less often in order to prevent obesity. It is recommended to use thawed previously killed frozen prey. The freezing process kills most parasites and eliminates the risk of injury to the snake by the prey. Wild prey is not recommended as it may contain unknown parasites or toxins that may illness in the snake.
Maintenance: The enclosure should be spot cleaned daily. If using indoor/outdoor carpeting it is recommended that you have at least a second piece available to swap with the soiled for ease of cleaning. A 5% bleach solution can be used to disinfect the enclosure as needed. Be sure to rinse and dry everything thoroughly before using. Water should be changed daily. It is recommended to wash your hands thoroughly after handling your animal or cleaning the cage or cage accessories.