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Snakes
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Snakes (at
least certain types) are probably the easiest reptiles to keep in
captivity. Among some of the best snakes to have as pets are
kingsnakes
and milksnakes. These tend to have docile
personalities, grow
to a good size for handling, are actively bred in captivity, have
attractive coloration patterns, don't take up much space, can be trained
to eat
frozen (thawed) mice, and can live for many years.
What more
could you want? (For most herp enthusiasts, the answer to this question
is, "Another snake!") Francis is yet another of my many adoptees. She was originally owned by the sister-in-law of a classmate of my wife, Lisa (follow that?). The woman who owned Francis got to the point where she felt she couldn't devote enough time to her care, and so was looking for a home for her. It just so happened that both Francis' owner and many of my relatives were living in Denver at the time, so I was able to bring Francis back with me the next time I was out there for a visit. There's really not a whole lot to say about Francis, other than that she is a great snake. She eats well, and has now grown to nearly five feet in length. I feed her by dropping a thawed (previously frozen) mouse in the tank once or twice a week (depending on the time of year and her activity level) and letting her find it on her own. The mice are thawed by either placing them in a jar with hot water and letting it sit or by slowly running hot water into the jar (the latter method is faster, of course). She has never shown any signs of aggression or bitten anyone, and is very popular at reptile shows. Her enclosure consists of a 20 gallon tank with a locking lid and a bedding made of pine chips and orchid bark at one end and corncob bedding at the other (just for some change in coloration). Having a lid that somehow clips to the plastic molding of the tank is critical; otherwise, a snake will promptly escape. The tank is illuminated with a standard fluorescent bulb since snakes do not need the UVB exposure necessary for many lizards. A medium-sized hot rock is located at one end of the tank and is placed underneath a slab of natural rock to which heat is transferred via conduction. I seldom see her using it, however, unless she has just eaten and it happens to be unusually cold in the apartment. The hot rock runs through the same timer as the light, so it's only on during the day. A medium-sized water bowl is located in one corner of the tank and is continually filled with fresh water. Francis prefers to hide underneath a large half log placed in her enclosure but also has various other decorations to climb through when moving around her tank. Maintenance mainly consists of promptly cleaning up after her when she ,defecates which doesn't happen very often (about as often as I feed her). Sometimes she goes in her water bowl which makes it even easier. More information on kingsnakes can be found on Melissa Kaplan's site. Despite what your search engine might tell you, Kingsnake.com is not a site about kingsnakes, but rather a site devoted to general information and discussions about herpetology. In case you're curious as to why kingsnakes are referred to as kingsnakes, it is because they can catch and eat other snakes (and are apparently immune to the effects of rattlesnake poison, like other snakes). |
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This
page was last updated on December 12, 2006.
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