Every person wants to have a pet at home. But, no matter how strange it may sound, not everyone can afford the maintenance of a dog or cat. For the most part, this is due to an allergy to wool and saliva, but there are other reasons.
Less and less people try to get parrots, hamsters or fish. Their life expectancy is not too high, and, not having had time to finally become attached to the pet, they already have to say goodbye to him forever.
Exotic at home
Recently, a trend has been in fashion to contain at home exotic or even wild animals: snakes, ferrets, tarantulas or tarantulas. Many people do this unknowingly, succumbing to a rush, a desire to stand out or simply demonstrate their extravagance. In fact, getting such animals in an apartment is a serious and very responsible step. These "animals" are not created for home conditions, and future owners will not only have to create an atmosphere comfortable for the pet's life, but also encounter a number of surprises that will necessarily arise during the keeping of the animal. After all, it has become fashionable to start exotic predators, insects or reptiles at home recently, which means that not all the habits of life in captivity have been studied and warned.
Snake in the house
Nevertheless, the most popular exotic pet can rightfully be called a snake. Those who decide to have such a pet should study the eating habits and behavior of snakes, their living conditions, consult with serpentologists about the nature and contents of each species, and carefully weigh the pros and cons before taking this crucial step. Domestic snakes live more than 10 years, so you need to be completely sure that reptiles will be given proper care until the end of its days.
For home maintenance, experts recommend starting non-toxic reptiles of a rather small size. Perhaps someone will find it a bold act to get a poisonous snake at home in order to make a real sensation among friends. But this is forbidden. Without good reason, not a single nursery will provide a snake for personal use as a pet, especially to a person who has never dealt with snakes before, does not know how to care, and does not know how to handle them. "Beginners" are encouraged to start a "safe" animals of small size - up to 150 cm in length. Such domestic snakes quickly become tame, having been born and growing in captivity.
Snakes at home are still predators. That means they will have to be fed not with vegetables and fruits, but with meat and most often - fresh or alive. This is one of the main reasons why people abandon the idea of having a snake. Not everyone is ready to calmly feed a rodent carcass to their pet, even if they were killed, which could also be someone else's pet.
The most unpretentious look
For the faint of heart, garter snakes, or garden snakes , are perfect . They can be fed not with mice, but with fish, worms and insects, most importantly, to teach this to a cub. They are unpretentious. Usually, snakes require an additional heating system in the winter season, however, this species can do without artificial heat. It is quite difficult to recognize garter snakes by the color of the scales, because there are a great many color options, only a specialist serpentologist can do this. The length of representatives of this species can vary from 50 to 150 cm.
Beautiful and dangerous snakes
For those who are attracted to dangerous snakes, there is a wonderful alternative - the royal snake . It is difficult to tame, but it is still possible to domesticate it if you grow a serpent in captivity. With its bright predatory color, it resembles a poisonous coral snake, which is prohibited for keeping the house. Black and white wide stripes are located on the main red tone. Stripes of coral snakes instead of white have yellow spaces. The royal snake should be fed by rodents: mice and rats. Carcasses can be either frozen or fresh. With its length, a royal snake can reach 100 cm.
Another double of the poisonous coral snake is the milk snake . However, she, like the royal one, is not at all poisonous. The differences are in the colors: the coloring of the milk snake is darker, more maroon than red, the stripes are less common. Such a snake feeds on small amphibians and reptiles, as well as rodents. Prefers to swallow food alive, so at home it is better to feed it with tweezers. The length of the milk snake ranges from 50 to 150 cm.
Most popular variety
Climbing snakes are another kind of snake with which experts recommend starting the taming of reptiles. In total, there are more than 11 species, but for home life the maize snake, or corn snake, and the patterned snake are best suited. Polozov is otherwise called rat snakes, since their main diet is made up of rodents. This is the most popular variety of snakes for home maintenance. It is easy to tame the runners and just look after them. The colors of such reptiles are very diverse.
Thanks to genetic abnormalities, it is possible to interbreed species and breed vipers of incredible colors. Mutations can also provoke albinism in these snakes, which
looks amazing, although it negatively affects the health of the reptile. The natural color of the maize snake is bright red, the scales of the patterned snake have a greenish tint. All other colors are crosses. Snakes feed on small animals, birds, amphibians, eggs are swallowed whole. Among the patterned snakes there is cannibalism. The average length of such snakes is approximately 120 cm.
Tips for having a snake
- The terrarium for the snake should be equipped with a special coating, a cache in which the snake can hide, as well as tunnels for movement. It must have additional light and a heating system. The temperature should not be too high or too low so as not to cause burns or hypothermia. This information should be checked with the breeders when purchasing a snake. Some species have a vertical terrarium, others horizontal.
- Domestic snakes, like any other animal, need regular veterinary examination. The doctor checks the eyes, teeth, scales, breathing and palpitations.
- Buying a snake is better not at a pet store, but from breeders. They also clarify the individual characteristics of reptile care.
- Despite the fact that domestic snakes are not poisonous, they are dangerous with their strong and muscular body, which can easily strangle a person.
- It is better to feed the snake with frozen carcasses, rather than live rodents, which are carriers of diseases. By the way, the snakes themselves can be carriers of Salmonella, so you need to wash your hands after each contact with the pet.
- For pets such as domestic snakes, the price ranges from 3,000 to 30,000 rubles.