| Unfortunately, many snake keepers do not actually | | | | allowed to heat up. This heat is retained for some |
| think about their snakes' psychological issues. It is well | | | | hours throughout the evening. Hot rocks are available |
| known within the hobby that a vast number of | | | | to mimic this behaviour, although it is only suggested |
| snake species are fairly 'lazy' creatures, perhaps only | | | | that you use these for a few hours at the |
| venturing out of their hide for food, water, or a | | | | appropriate time; generally as lights go out until 4 |
| mate. This is a true statement for many species, and | | | | hours later. |
| this habit will most certainly be the same in the wild | | | | Water is generally offered in a small water dish which |
| as well as in captivity. However, in the wild the snake | | | | doesn't even allow the snake to fully submerse itself. |
| may spend hours or perhaps days hunting for food, | | | | Although this is preferable for many desert dwelling |
| may travel some distance to find water and may | | | | species, other species will regularly travel to streams, |
| spend weeks courting females and perhaps fighting | | | | ponds or puddles to drink, bathe and swim. Offering |
| males in the process. This article describes the many | | | | water in a larger dish, away from the heat source will |
| ways possible to keep your pet snake healthy and | | | | stimulate the snake to bathe and swim more often, |
| active, ensuring little chance of obesity or behavioural | | | | allowing for more exercise. Be sure to watch for |
| problems caused by boredom or inactivity. | | | | faeces in the water, as many snakes will commonly |
| The first and foremost point is to ensure that the | | | | excrete during bathing. Allowing water movement |
| basics are in place. That is; an adequate sized | | | | through a pump, air bubbles or even a small waterfall |
| vivarium, appropriate temperature levels allowing for | | | | will also stimulate the snake to bathe and drink |
| thermoregulation, adequate humidity levels if | | | | regularly. For rainforest dwelling species, particularly |
| necessary, enough food and water and a hiding place | | | | arboreal species, a drip system and / or misting |
| where the snake may retreat to. Once these are all | | | | system will simulate rainfall in the wild. This may be |
| in place, it is possible to expand on each area, making | | | | very important for some species that will |
| life more interesting for your snake and therefore a | | | | predominantly drink from water droplets that gather |
| more pleasurable viewing experience for yourself. | | | | on leaves or branches. |
| Many experts in the reptile industry will no doubt | | | | One major part to all snakes' lives is feeding. In the |
| spend a considerable amount of time explaining to | | | | wild, snakes will have to hunt for a wide variety of |
| beginners and interested people that snakes do not | | | | live prey. Some snakes may ambush their prey; |
| actually need much space. It is widely accepted that | | | | others will use sight and chase their prey, while |
| snakes will live happily in a terrarium smaller than its | | | | others will use scent. In captivity, feeding live prey is |
| own length, and I do not disagree completely with | | | | frowned upon unless in extreme circumstances |
| this statement. In fact, many individual snakes will | | | | where the snake simply refuses all other feeding |
| suffer dramatic consequences when placed into a | | | | methods. Feeding live prey to captive snakes would |
| terrarium too large. They often become so stressed | | | | of course stimulate their natural feeding behaviour; |
| they will not feed, become very timid, rarely venture | | | | however it can be dangerous and is almost certainly |
| out of a hide, become overly aggressive and will not | | | | not necessary. It is possible though, to recreate |
| control their body temperature adequately leading to | | | | some of the snakes' natural feeding responses and |
| further problems. It is important when changing | | | | make it exercise for food. |
| terrarium size for your snake that you are | | | | Unfortunately, a large percentage of reptile hobbyists |
| comfortable with your snakes feeding habits, and | | | | are not educated enough to realise the importance |
| that it is comfortable with you as the handler. If it is, | | | | of reptile stimulation through feeding. Snakes get |
| I urge everyone to expand the size of terrarium | | | | most of their exercise through hunting and breeding, |
| offered to their snake. The larger the vivarium, the | | | | so if your snake is not used for breeding and is fed |
| more hiding areas and décor there should be. | | | | by virtually placing a dead rodent into its mouth, it will |
| This will allow more interest and the opportunity for | | | | hardly get much exercise. This has caused a large |
| more exercise. If however, your snake does not | | | | number of reptiles in captivity to become overweight |
| take well to the move and refuses food, do not | | | | and obese, usually with the owners unaware. There |
| move the snake back into its original enclosure | | | | are a number of methods you can use to both |
| straight away. Instead, try for 2-4 weeks to let your | | | | stimulate the natural senses of hunting and to also |
| snake settle in, ensuring the heat levels are | | | | force the snake to move around the enclosure in |
| appropriate and that there are enough hiding areas. I | | | | order to feed. |
| suggest for the initial move that the décor | | | | If your terrarium has plenty of décor and |
| and hide areas from the old terrarium are moved into | | | | hide areas, try hiding the food underneath foliage or |
| the larger one. This will make your snake feel more | | | | in hiding areas. By rubbing the food along different |
| comfortable and speed up the transitional period. | | | | surfaces of the terrarium it is possible to create a |
| The terrarium furnishings will play a very important | | | | scent trail. Try and make this trail as elaborate as |
| role in enriching your snakes' life. You could try | | | | possible, this will no doubt confuse the snake but will |
| offering various substrate depths, types and levels. | | | | inevitably make it move more and get more exercise. |
| For instance, you could build the substrate up to | | | | You can also try hanging the food from the roof of |
| 20cm deep at one end of the enclosure, perhaps | | | | the terrarium. It is not wise to tie the food with |
| held up by some natural cork bark or rock, and then | | | | string or other non-digestible material; however, a |
| have a lower layer of 3cm deep towards the other | | | | mouse tail for instance could be trapped in the lid of |
| end. Offering more than one substrate within the | | | | the terrarium or some kind of clip. With the force of |
| terrarium will allow the snake to move around on | | | | the snake tugging at the food, it should break free. |
| different textured surfaces. Perhaps for a rainforest | | | | This will make it a little harder for the snake to strike, |
| species; bark chips could be mixed with soil and dried | | | | as the food will sway around as it attempts to bite it. |
| leaves. Fake plants are perfect for snake enclosures; | | | | If your snake has a routine feeding regime, for |
| they can be washed easily and do not get squashed | | | | instance every Monday evening, there is every |
| if a heavy snake decides to sit on it. These plants | | | | chance it will begin to associate this time with food. |
| can hang from the ceiling or back wall, drape and | | | | This has been commonly recorded in large pythons |
| wrap around sticks perched across the terrarium, or | | | | and is a very dangerous situation to arise. Not only is |
| could simply be placed in bundles on the ground to | | | | it un-natural, but can result in the snake striking at |
| mimic small bushes. Having a number of basking sites | | | | anything that enters the enclosure at this particular |
| within the terrarium are particularly important for | | | | time, even your hand. Many keepers will see this as |
| diurnal species. These should be open areas | | | | aggression, but may simply be a triggered feeding |
| underneath a heat source, preferably more than one | | | | response. It is more natural to feed your snake at |
| area and could be directed on a flat stone, a hanging | | | | random intervals and at different times during the |
| branch or even on top of a hiding area. It is | | | | day or night (depending on whether your snake is |
| important that any heavy items of décor | | | | diurnal or nocturnal). Try to keep regular watch of |
| placed into the vivarium are fixed securely. However, | | | | your snake, if it is being lazy and is simply hides all |
| allowing slight movement in lighter objects such as | | | | day long, don't feed it. Wait until the snake starts to |
| small branches and plants is only natural and will | | | | venture out and search for food without any food |
| certainly stimulate the snakes' natural responses. | | | | actually being there, this will encourage the snake to |
| It is important to realise not only what temperatures | | | | search for food more often if you only feed while |
| your snake should be exposed to, but also in what | | | | the snake is roaming around. Tease feeding is an |
| manner they are offered. In the wild, heat is gained | | | | excellent method to re-create a wild animal's |
| by use of the sun, but this is not to say that a snake | | | | movements. With a pair of long forceps you can grip |
| must have a basking area with heat or light from | | | | the food item and move it around, simulating the |
| above. You should first find out where your snake | | | | movements of the animal in the wild. If the snake |
| comes from and the daily habits which it would | | | | shows interest, move it further away and around the |
| naturally go through. | | | | enclosure, enticing the snake to chase and hunt the |
| Nearly all diurnal snakes will bask in the sun; it is | | | | food. Once the snake strikes; shake the food quite |
| therefore only natural to offer a spot bulb type of | | | | violently to simulate a struggle situation. At this point, |
| heat. This will mimic the sun and should allow the | | | | the snake should coil around the food and exert a |
| snake to bask directly underneath the area which the | | | | great deal of energy in asphyxiating the prey. This |
| bulb is pointing. The sun also moves throughout the | | | | method is the closest you can come to seeing the |
| day, meaning that many a time, the snake will also | | | | snakes' natural feeding methods and can be quite |
| have to move. Often, diurnal species do not bask | | | | exciting to watch. |
| during the middle of the day; instead they will bask in | | | | Handling your snake on a regular basis is a similar |
| the early morning and late afternoon. By placing 2 | | | | situation to taking your dog for a walk. It is a way of |
| spot bulbs in different areas of the terrarium wired | | | | taking the snake out of its usual environment to |
| into a timer, you can mimic the effect of the sun and | | | | provide exercise and an array of unusual smells. Many |
| give the snake the chance to search out a new, | | | | wild caught snakes, or snakes not used to being |
| better basking site. If you have a large budget and | | | | handled should have limitations on the amount of time |
| terrarium to play with, you can offer further basking | | | | spent handling. The last thing you want to do is |
| sites for different times of the day. You could even | | | | stress the snake by over-handling. Captive bred |
| set up the lamps with timers on dimming thermostats | | | | individuals that are regularly handled will however |
| so that the temperature output could lessen or | | | | enjoy human interaction and the chance to move |
| greaten depending on the time of day. | | | | around different surfaces. On a warm day, take your |
| Many nocturnal or rainforest dwelling species will not | | | | snake outside in the garden and let it roam around on |
| bask in the sun, but should be exposed to a higher | | | | the grass. Be very careful not to take your eyes off |
| day time temperature. Although it is recommended | | | | the snake though, the last thing you want is for it to |
| that you offer varying temperatures, there should be | | | | quickly burrow into the ground or worse still, grabbed |
| an overall air temperature. This can be achieved by | | | | by a passing predatory bird. Being able to handle your |
| using a power plate. A power plate is a 75Watt | | | | snake will not only allow exercise and scent |
| heater that is attached to the ceiling of your | | | | stimulation, it will also allow for easier maintenance |
| terrarium and provides a wider range of heat from | | | | and veterinary care if needed. |
| above, making it more efficient at raising the actual | | | | It has hardly been recognised that snakes require |
| air temperature than other heaters. Lighting should still | | | | mental stimulation to stay fit and healthy in captivity. |
| be offered for these species, although in the form of | | | | This article, together with your own ideas should |
| a fluorescent tube. At night, a red bulb or moon bulb | | | | prevent your snake from becoming obese and from |
| could be used for background heat and to allow | | | | having any behavioural problems. |
| better viewing of the snake. | | | | We would love to hear if you try any of our |
| Nocturnal, terrestrial species that do not live in a | | | | methods, or have your own methods you would like |
| rainforest environment will often obtain their heat | | | | to share with us. Please visit our web site and let us |
| from the ground surface, usually on flat rocks which | | | | know how you and your snake are getting on! |
| have been exposed to the sun during the day and | | | | |