Over the years, with films like Anaconda, snakes have been dramatically demonized in the media. Many fear the fangs and scales of snakes. And though it is right to be scared at times, we should know that snakes just aren’t as bad as we think they are. Snakes are beautiful creatures. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself obsessing over their beauty once you acknowledge them!
Having a snake as a pet sounds cool, but it can also sound daunting. Since snakes aren’t exactly the pet you would typically find at homes, getting one yourself may feel weird. But don’t worry! Here are the pros and cons of having a snake as a pet to help you in making the decision.
The Pros
There are many benefits of having a snake as a pet. Some of these benefits can’t even be found from your usual pet dogs and cats! So why not give it a try? It’s time to be part of the Slytherin club.
Here are some of the benefits:
1. Low Maintenance
Compared to dogs or cats, snakes are extremely low maintenance. You would probably be spending less on snakes than you would other pets. And I am not just talking about the money! Snakes don’t require as much attention as cats or dogs do. You are free to play with your snake whenever you want. If not, you can leave your snake as it is, and it won’t have a problem.
Snakes are also clean creatures. Unlike dogs or cats that’ll make the occasional mess, you would rarely have that problem with snakes. Just make sure your snake has enough room in the enclosure to pee and poo. Depending on the species, you most probably wouldn’t have to clean after your snake a lot. Some snakes would go after eating while some wouldn’t even go for months. So do your research! Know which species of snake you want before purchasing. Regardless, it’s definitely a way lower maintenance compared to other pets.
Generally, you would only have to change the water in its enclosure daily. You would also need to clean the enclosure itself weekly. Just make sure that you have the enclosure set up properly. Apart from these, you are good to go!
If you are someone who doesn’t have a lot of free time, snake would make a good pet for you.
2. It’s Quiet
If you are someone who prefers silence over noises, then snake is ideal for you. Unlike cats or dogs, snakes don’t make any sounds. This means morning without loud barks and sudden hissing.
Snakes aren’t only quiet in terms of the noise. They have no legs to run around or claws to scratch your curtains. This saves you all the energy, money and frustrations from the mess that you would get from cats and dogs.
You would probably only need to watch where your snake slithers. Since it’s quiet, it’s easier to lose your snake every time you let it out. Snakes being the quiet animal would make life much easier. Especially if you are someone who doesn’t like noise distractions when working, then snake is definitely the go-to pet for you!
3. Nice Feed
Snakes aren’t heavy eaters. In fact, you would probably be needing to feed them only once a week. Depending on the species or age and certain other conditions, snakes typically eat once every one or two weeks. If your snake is younger, then you would need to feed it twice every week. If you plan to breed snakes, you can feed female snakes more when it's breeding. Consult your local vet for the exact details. In any case, the amount of times you need to feed your snake is definitely way lesser than any other animal.
The lesser amount of feeding time would also mean lesser money spent on buying snake food. You would also be doing less cleaning since your snake won’t be defecating as much. Overall, feeding your snake would be a nice experience.
4. Docile
Unlike popular beliefs, snakes are actually pretty docile. Snakes attack only when they are scared or stressed. Once they accept you as their owner, they would rarely bite. The only time you’ll be bitten would probably be during feeding time when they accidentally aim for your hand instead of the food. Unless you are scaring or stressing your snake out, chances of you getting bitten are fairly low.
If you do get bitten, snake bites are much easier to handle than dog bites. Snakes carry lesser transmittable diseases compared to dogs. If anything, we should fear dogs way more than we do with snakes. Since snakes are much smaller, their bites also hurt much lesser. That’s especially the case if your pet snake is of the smaller breed. It would, at most, feel like a piercing needle. Most of the time, you wouldn’t even need a plaster for your wounds. And that’s if your snake do bite you. By comparison, dogs pose greater threats to us than snakes do.
With this said, snakes are definitely the ideal pet if you prefer something more calm. Compared to dogs or cats, you will have much lesser problems with snakes!
5. Actually Nice Feed
Depending on the species, snakes have different patterns and colors. The different variations of their looks make them Instagram-worthy pets. If you are someone who loves posting aesthetic things or people on Instagram, snakes may just be the pet for you. The combinations of colors and patterns make these creatures fascinating and addictive to look at. Not only are they uncommon as pets, their artistic bodies would definitely catch the eyes of your family and friends.
The terrarium used to keep the snakes can also be decorated! The decoration is entirely up to your creativity. But, you would want to mimic natural conditions that best suit your snake when decorating the terrarium.
You can go for different looks; the jungle, rainforest, desert and the such. Decorate the terrarium however you see fit. Make sure that you have the essentials down. Get the temperature and the humidity right for your snake before placing it into the terrarium. Apart from that, you are free to do whatever you want to the terrarium. An Instagram worthy snake with an Instagram worthy terrarium is the dreamland for snake owners and aesthetic lovers. So get creative and get creating!
The Cons
With all things considered, there are some downsides to owning a pet snake. Ironically, some benefits are also the things that you should look out for when owning a snake.
Here’s the list of downsides you may have to consider:
1. Terrarium Cost
To own a snake, you are required to buy a terrarium. Your snake would be in that terrarium for 90% of the time so choosing one that fits well for your snake is very important. Getting the wrong terrarium would not only make your snake uncomfortable, but it could be fatal as well. So do your research properly before purchasing one.
Different snakes require different terrariums, so it really depends on what snake you are planning to get. With that said, a terrarium would usually cost a lot on the upfront. Rest assured that the cost to maintain the terrarium on the long run would be low. However, the upfront amount of the terrarium would also be increase with the purchase of other things as well.
Snakes live in specific temperature and conditions. Try to mimic the necessary conditions as much as possible when purchasing and decorating the terrarium.
Some of the things that you need are:
- Substrate
- Water Bowl
- Snake Hide
- Heat Source
- Humidifier/Dehumidifier
While these things can easily be found, and it isn’t ridiculously expensive, learning which is the right one to get can be time-consuming. Different snake species have different needs. It’s up to you to learn the differences and get the ones that are right for your snake.
Note also that these aren’t inclusive of the cost for decorations and electrical maintenance.
2. It’s Too Quiet
While it is nice that snakes are quiet, it can also be concerning. Unlike cats or dogs, it’s difficult to tell if your pet snake is sick or injured. You can’t easily tell what your snake is feeling either. With dogs, they would at least whine when in pain, and you can somewhat tell from their facial expressions. You can’t get that from snakes. If you plan to get a pet snake, you have to learn to spot small symptoms and signs of possible illness or injuries. Otherwise, it can be incredibly dangerous for your snake.
With this said, you would need to keep an eye out on your snake’s condition from tine to time. Although they don’t need as much attention as dogs, you got to watch out for any abnormalities in your snake’s behavior. Snakes generally have a long life span of up to 30 years. But that would be easily cut short if you are not sharp enough to spot the ongoing illness in your pet snake.
It’s recommended to play with your snake every now and then. If not, simply have a look at your snake’s behavior in the enclosure to see if there are any abnormalities. You would also need to be in contact with vets that deal with exotic pets. Another downside is that there aren’t a lot of vets who treat exotic pets like snake. Find for one and consult the vet on what you should look out for.
3. Mice Feed
Snakes are carnivores and they hunt preys for food. This means that you are required to feed your snake meat. In the case of snakes, it would obviously be mice for snakes. One of the major reasons why people don’t keep snakes as pets is due to this exact reason. If you can’t stand rats or mice, then having a pet snake is not exactly a good idea for you.
To own a snake, you are required to buy and keep mice to feed your snake. Most people can’t stand the idea of having mice stored frozen in their fridge. If this is you, then you may have to reconsider getting a pet snake.
Besides it feeling disgusting, some people also deem it to be unethical. While different people hold onto different values, you have to be sure about yours. Will you really be okay with feeding mice to your pet snake?
4. Different Variations
As mentioned earlier, different snakes have different needs. Before purchasing a snake, you have to know what your snake needs are. While this can be very time-consuming, it is also necessary. Be responsible! Snakes are living creatures too. They have needs to be met. So it isn’t exactly something that you should buy based on impulses alone. Do your research and plan out what you need. You might want to reconsider your decision a few times to be sure.
Though it may be a lot of work at the start, it’ll be extremely rewarding once you get the necessities down. So be patient and get working!
5. Not Pet Beginner Friendly
With all that has been said, snakes aren’t exactly a good first pet choice. Not because it’s dangerous for you, but it’s dangerous for the snake! If you don’t have the right knowledge, it may be fatal for your snake. Especially due to the fact that a snake can’t make noises, you won’t know if its in pain. If you have not owned any pet before and have no experience in handling animals, it might be best to choose other animals instead.
Snakes aren’t exactly difficult to handle. There are many benefits to it. It could even be more than having downsides in fact. But getting the right necessities is absolutely important if you want to keep a pet snake. If you do decide to continue, here are examples of snake species suitable for beginners.
Snake Species for Beginners
1. Ball Python
Ball python is well-known to be quite the tame species. They don’t usually bite but rather, like to curl up in a ball. That’s how they got their name anyway! Ball pythons are usually 3 to 5 feet in length so make sure you get a terrarium large enough for that.
One concern when it comes to ball pythons is that they can be quite picky with their food. They usually like their food freshly killed or thawed. Apart from that, they are good for first time snake owners. They are generally more friendly and are reluctant to bite. So playing with them will be fun! They have a life span of up to 30 years as well if properly taken care of.
For ball pythons, tune up the humidifier anywhere between 50 to 60%. In terms of the temperature, you’ll need to have an ambient temperature of 82-86 degrees Fahrenheit. Have also a basking spot of 95 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit on one side. The ambient temperature should drop to an ideal temperature of 72 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Cape/Brown House Snake
If 30 years sound like too long of a commitment for you as a first timer, the Cape House Snake would be a good option. They have a lifespan of up to only 8 years. They are also smaller in size, growing up to 2 to 4 feet.
This snake is known for their rapid adaptation to their enclosure. They get comfortable easily with their homes, making them incredibly docile. If they do bite, it is near impossible to feel any pain due to their size.
For the temperature, keep the basking temperature of the enclosure in 90 degrees Fahrenheit. On the other side, keep the temperature anywhere between 70 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep the humidity level anywhere between 40% to 60%
3. Corn Snake
One of the more well-known species of snakes to be kept as pet, the corn snake can grow up to 4 feet long. They are well-known for their gentle temperament, making it very easy to handle them. They also generally don’t have any medical problems. Most of the time when there’s something wrong with the snake, it is often the fault of the owner due to poor management of the snake. It can live up to 20 years long. This is the usual go-to for first timers due to its gentleness.
In terms of its temperature, keep it between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit from one end to the other. Keep the humidity level anywhere between 65=% to 75%.
4. California King Snake
Similarly, the California King snake is well-known to be gentle and docile. They would get nippy if mishandled. Apart from that, the snake has absolutely no issues. It can also grow up to 4 feet long. They can live up to 20 years if they are cared for properly. Keep the humidity level anywhere between 35% to 60%. On both sides of the enclosure, keep the temperature level anywhere between 80 and 84 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Rosy Boa
Rosy Boas are naturally curious by nature, making them a good option for first time snake owners. Due to the fact that they are curious, they like being handled. This means that you get to play with him as well without getting bitten! They are agile and like to roam around so be on the look out. Make sure you built the enclosure rightly as they are escape artists of the snake world. If there is a way out, they will find it.
Generally, the Rosy Boa can live for up to 30 years. They can grow to anywhere between 4 and 5 feet long. Keep the basking temperature anywhere between 90 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. On the cool side, keep the temperature between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. On the warm side, keep it between 80 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. For the humidity, keep it under 60%.
Pet or Pest?
Like all pets, owning a snake comes with responsibilities and risks. But that doesn't mean that snakes are bad pets! Snakes have their own benefits and beauty. If you are considering to get a pet snake, it is definitely a green light once you have all the necessities down. Welcome to the club, Slytherin!
