# Colubrids > General Colubrids >  Water Snake as a Pet?

## Juxtaposition109

Hello all,
I currently have a corn snake and a Ball python. I recently aquired a good 55 gallon fish tank that holds water. I was wondering if any of you on here had ever kept any type of water snakes as pets? I have found a place that sells northern water snakes. I figured a good 1/2 land 1/2 water set up with a basking sight would work ok for a water snake. Has anyone on here ever kept any sort of water snake as a pet and how are they handling wise compared to other pet snakes?

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## kellysballs

They make really fun captives. I go to Stetson and we had some really cool florida banded water snakes that they where doing research with last year. I have also had some captive born babies in my pet store. They eat goldfish/feederfish and will hunt them in the water. You have to make sure that while they have a nice area to swim in they must be able to haul completley out of the water and dry off. They also need a basking spot and nonbasking spot in the dry area of the tank. 

I enjoyed the 2 we had at the store and the ones at stetson.

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## Juxtaposition109

I would be really interested in getting a Florida banded water snake but I can't find any for sale online. I've tried google search and a couple of other search engines. Does anyone know a pet shop or site that sells Florida Banded water snakes?

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## leper65

Check on Fauna Classifieds and Kingsnake, they come up for sale from time to time.

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## Jason Bowden

Northern water snakes are your best bet for a pet water snake.
The ones I kept were kept in kinda like a terrestrial snake setup, but with a bigger water bowl.

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## GoFride

Do water snakes tend to be "bitey"? Just wondering how they are in captivity.

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## amnesia

> Do water snakes tend to be "bitey"? Just wondering how they are in captivity.


Years ago I kept 2 at diff times. The larger one was fairly aggressive, the smaller never bit me once. Kept them in a 50/50 terrestrial/aquatic set up.

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## Animals As Leaders

Don't know why I never thought of having a water snake as a captive, but sounds awesome.

I'd imagine you need a large tank for something like this.  I would want one just be able to see the snake really swim its little heart out.  I love the way snakes swim.  I'd think they would need a 125 gallon and up no?

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## infernalis

I have had a Nerodia as a captive for years... He is an awesome snake.

 The care is very much the same as garter snake care. I find them on my property all the time, many times quite far from the water.



Looking up at me while I take pictures....



Aqua is such a cool snake...



Check out this awesome belly pattern....



me holding him...



Looking up at me from the water "bowl"

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## tsdsbd

i just got a watersnake i found. yeah i would agree to about half aquatic environment. mines gunna be realy small for awhile so ima stick with a 10 gal. for now, but when it matures ill go up to 20 gal tank.

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## tsdsbd

> I have had a Nerodia as a captive for years... He is an awesome snake.
> 
>  The care is very much the same as garter snake care. I find them on my property all the time, many times quite far from the water.
> 
> 
> 
> Looking up at me while I take pictures....
> 
> 
> ...


thats a gorgeous nerodia! mines belly pattern is almost zebra striped. ill get some pics later on!

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## phantom1bc

how does aqua smell? every water snake i have ever caught in the wild have a god awful oder

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## tsdsbd

mines kinda fishy..lol

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phantom1bc (07-04-2010)

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## amnesia

> how does aqua smell? every water snake i have ever caught in the wild have a god awful oder


They musk like garter snakes do. Nasty business.

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