Most common questions/misconceptions?

Yeah, that's the worst - when people assume so many aweful things about snakes and only ask if they bite... when I havent been bitten by any of my (pet) snakes, but in the past have been bitten and made to bleed by my cats, rabbit, parrot, hamster, sugar glider...

Where I work, I tell people I'll gladly take out a snake or lizard for them to see, but if they want to see a hamster or rabbit, I'm much more hesitant. Because I don't want to end up bleeding at the end.

I don't care if the little carpet python nips at me, but I *do* care if that "cute furry hamster" lacerates my finger.

Some people just can't seem to understand the different levels of danger we're talking about here. :rolleyes:

Hmmm common questions that aren't already covered here...

- do they poop (no they don't, they just eventually explode...geeze!)

- why is that snake staring at me (ummm maybe because it doesn't have eyelids and it's not staring at you...it fell asleep because you're boring lol)

- oh it takes a male and a female to make baby snakes! (yep and they meet at singles bars for snakes and nobody respects anybody in the morning)

and my least favorite stupid snake question...

- won't it kill your kids! (yep sure I always have animals in my house that will kill my kids...doesn't everyone????....this one drives me nuts and I'm forced to explain how many kids get bit by Fluffy the Poodle each year compared to snakes but they never get it)

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

Hmmm common questions that aren't already covered here...
- do they poop (no they don't, they just eventually explode...geeze!)

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Beat you to it :P .

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I didn't think that guy was serious. But he kept repeating it. I explained what I knew about spurs. And he kept going on and on about how his high school biology teacher told him that (this guy must have been in his 20s/30s). I was like :O

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I was once told by a guy that when he was a kid they used to throw garter snakes on a fire to watch their legs pop out. (actually male garters will evert their hemipenes when being burned alive, which may be were that legend started)

I've done quite a few hands on shows with my herp society and have heard a number of weird questions. I once was asked if I've ever been bitten, when I told the person that I had been bitten many times, they asked if I'd ever been killed from it....... :confuzd:

A few of the better questions, that may make a decent teaching moment are,
Where does it live? What does it eat? How does it hear? Does it really smell with it's toungue? Can it get a sunburn? What preys on it in the wild? Why is it that color/pattern?

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Originally Posted by MarkS

I once was asked if I've ever been bitten, when I told the person that I had been bitten many times, they asked if I'd ever been killed from it....... :confuzd:

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yeah, i've been killed from snake bites a few times! it's rough!

I think a really common misconception from people who do and actually do own snakes is that the snake wants a load of room and no place to hide. No, a 100gallon tank for your baby ball python is NOT a good thing. Really, no.


Sometimes I get tired of explaining why my snakes are in "those teeny tiny plastic things."

A lady today overheard me talking to my coworker about my snakes. She turned around with *the* most horrified look on her face. She said, "You have a snake?" I said "Several actually." Her mouth dropped open, "In... your...house?" Her eyes were about to bug out of her head. I tried, in vain, to simply explain to her that snakes weren't evil, that they weren't all bad, and that I don't keep venomous species. She said something to the effect of, 'Of course you say that, you haven't been attacked by one.' She hasn't either. So uh... Yeah, she's pretty ridiculous. :confused:

Wow, guys, thank you! I posted this question a few other places, and I'm really amazed at how many people don't think snakes poo. Wow. I guess that's the main reason they'd think we want them as pets? ;)

Anyways, with your help I put together this FAQ for total snake noobs. Let me know what you think! Anything I should tweak, change, reword? Anything not look correct? Thanks again! I'd really like to have a page specifically for this kind of thing on BG, help clear things up. I am candy-coating a bit, as part of the point of my site is to help people get over their fears of snakes and see them as the beautiful animals they are.

~Aren’t snakes slimy?

Not at all! They vary in texture, from fine leather to an almost plastic-y feel, but they’re not even a little bit slimy. People tend to think they are because of that beautiful shine, but precious stones shine too and they’re not slimy either. Snakes really have a wonderfully soothing feel, and I find handling one very relaxing. There’s nothing quite like a ball python foot massage! ;)

~What do you do with a snake?

Experience it! You can watch them, admire them, handle them, take pictures of them, watch TV with them… Sure they don’t play fetch or anything, but there’s a LOT of different pets that don’t do that which are a lot higher maintenance. I find handling a snake very relaxing and meditative. They said people who keep pets and love them have lower blood pressure, and I believe that. It’s very soothing.


~Do your snakes love you?

Without getting into a philosophical debate there, it’s important to make clear that snakes are shy solitary animals. They don’t get lonely, or miss you if you’re gone. They’re wired differently from mammals. The important thing is that YOU love your snake, not the other way around. We so often praise pets for their unconditional love, we as humans should return the favor more often.

~Are your snakes poisonous?

Believe it or not, there’s no such thing as a poisonous snake! Poisonous means it’s dangerous if you eat it. Venomous means it’s poisonous if it bites you, and no, none of my snakes are venomous. You need special training and experience to keep venomous snakes, and I prefer snakes that pose no danger to me, my other pets, and that I can cuddle. Venomous snakes are pretty, but are definitely not for cuddling.

~Will I get salmonella from a snake?

Many animals carry salmonella, and it’s caught from a carrier’s feces. Most reptiles (like birds) have it naturally in their systems but you’re only likely to catch it if you’ve handled feces and don’t wash your hands. If you keep a clean snake and enclosure, you’re probably fine. Still, it’s always good to wash your hands all the same. We keep hand sanitizer by the enclosures. Using this before and after handling is safer for you and your snake. If you have a poor immune system, children under 5, or are pregnant, be extra careful about any animal feces! Especially farm birds and reptiles.

~Do your snakes run loose in your home?

This is a very common misconception, and no they don’t! Snakes need very secure enclosures to live in, or else they can get lost or hurt. They don’t come when you call, and an escaped snake will likely find a warm place to hide where you might never find them. In the worst case scenario they could even starve, freeze, or get stuck somewhere. Chances are good we’d never see them again! Free-range snakes would be very careless, and also impossible to keep at healthy temperatures!

~Do pet snakes bite? Does it hurt when they bite?

Like all animals, yes they can bite. A ratsnake bite is negligible at best, and it’d be far worse to get bitten by say - a cat. I’m a lot more worried about petting a big dog I don’t know that could really hurt me than a little pet snake! But of course it’s always wise to be careful of wild snakes, especially when you don’t know what species it is!

~Why do snakes bite?

Two reasons. A: You smell like food, and didn’t wash your hands after playing with some pet rodents or B: They’re scared. Snakes don’t bite because they’re mean or out to get you or anything like that. A nippy snake is a frightened snake. Generally, if you leave a wild snake alone they’ll leave you alone too and happily flee in the opposite direction.

~You also keep pet house rabbits, aren’t you scared that your snakes will get out and eat them? (I get this one a lot)

I’m more scared that if a snake got out, one of my rabbits will kick the crap out of them! My rabbits are WAY too big and feisty to be considered food to my snakes and pose a lot more danger to them than the other way around. My serpents are locked down like Alcatraz for their own safety.

~Aren’t you afraid your snakes might escape and strangle you in your sleep?

If any of my snakes ever got loose, I’d be afraid they’d get hurt or that I’d never see them again. Snakes are not evil or soulless killers; they’re just shy curious animals. An escaped snake looks for somewhere warm and quiet to hide. I’m not at all afraid of my snakes, even our nippy boy.

~Will your snake eat you /my dog/my cat/children?

No! With the rare exception of truly giant species or venomous snakes, our pets cannot kill us. Even the venomous snakes like cobras or vipers can’t *eat* us. Snakes can unhinge their jaws, yes, but they can’t eat (and shouldn’t try!) items much bigger than the thickest part of their body. So when you see a snake, you can generally logic out how big its food will be. If they do manage to eat something too big - say almost twice the size of its thickest part - the poor snake will throw up, and that’s not good for it at all.

~Isn’t it true that if you feed a snake in their own enclosure they’ll be more inclined to bite when you reach in for them?

No, that’s a myth. I – and many other snake enthusiasts - feed our snakes in their enclosure where they’re comfortable with no change in their personalities or behavior.

~A snake will only get as big as its enclosure, right?

Nope! A snake will grow as big as its species dictates! Keeping it in a small enclosure in hopes of keeping it small is cruel! It’s also cruel to keep a very small snake in a very big container unless you give them LOTS of hides. Feeling exposed is as stressful as being cramped. So if you’re thinking of getting a snake, keep in mind cage upgrades as they get older!

~Can I keep more than one snake in an enclosure?

Can, but shouldn’t. Snakes are solitary creatures, and bunking for extended periods of time stresses them out. That cute snake pile in the corner? The one on top is dominating the other one. They’re quiet and passive aggressive about it. Sometimes the one getting dominated will go off feed. Even if no obvious signs of stress occur for years, those are not happy snakes. Or, it could get eaten by a roomie in a mood. That doesn’t happen often, but it happens sometimes even with snakes that have shared a home for years. Always better safe than sorry! I like my snakes as stress-free and safe as possible! Sharing a cage is for breeding only, and even then only temporary.

~Can I feed a snake something other than rodents?

You can, but you shouldn’t. All snakes eat meat, although there are a few smaller species that eat crickets. There’s no such thing as a vegetarian snake. Only giant snakes like Burmese Pythons, Reticulated Pythons, and some big Boas as a few examples will ever need bigger meals than mice or rats. Some snakes get picky when you get creative about meals too, so best to stick with what works best for you health-wise and financially. This is, typically, mice or rats.

~When you feed them frozen rodents, do you defrost them?

Yes! A snake isn’t going to eat a ratcicle. Since they’re cold blooded that would mess them up badly. If you try they won’t even register it as food. We defrost our frozen/thawed food items in a small tub of hot water till they’re nice and warm - no longer solid.

~How often do they eat?

Once a week to once every other week. This is standard for most snakes.

~Do they poop?

Yes! All animals poop. Snakes don’t do it as often as other animals though, for example most of my snakes poo once a week just as they eat once a week. One of them only goes once a month and when he does… it’s a doozy!

~I caught a wild rat/mouse! Do you want it for your snake?

No, thank you! Please never feed wild rodents to a pet snake. You don’t know where they’ve been or what they’re carrying. This is a common way for snakes to pick up parasites that can make them very sick. Our snakes only eat food from a reputable, domestically bred source.

~There’s a wild snake in my yard! How do I get rid of it?

Why would you want to? Snakes are great neighbors! They’re quiet, keep rodents away from your yard/home, and if you don’t bother them they won’t bother you. If you’re really worried about it though, please call someone to remove the snake. There’s no reason to kill these wonderful, beneficial creatures.

Snake Shopping Tips


~I want a pet snake! What kind of snake should I get?

It depends! Some good examples of starter snakes are corn snakes, king snakes, and if you can handle the occasional picky eater ball pythons. But really it depends on you. What do you like? What are you looking for in a snake? What’s the lifespan like? What temps/supplies do they need? How big will they get? Like all pets, the watchword is - Research! Find out everything about the right snake for you before even shopping around so you can be 100% on its care, size, age, temperament, and everything else you need to know.

~What do I need to do first?

After research, set up an enclosure ahead of time exactly how it’s going to be when your snake is in it. Temps, décor, everything you read about. J You’ll also need to find a good herpetological vet near you for checkups or to be sure of the gender. It’s important to give your snake a week of private time in its new home to settle in.

~Where are good places to get snakes?

Breeders online or at expos are the best places to look for snakes. Do your homework on them though! Sites like www.faunaclassifieds.com are very helpful for researching a potential breeder. I really don’t recommend pet stores. They tend to keep snakes in poor conditions, have very little (if any) accurate information available, and many of them sell captive hatched rather than captive bred snakes. You want captive bred. Your best bet for a parasite free, accurately sexed, healthy hatchling and good eater is from a reputable breeder.


~How do I know if it’s a healthy snake?

Bright clear eyes, no stuck shed, active and curious (some species are less active than others, keep your research in mind) are good signs of a healthy snake. Not too thin, not too fat, and interested in their environment with active tongue flicking. Always ask when the last time it ate was, and how often it eats. If you’re in a position to see the snake eat before buying, all the better!

~How do I know if it’s a boy or girl?

There’s a few ways to tell if your snake is a male or female, namely “popping” or “probing”. It’s best left to a veterinarian and/or breeder do the sexing. Basically, it’s a matter of either gently pressing to get a male to expose his boy parts, or using a lubricated probe to tell by the depth of the tail.

I think that it is great!! I really like how you start off by answering some of the silly questions that people ask and then answer some more serious ones. Awesome job!!!!


And hmmm.... ball python foot massages... I must try it sometime. :) This might call for the NEED of another BP!!! LOL

Hi,

Excellent F.A.Q. and beautifully written. :bow:

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Originally Posted by MedusasOwl

The important thing is that YOU love your snake, not the other way around. We so often praise pets for their unconditional love, we as humans should return the favor more often.

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That line alone should get you a :trophy: in my book.



dr del