Find out whether or not a gopher snake will make a good pet
If you are a beginning pet snake collector or thinking of getting a pet snake, you should consider a squirrel snake. They are always on the list of the best snakes for beginners. The reasons for this are that they are very docile, easy to handle, do not need special housing, and are easily fed. They probably have the best temperament of all the beginner-type pet snakes. A hand-lifted squirrel snake will be very tame and very predictable when out of their enclosures. They will also appear to enjoy interacting with you. They usually have no health problems and rarely get sick. While you can’t teach them tricks or walk them around, they make great pets as you can still interact with them by manipulating them.
You will discover that your pet, the squirrel snake, is not dangerous to you or others. Although there are times when they get scared and can hit or bite. This is not a big deal, as they are not poisonous and their teeth are relatively small. They will let you know when they plan to strike so that you can stop doing what is bothering them. The fear of being bitten is much worse than being bitten. If they think their hand is food, they may bite it and not let go. This is easy to handle with a little grain alcohol (no rubbing) in your mouth while keeping your mouth down so the alcohol doesn’t get into your nose or flood your mouth.
If you plan to show your pet snake to other people, this pet snake is probably the best for this as they are very docile. Go slow when introducing yourself to strangers. It won’t be long before you get used to being handled by others and can give people their first chance to handle a live snake.
Your pet squirrel snake is likely not a problem feeding as most of them are not. They will easily eat frozen / thawed mice, making feeding easier. Another advantage is that they only need to be fed every 10 days or so. Do not handle food with your bare hands, as the smell could make your pet believe that your hand is food.
The squirrel snake enclosure doesn’t have to be anything special. The main requirement is that it is at least two-thirds the length of the snake so that they can stretch. Heat one side of the cabinet to 75 to 85 degrees while leaving the other side cool. Provide almost any material except cedar shavings for the substrate. Indoor and outdoor mat works well and is easy to keep clean. You need to have a place for your pet to hide. This can be as simple as a box with a hole. Make sure the top of the enclosure is well secured so your pet does not escape. A snake that has escaped can be very irritating to some family members.
As with most animals, keeping a squirrel snake as a pet has some downsides or downsides. Occasionally they defecate, so you will need to clean the enclosure, which is not a big problem. Probably the biggest downside is that when they feel provoked, scared or stressed, they often release musk along with their poop which really stinks and the smell is hard to get rid of. One drawback for some people is that snakes generally eat mice or rats. While some snakes require live snakes, your pet squirrel snake will be happy with frozen thawed ones.
They may try to hit or bite you if you haven’t handled them for a while. This is easy to overcome by handling them frequently. After all, isn’t this what a pet is for? The more you interact with your pet, the more you will enjoy it and keep it friendly and even moderate.
As you can see, the pros far outweigh the cons of having a squirrel snake as a pet. For the best results with your pet snake, you should get one that was born in captivity. Only try to catch and keep one as a pet if you are an experienced snake collector. Due to its uniform temperament, lack of feeding problems, lack of special enclosures, and ease of handling, the squirrel snake will make a great pet for both the beginner and the seasoned collector.