It might sound surprising, but snakes make great pets. They don’t need constant attention, daily walks, or frequent feeding. Snakes are known for their low-maintenance needs and quiet nature. Moreover, observing and handling these fragile creatures is a fascinating experience.
That said, not all snakes are suitable as pets. The most common and suitable pet snake families are Boidae, Pythonidae, and Colubridae. While you can find many snake species at reptile shows and online stores, the following pet snake species are the most suitable:
Ball Python
Ball python or Python regius is arguably the most popular pet snake species out there. They are known for their calm temperament and docility. Ball pythons grow only to 3-5 feet and can live up to 35 years in captivity. Moreover, they require little lighting or heating, another attractive quality for beginners.
Named after their tendency to curl up in a ball, these are available in hundreds of color combinations. They are practically a designer snake paradise.
Burmese Python
Many people think Burmese pythons aren’t suitable as pets because of their length, which isn’t the case. Despite being nearly 20 feet long, Burmese pythons are docile, although more active than smaller pythons. You can find numerous online stores selling snakes for sale, including Burmese pythons.
Burmese pythons are carnivorous ambush predators, which means you’d need to handle large prey, such as dead rats, rabbits, and birds. This is why they are more suited for adult owners prepared to handle their size and feeding requirements.
King Snake
In comparison to Burmese pythons, king snakes are among the smaller pet snakes. They only grow to be about 5 to 7 feet. King snakes have stunning, varied patterns, such as black/white or red/yellow bands. While they are known for being low-maintenance and easily manageable, there are some challenges with keeping a king snake as a pet.
First off, they eat other snakes (hence the name), so they should definitely be housed alone. They also prey on lizards and rodents. Moreover, king snakes are escape artists and need hiding spots. They will bite if threatened.
Milk Snake
Milk snake is actually a type of king snake. Milk snakes are commonly available in the pet trade, making them suitable pets. They closely resemble the color patterns of the venomous coral snake.
The only difference is that coral snakes have red bands next to yellow bands, while milk snakes have red and black bands. Milk snakes feed on rodents and are most active at night.
Corn Snake
It is a species of rat snake and is pretty docile. Corn snakes, also known as Pantherophis guttatus, are fabulous pet snakes that require minimal handling.
Corn snakes are North American natives. They have vibrant, red-to-brick-red blotches on their backs with a tan to reddish base color.
Garter Snake
Want a scaly pal with a touch of personality? Garter snakes are excellent options. They are small but pretty active and social. Many experienced pet owners keep two garter snakes in a single enclosure because of their highly social nature.
