Some Things to Know
We are determined to find every snake a good home, but sometimes its hard. Some people really want a snake, but have no idea what they need for one or how to take care of one! But have no fear; we're here to help you out.
Tank
You will need a secure locking lid. Corn snakes especially are escape artists – NEVER DOUBT THEIR ABILITY TO GET OUT OF A TANK. If there is a space, they will find it.
You want your tank to be big enough so that your snake, fully stretched out, will take up less than the length of one side and half of the other.
What you’re going to need for your tank:
Something to place it on
Floor, sturdy shelving (I mean sturdy), a table, tank stand, etc.
You want it to be strong enough to support your tank
A cupboard or something to place your supplies in is a great addition!
Substrate
ReptiBark (Good standard, holds humidity, not the greatest to clean. Can buy in large bags)
Repti-Carpet (Easy to clean, can be washed, tends to catch on scales and can get stained)
Aspen wood shavings
Eco-Earth (or other coconut husk brands)
Paper towel/Newspaper (Only for quarantine, not good for long term. Easy to clean and cheap)
DO NOT USE SAND (Even with Kenyan Sand Boas, its best to mix their sand with something like eco earth, or only give them a sand playbin with supervision)
Hides
Many snakes are nocturnal, which means they’ll hide during the day. Hides are IMPORTANT and necessary. You can use things such as:
Cardboard boxes (like pizza/chicken burger boxes)
Paper towel tubes
Store bought hides (These can get expensive, but they can be super cool)
Rodent hides
Upside-down bowls/clay flower pots/tupperware with a hole cut into the side
Be creative! You can even make your own.
Water bowl
Your snake will need water, not only to drink, but sometimes they’ll bathe too.
You can use a store bought reptile water bowl, but these tend to be shallow. Heavy ceramic dog bowls work great to keep your snake from tipping it over
Your water bowl should be big enough for the snake to sit in
Heat sources
One side of your tank will be your ‘cool’ side, and the other your ‘warm’ side. This means that whatever you use for a heat source, keep it to one side of the tank. Snakes regulate their temperature with their environment, so its good to have a variation.
Heat pad (UNDER THE TANK – if placed inside they will burn your snake) with a thermostat
Heat lamp (Will drain the humidity)
Heat tape
Thermometer/Hydrometer
You can get these from Home Hardware for $10 or so.
You want two thermometers – one on the cool side, and one on the warm side.
Temperature and humidity vary between species! Make sure to do your research
You can increase humidity by misting your tank during shedding to help your snake get its shed off.
Decorations
This is the fun part! Time to decorate your tank. You want plenty of décor. Snakes love feeling hidden and safe, and even if it seems weird, you’ll see your snake out and about more if they have more places to hide. You can use plenty of things for this.
Fake plants
Real plants (make sure they’re snake safe please!!)
Fake vines, leaf bunches, plastic plants for fish tanks
Fish tank decorations (Be sure that your snake can’t get inside and get stuck in them)
Branches!! (Even if a snake is said to be a terrestrial species, they will often climb when given the chance)
Bird ladders/wooden perches/coconut hides
Backgrounds
Honestly, just have fun with your tank. You want it to be something that’s functional, that your snake will be comfortable in, but at the same time you want something that’s nice to look at!
Food!
Snake eat mice, and depending on the size of your snake, you'll need different size of mice. All of our snakes, with few exceptions, eat frozen/thawed. (Contrary to what some people may say, snakes do not, in fact, eat crickets or insects.)
Each snake species is different, and we always recommend doing your research before buying any time of animal. Not only reptiles.
If you aren't sure you can handle the responsibility of owning a snake, we can do a trial run. You can take the snake home for a week or two and see how it goes, and perhaps then you can make a decision on whether you want to keep it!
Before adopting, we can always offer to come and take a look at your set up, or you can buy one of our own tanks to take your snake home with you!
You can contact us for more info.