I am searching for an affordable, easy to care for snake. See details for specifications. Please Help!?

Question

I have looked into corn snakes, yet they eat rodents, which my mother cannot put up with. It would be nice to have a snake which eats crickets or other small insects, or even a herbivorous reptile (if they exist). I have little to no fear of snakes, would like a snake that is not costly or difficult to care for (relative to other snakes). I would like a sizeable one, but not too big, like the size of a corn snake. Can a corn snake live off of crickets? I hope it would enjoy being handled, because I would want to handle it frequently. Help! I don't know much, but I know enough. Could someone help me with a breed that would suit me?

Answer 1

How about a garter snake? My kids had one for years.

We caught it in our garden. It needed a pan with water and a cage with a secure top.

We fed it bullfrog tadpoles that we scooped out of ponds with a long handle net. Worms and crickets are probably good too.

Answer 2

Corn Snakes

Hatchlings range in size from 9-14 inches (22-36 cm); adults are generally 2.5 to 5 feet 76-152 cm) in length; most are in the 3-4 foot (91-122 cm) range. The average life span of these snakes is 10 years, although one was documented to be 21 years old.

In the wild, hatchlings feed largely on small lizards and tree frogs, while adults feed on small rodents and birds, killing their prey by constriction. In captivity, hatchlings Corns can easily be started on pinkie mice (1-2 day old), quickly moving up the prey scale, to fuzzies, crews and small adult mice. Both hatchlings and adults can be fed prekilled rodents.

When selecting a corn or rat snake, look for a well-fleshed body, no visible cuts or abrasions, clear, alert eyes, tongue flicking, no signs of mites or ticks. The vent should be clean.

It is always recommended to obtain captive bred, rather than wild-caught, corns. Captive bred ones have become very popular because of all the exotic colors and patterns they "come in". Unfortunately, those morphs are caused by intense inbreeding. As a result, corns are increasingly exhibiting morbitidy and mortality problems as a result of undesireable genes being bred along with the ones for color and pattern. Failure/Inability to feed and sudden, inexplicable death are the two most common problems that have been increasing over that past several years.

Answer 3

There are very few snakes which eat crickets. The only one commonly available is the rough green snake, which is not easy to handle, being very small and very, very skittish.

Ribbon snakes, water snakes, and some garter snakes eat fish. I'm not sure if this would be any less acceptable to your mother, and used fish on the way out make prompt and thorough cage cleaning essential. While they're less skittish than green snakes, garters and ribbons are not really tolerant of much handling, and many water snakes are just plain nasty. In addition to biting (not dangerous but very annoying and rather painful), all three, but especially the water snakes, react to perceived threats by musking, and the stench a really annoyed water snake can put out would make a skunk sick.

King snakes and milk snakes aren't an option either. They spend as much of their time hiding as they can, few of them tolerate handling well, and they eat mice and, if they get a chance, each other.

No snake really enjoys being handled, but if you're looking for one that tolerates it, you pretty much have to stick with the constrictors -- boids and Elaphe, primarily. They are more willing than most species to treat a human as sort of a warm, moving tree. The down side of this, of course, is that you have a snake that wants mice.

Is the problem with your mother the fact that she thinks it's okay for humans to eat animals (cows, pigs, chickens, whatever) but not okay for other animals to do so? If so, you're probably not going to get very far with her.

If, on the other hand, she just doesn't want live mice in the house, the solution is simple: Frozen mice. You can buy them at pet shops, or by mail. I get mine in bulk, in bags of 25, and keep them in the freezer until needed.

Yes, most snakes will eat dead (rewarmed in a baggie submerged in warm water) mice and rats just fine. I have six rodent-eating snakes and all of them, even the ball python whose vendor said she wasn't eating frozen, devour them readily.

Frozen rodents are better in a number of ways besides the lack of stress for your mother. Freezing kills the parasites that can infect your snake. No snake has ever been bitten and blinded or crippled (or killed) by a frozen rat. They're there when you need them, no need to run over to the pet shop on a cold, rainy night. (and I've always felt a bit guilty about having my feeder rodents packed in a box that says "Somebody loves me! I'm going home!") You can get exactly the size you need. Plus, they're usually much cheaper.

I'd really recommend a corn snake -- and a yearling, not a baby -- as your first snake. They're docile, easy to keep, comfortable at the same temperatures you are (they live as far north as New Jersey), and come in many beautiful colors.

Remember, though, that snakes may tolerate handling, but they don't really enjoy it. If you want a pet you can really play with, get a dog. :)

Answer 4

Go 2 the pet store pick a snake and this is what snake you get a corn snake or a garden snake if you want somethin more dangerous keep it in a cage and feed it mice!

Answer 5

California King Snake. They don't get very big. They'll eat insects, bugs and small rodents. They are not agressive and are colorful and easy to handle. Good Luck.

Answer 6

from petsmart
want to avoid mice use crickets?looks like you need a lizard not a snake .
there are very cool ones but ,like with snakes, you have to have right heat and more or they'll die.
not so simple...
read the article.

i had a rosey boa someone dumped escaped first day. cute but not practical.

Ten Things You Should Know About Pet Snakes

http://www.petsmart.com/global/articles/

article_detail.jsp?

CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673267913&FOLDER%3C%

3Efolder_id=9852723696504003&bmUID=1161727048723&In=Reptile&N=156692

Answer 7

A carpet snake makes a good pet. They are happy to be handled as long as it is with care and they are not harmful.

Answer 8

I really don't think reptiles make very good pets so the best suggestion I have for you is to talk to your local pet shop owner and see what they say.

Answer 9

Many breeds available