Snakes Care Sheets

Reptilia's Care Sheets for Snakes are ordered by common name. All care sheets follow our format, which is intended to provide easy reference for your convenience. When multiple snakes of the same type such as the Pythons, the type name is used and the species is listed afterward. An example is: Python, Ball . The Latin name is provided thereafter.

 

Snakes may be one of the most feared reptiles but they are also among the most fascinating. These creatures have adapted most remarkably to a life without limbs. Most of us would also agree that there are few things more mystical than the movements of a snake. Snakes are among the the easiest reptiles to care for. They do not require frequent feeding or cleaning and they typically do not have highly specialized dietary or lighting requirements. Unlike many sun-loving lizards, snakes do not typically suffer from metabolic bone disease (MBD). be sure to pay close attention to adult size, temperament, and longevity information.

 

 

 

 

Boa, Colombian - Boa constrictor   Rating 2 - good nature, feeding habits, and availability as domestically bred stock Adult Size - Female - 305 cm to 375 cm (10' - 12'). Males - 244 cm (8'). Baby - 36 cm and 56cm (14" - 22"). Longevity - A Boa Constrictor can be expected to live between 20 and 30 years in captivity. Diet - Young snakes eats hopper mice; Adults eats small rabbits.     Boa, Rough-scaled Sand - Eryx conicus   Rating 3 - good nature, feeding habits, and adult size Adult Size - Females of this heavy bodied sand boa may attain or even slightly exceed a 60 cm body length with males being considerably smaller. Longevity - Average life span of about 20 years in captivity. Diet - Neonates feed well on pink mice juveniles feed on fuzzy mice, and adults feed on adult mice.     Boa, Rosy - Lichanura trivirgata   Rating 1 - good nature and feeding habits Adult Size - They generally range in size from 24" to 30" (60cm - 75cm). Longevity - A Rosy Boa can be expected to live between 20 and 25 years in captivity. Diet - Young eats pink and fuzzy mice; Adults eats large mice.     Corn Snake - Elaphe gutatta   Rating 1 - good nature, feeding habits, adult size, and availability as domestically bred stock Adult Size - range in length from 76 cm - 137 cm (2.5-4.5 feet). Longevity - Corn snakes typically live to be between 15 and 20 years old in captivity. Diet - Hatchlings and juveniles eats pink/ fuzzy mice, hopper mice, and pink/fuzzy rats every 4-7 days; Adults eats large rodents such as rats every 9-14 days. Rating of 1 due to this animals it is an excellent starter snake.     Cribo, Black-tail - Drymarchon melanurus   Rating 3 - nervous temperament, rarely available as domestically bred animals Adult Size - attain lengths of 1.7 to 2.15 m (5.5 to 7 feet). Longevity - may live 15-20 years. Diet - Young eats pinky and fuzzy mice; Adults eats adult mice, hopper rats, and small rats.     Hognose, Western - Heterodon nasicus   Rating 1 - small size, availability as domestically bred stock, low price, and overall hardiness. Adult Size - Hatchlings are generally around 18 cm (7"). Adults are usually 40 to 81 cm (15" - 32") in total length with females being significantly larger than males. Longevity - can be expected to live between 10 and 15 years. Diet - Hatchlings will take pinky mice once every 5-7 days. Adults will generally take an adult mouse once a week.     Kingsnake, Common - Lampropeltis getula   Rating 1 - good nature, feeding habits, adult size, and availability as domestically bred stock it is an excellent starter snake. Adult Size - Hatchlings are typically between 23 and 36 cm, while adults range in length from 76 cm - 183 cm (2.5-6 feet). Longevity - lives to be between 10 and 15 years old in captivity. Diet - Hatchlings and juveniles - pink/ fuzzy mice, hopper mice, and pink/fuzzy rats every 4-7 days; Adults - large rodents such as rats every 9-14 days.     Milk Snake, - Lampropeltis triangulum   Rating 1 - good nature, feeding habits, adult size, and availability as domestically bred stock Adult Size -  Hatchlings are typically between 23 and 36 cm, while adults range in length from 76 cm - 183 cm (2.5-6 feet). Longevity - live to be between 10 and 15 years old in captivity. Diet - Hatchlings and juveniles - pink/fuzzy mice, hopper mice, and pink/fuzzy rats every 4-7 days; Adults - large rodents such as adult mice or small rats every 9-14 days.

Python, Ball - Python regius   Rating 2 - good nature and relatively small adult size. Adult Size - Hatchlings are typically between 23 and 43 cm (9 – 17 inches), while adults' range in length from 76 cm - 137 cm (2.5-4.5 feet). Longevity - A normal ball python would live between 20 and 30 years Diet - Hatchlings will take fuzzy mice or pink rats. Sub-adults of 1 year to 11/2 years will take hopper rats or adult mice and adults will take small rats or other rodents of equal size.     Python, Burmese - Python molurus bivittatus   Rating 4 - adult size, it is potentially dangerous. Adult Size - This species can attain lengths upwards of 7 meters (approx. 20+ feet) and weigh as much as 115 kg (approx. 250 lbs.). Longevity - A burmese can be expected to live between 20 and 25 years in captivity. Diet - Young - rats and other small to medium sized rodents; Adults - large rodents, small mammals, birds     Python, Green Tree - Morelia viridis   Rating 3 - specialized care requirements such as high humidity Adult Size - from 1.2 - 1.8 m (4-6 feet). Longevity - known to live more than 20 years in captivity. Diet - Hatchlings and juveniles eats pink/ fuzzy mice, hopper mice, and pink/fuzzy rats; Adults eats large rodents such as rats; food item should be large enough to leave a noticeable but not huge lump in the snake; feed every 7 - 10 days.     Python, Reticulated - Python reticulatus   Rating 5 - unpredictable nature and large adult size, it is potentially dangerous Adult Size - Just over 10 meters long (approx. 30 feet). Longevity - They can live to be 20 - 25 years of age in captivity. Diet - Young - rats and other small to medium sized rodents; Adults - large rodents, small mammals, birds.     Python, Carpet - Morelia spilota sp   Rating 3 - more high strung than other species Adult Size - Jungle Carpet, which is typically between 140 cm and 200 cm (4' 6" to 6' 6").  Southwestern Carpets generally reach lengths of 170 cm to 190 cm (5' 6" to 6' 3"), and Coastal carpets between 180 and 250cm (6' to 8') Longevity - Carpet pythons typically live to be between 20 and 30 years old in captivity. Diet - Hatchlings and juveniles - pink/ fuzzy mice, hopper mice, and pink/fuzzy rats every 7 days; Adults - large rodents such as rats every 10 days.     Taiwan Beauty Snake - Elaphe taeniura friesi   Rating 2 - Taiwan beauty snakes are large active snakes that require a lot of space. Adult Size - Taiwan beauty snakes are a large, powerful, rat snake that can attain lengths of  154 cm - 215 cm (5-7 feet). Longevity - Most captive Taiwan beauty snakes live between 15 and 20 years. Diet - Hatchlings and juveniles - pink/ fuzzy mice, hopper mice, and pink/fuzzy rats every 7 days; Adults - large rodents such as rats every 9-14 days.     Trinket Snake - Elaphe helena   Rating 1 - Moderate size, gentle disposition, and easy to care for. Adult Size - Females ranging in size from 120 cm - 130 cm (46-50 inches) and males ranging in size from 90 cm - 100 cm (36-39 inches). Longevity - lives for 12-15 years. Diet - Hatchlings and juveniles - pink/ fuzzy mice, hopper mice, and pink/fuzzy rats every 7 days; Adults - large rodents such as rats every 9-14 days.