About Snake (8)
If you’re looking for an unusual, eye-catching pet, it’s hard to go wrong with a snake. They’re exotic enough to catch people’s interest, yet hardy enough to require minimal care. Nevertheless, uninformed first-time owners tend to make some basic mistakes, some of which can be quite costly. Here are some simple tips that can help ensure the health of the snake and prevent a lot of aggravation as well.
1. First, take note of how large your snake can grow to be. Most North American varieties only grown to be about four feet long, which is a reasonable size. Don’t let a pet store employee talk you into buying a Burmese python, since these critters can grow to be over thirty feet long, and will require huge snake cages and tremendous amounts of snake food. (And before you ask… No, most zoo will not accept these as reptile donations or reptile adoption.)
2. Don’t scrimp on reptile cage size. A cage that is too small can be very stressful and unhealthy to your pet. Pet store clerks will sometimes try to sell you caging that is inadequate in size, so don’t fall into this trap. For adequate comfort, the combined length and width of the cage should at least match the snake’s length. Snakes can grow fairly quickly, so don’t forget to take that into account as well!
3. Do find out how docile that particular specimen is. Most non-venomous North American snakes are fairly docile, but if you’re a first-time keeper, you should probably make sure that your prospective pet can be handled easily.
4. Make sure that you select a reptile pet with a hearty appetite. Ball pythons, for example, make great pets—but they are notoriously finicky eaters. Corn snakes make great starter pets because they are exceedingly docile and aren’t picky about what they eat.
5. Snakes—indeed, any reptile—can potentially spread salmonella. The risk involved is very small, but one should still play safe. This is especially true when young children or people with compromised immune systems are involved. Do read up on reptile hygiene and salmonella before purchasing your pet.
Obviously, these tips only constitute some basic advice. I recommend that all prospective snake pet owners should read up on snake care in general, as well as the specific needs of the species that they plan to purchase. A little bit of basic research can prevent a great deal of aggravation in the future.
About The Author
V. Berba Velasco Jr., Ph.D. is a senior electrical and software engineer at Cellular Technology Ltd (http://www.immunospot.com, http://www.elispot-analyzers.de, http://www.elispot.cn). The neighborhood children have referred to him as the “Crocodile Hunter” though, due to his impressive menagerie of snakes, lizards and tarantulas.
Read more...When people think of pets, most of the time "furry" and "cuddly" are adjectives that come to mind. For the owners of pet snakes, however, these words don't really fit. Still, snakes make interesting pets, and can even be lovable - in their own way.
Choosing to own a pet snake should not be a snap decision. Snakes can grow large, eat a lot, and require very specific conditions for staying healthy. Some varieties can even be dangerous to humans. Providing for their needs can be quite expensive. To top it all off, snakes tend to have a long lifespan. For the sake of the snake, don't buy one without being sure you are ready to make the commitment.
All snakes are meat-eaters. Many snake owners keep live mice or rats, which multiply rapidly, as reptile food for their snake feeding. It is recommended that snakes be fed pre-killed prey animals instead of live food. Especially if the snake is not real hungry, a live prey animal can inflict injuries to the snake. Many snake enthusiasts order frozen mice for their snakes. Others raise mice and kill them as needed to feed their snakes.
The good part of feeding a snake is that most shouldn't be fed more often than once a week and some can go for several weeks between feedings. The reason is that they don't have to expend any energy creating their own body heat. In fact, if the snake cage is not warm enough, a snake can't even digest its food.
The enclosure or cage, for the snake needs to be first of all escape proof. Snakes are escape artists, and don't need a very big opening in order to find a way out. The cage also has to have a source of heat. Because they are cold blooded, snakes must have a variety of temperatures to choose from. This is how they regulate their body heat. For best results, the reptile enclosure should be heated on one side only and thermometers used on both ends. Each snake species has specific needs in terms of heat, and you should find out these needs before getting a snake.
Other needs include a bowl of water, several places to hide, and a floor lining. If you’re on a tight budget, newspaper works well for most snake varieties. It can easily be replaced when soiled. The water should be kept clean, too. Any wastes or uneaten food should be removed quickly. The cage should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected about once a month.
Keeping a pet snake is a responsibility that can also be an adventure. If you are a beginner, you should start with one of the easier snakes to keep. Do a little research, and you will find out that pet snake breeds are generally rated according to how hard they are to keep. In time, you will learn the ins and outs of snake keeping, and can expand your collection to include some of the more exotic types.
About The Author
Gary Ruplinger is the owner of Boatips, a site providing great information about pet snakes. To learn more about snake care, visit us at http://www.boatips.com/snakecare/ and be sure to check out the rest of the site, http://www.boatips.com as well.
Read more...Maybe they're not exactly cuddly, but snake make interesting pets. Regardless of the type of snake, from nice little corn snakes up to monster Burmese pythons, there are some principles that apply to setting up a cage or enclosure for a pet snake. One of the most important aspects is to make sure the enclosure is absolutely escape-proof.
Snakes are known to have Houdini tendencies when it comes to staying confined. Aquariums make good enclosures for snakes, but the lids have to fit tightly and be clipped on. Some owners make belts to attach around the enclosure for more security. Any doors or openings in the cage need to fit tightly or the snake will push against it trying to get out. Remember, most of them are pretty slim, so they don't need that big of an opening to slip out.
The size of the enclosure should reflect the size of the snake. Many babies are insecure in a large reptlie cage and even have trouble finding their food. It's usually advisable to put young snakes in smaller enclosures. To choose a size of cage for an adult snake, first measure the length of the snake. Get an enclosure with a perimeter that measures twice the length of the snake. For instance, a three foot long snake would do OK in an enclosure 12 by 24 inches.
The exception to the above rule is arboreal, or tree-dwelling, snakes. These need a taller reptile terrarium with lots of branches for climbing.
A snake enclosure needs a material to cover the bottom, called a substrate. Newspaper can line the bottom of the enclosure, and makes a cheap surface that absorbs moisture and is easy to change when soiled. There are also special types of carpeting available at the pet store to use as a substrate. If you have two that fit, you can use one while washing the other.
Temperature is very important in a snake enclosure. Snakes are cold-blooded animals, and have to keep warm from outside sources. Ideally, a pet snake's cage will provide several choices in temperature so the animal can regulate its body heat. This is done by heating one end of the enclosure only. Heating methods include heating pads under half of the enclosure or heat lamps. If using a light, it will need to be off during the night hours.
Thermometers should be used to monitor the inside temperature. Requirements vary from one species to another. A pet store product called a "hot rock" is widely discouraged because it has a tendency to burn pet snakes. Using a heat lamp or infrared heating panel is a far better way to provide the snake with heat. Some snakes have specific humidity requirements, too. A hygrometer can be used to monitor humidity. Reptile Misting System can be used to moisture the enclosure from time to time can help keep it more humid when necessary.
The snake will need a water bowl. Ideally it should not tip easily. For most varieties of snake, it should be large enough to take a soak once in awhile. Keeping it only about a third full helps avoid soaking the substrate. Pottery and wide based pet food dishes work well for water bowls.
A final necessity in the enclosure is a place for the snake to hide. This can be as simple as a plastic dish with a hole cut in the side. Having two, one on each end of the enclosure, gives the snake a choice. Setting up a nice enclosure takes a little time and money, but will ensure your snake has comfort and security.
About The Author
Gary Ruplinger is the owner of Boatips, a site providing great information about pet snakes. To learn more about setting up a snake habitat, visit us at http://www.boatips.com/snakehabitatsetup/ and check out our boa constrictors page at http://www.boatips.com/boaconstrictors/.
Read more...Buying a snake can be a sizable investment. Getting a snake requires making a commitment to the pet care and well-being. It is important to do your research so you know that the particular species or breed is something you will enjoy owning in the years to come. Find out how difficult they are to feed and house before you buy. Also find out about the snake's temperament.
Remember that some snakes get extremely large, can be dangerous, and live a long time. Lifespans of over twenty years are not uncommon. Don't assume getting rid of that unwanted reptile will be a piece of cake either.
Another thing to check out before buying is the laws of your particular city. In many places, snakes of certain varieties are restricted as pets.
That being said, it's a good idea to get the reptile terrariums, or vivarium, ready for the snake to move in before buying one. Different species have different requirements in heat, humidity, and size of enclosure, so again, do your homework, by placing reptile lighting accessories to control the terrariums temperature.
Before buying, look your snake over for indicators of poor health. It's a good idea to hang around the pet store or breeders' for a while, just watching the snakes for clues to individual snakes' personalities. The eyes should be bright and shiny. If they appear dull, it's a sign that the snake is about to shed its skin. Wait until it has shed so you can get a better idea of how it looks.
It is important to get a snake that has been hatched or birthed by a reputable breeder. Make sure the snake is accustomed to eating pre-killed food before you buy it.
The best place to go to find a reputable snake breeder is your local herpetological society. Most areas have herp clubs for people who are into reptiles. If you're lucky, you might get to attend a herp show in your area. Breeders attend these gatherings and show off their stock. Search online for information about herp shows you could attend. (Herpetology is the branch of biology that studies reptiles and amphibians. "Herp" is a common nickname for these animals.)
When studying the choices of pet snake species, get to know the Latin names. Common names vary with pet stores and with regions. By knowing exactly what species of snake you want, you can save yourself a lot of trouble. Different species of similar snakes, such as boas or pythons, have different temperaments and grow to different sizes. Just knowing it is a boa or a python is not specific enough to know for sure what you are getting.
Finally, there are some people who just should not own pet snakes. These include homes with children under five and anyone with a compromised immune system, because there is a small possibility of a snake carrying salmonella. The large pythons and constrictors can be a danger to young children, too. (And to everyone else, too! Be extremely careful, and know what you're getting into.)
Educate yourself before you start shopping for that cool looking snake. If it’s your first snake, consider getting and prepare to be in it for the long haul.
About The Author
Gary Ruplinger is the owner of Boatips, a site providing great information about pet snakes. To learn more about buying a pet snake, visit us at http://www.boatips.com/snakebuyingtips/ and be sure to visit the rest of the site http://www.boatips.com/ as well.
Read more...When you've had some success caring for captive snakes, you might find yourself interested in breeding them. This can be done, but it requires record keeping and attention to many details concerning the living snakes conditions. The breeding is generally done in the winter so that the babies are born or hatched in the spring.
Breeding snakes requires feeding them well for about four months, and then putting them into a cool state of hibernation. To do this, you first need to fatten them up, especially females, for a few months in late summer, then lower the temperature for a few more weeks or months. The exact timing varies with the species, as do the temperature requirements.
Just a quick note about determining the sex of a snake. This skill needs to be learned from an expert. It is a tricky process, sometimes requiring the use of a metal probe to look for the male reproductive organ. Even the most experienced of snake breeders make a mistake now and then.
During the hibernation, the snake is not fed, but is provided fresh water. When the time is up, the snake is gradually warmed up, and fed well again for a little while. Then the female and male are placed together. If she resists him, separate them and wait another week. If not, leave them together for a week or so.
Some snakes give birth to live offspring instead of laying eggs. The boas are examples of this. The hibernation requirements for these tropical snakes are much less, amounting to just a couple of weeks with low nighttime temperatures. Their humidity needs are higher, and they should be misted daily. With boas, you can add more than one male to the female's terrariums.
Pregnancy takes from 4 to 10 months. The mother to be usually eats well during this time, but you should choose smaller food items, since her inside body space is getting more crowded. Shedding usually precedes giving birth, but it can be as much as another month before the birth. The litter size can range from 10 to as many as 80 for large, robust females.
In general, snake babies should be removed and placed in separate safe reptile terrariums lined with paper towels. The paper towels should be kept moist for the first two weeks. They will shed around this time, and can feed on pinkies or fuzzies (young mice) after the shed.
There may be a market for these young reptiles, and the process is certainly fascinating for the hobbyist. Do remember, though, that there are growing numbers of pet snakes being shoved off into rescue shelters because the owners just can't handle them any more. Be a responsible snake breeder, and make sure your young snakes won't just be more casualties.
About The Author
Gary Ruplinger is the owner of Boatips, a site providing great information about pet snakes. To learn more about breeding snakes, visit http://www.boatips.com/breedingsnakes/ and be sure to stop by the forum at http://www.boatips.com/forum/.
Read more...A common complaint among snake owners is that their snake isn't feeding as it should be.
Firstly, unless it is some months since your snake last ate this is unlikely to be a major cause of concern - many will miss one or two feeds then start eating again the next time.
So the first tip for you if your snake isn't eating is to continue giving food on a regular basis. Keep to your "normal" feeding time and schedule as you might just be pleasantly surprised.
Also bear in mind that some snake species are far more likely to stop feeding than others. Corn snakes, for example, tend to be very good feeders and rarely if ever go off their food. On the other hand, Ball Pythons are far more likely to fast for extended periods of time.
In addition, wild-caught specimens are far more likely to stop feeding than captive-bred specimens so try to find out whether your snake is one of the species that tends to stop feeding from time to time and also take note of whether it is captive-bred or not.
It's also well worth keeping a diary or snake feeding record (as come with many snakes when you buy them from a professional) so you can have accurate records about what you fed and when. These records help highlight anything you may have forgotten about such as changing the type or size of food items given recently, or the frequency or regularity of feeding.
It will also enable you to be 100% when your snake last fed.
Here are some other reasons your snake may go off his food, and how to deal with the situation...
1) Stress
One of the most common causes of all is stress. Such as is frequently seen in freshly imported snakes.
However even long term captive snakes or captive-bred snakes can still suffer from stress so consider if there's anything that could have set this off.
Does your snake have somewhere safe and cosy to hide in his cage? Has the cage been subject to bright sunlight recently or extremely high or low temperatures. Is he in the direct line of sight of another snake or animal that may be worrying him? Have you recently changed the food to a new type? Have there been children, cats etc. bothering him by tapping on the glass? Have you been handling him more than usual or been letting strangers handle him?
Finally some snakes find it stressful to be watched when they are eating, so don't put prey in then sit and watch until it's eaten. Put it in then leave the room nice and quiet and still and let your snake get on with the business.
Any of these (or all!) can set off stress in a captive snake and could result in not feeding. However luckily once noticed most of these causes of stress are easy to remedy.
2) Moult
Moulting is a very uncomfortable experience for snakes and they will often fast for several weeks before and after a moult. Typically the larger the snake, the longer it will fast for.
Keep an eye on tell-tale signs such as eyes clouding over or your snake not coming out of his hide for days if not weeks on end. You may be able to see sloughed bits of skin around the cage indicating a recent moult.
Generally within a week or two after a moult your snake will commence feeding again.
3) Boredom
Some more fussy snakes will for no obvious reason sometimes stop feeding the reptile food simply because they're getting bored with what you're feeding, the similar snake food / reptile food. So try "mixing it up" a little. Feeding mice? Try gerbils or hamsters. Try a different time of day, or size of prey item.
4) Not Stimulating
Sometimes a prey item you give simply won't "do it" for your snake. It won't elicit the feeding response. It may be that the prey item isn't warm enough (many snakes, such as Ball Pythons have heat sensors which will tell them how warm a prey item is) and a warm prey item will also give off a stronger smell attracting the interest of your snake.
You've no doubt seen the response in the past when you feed your snake and he or she comes out of it's hide, waving around it's head, perfectly aware there's something to eat around but not being totally sure exactly where it is yet.
So try warming up the snake's food before giving it. I place the food into a clear plastic food bag and sit it in warm water for 20-30 minutes to warm it through thoroughly then give it to the snake.
Sprays are also available to increase the "mouse-like" smell of prey items and so increase the attractive smells given off which encourage your snake to feed.
Keep an eye on all these factors and most snakes will rapidly begin feeding again with no nasty end results.
Reptile Food Feeding skills and patient needed to be polished and learned.
Copyright 2006 Richard Adams
About The Author
Richard Adams is the founder of the nets number one website on snake care offering masses of free information and advice. Visit today for your free "Introduction To Keeping Snakes" ebook -> http://www.aboutsnakes.com
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When it comes to snake feeding, you need to stick to pre-killed food.
There are a lot of reasons that people prefer to give their snakes live food. One of the most common is they feel that a snake in its natural habitat would eat live food so in captivity they should be given live food as well. I used to agree with them. However, it only took one incident for me to change my mind.
I was feeding my Brazilian rainbow boa like I usually did. I removed the driftwood from her cage but left the plants inside because she preferred to hide in them before she attacked. I put a medium sized rat in the pet cage as usual. As usual, she attacked quickly. However, she made a fatal error. She managed to get herself bit, and that caused her to puncture her lung. She died a few minutes later.
The main reason you need to stick to pre-killed food is for pet safety reasons. Yes, 99% of the time your snakeFeeding your snake live food is simply an unnecessary risk.
will take care of the live food quickly and efficiently. However, it only takes one incident to kill your snake.
There are other benefits to giving your snake pre-killed food. It’s more readily available in pet stores. The pre-killed animals are killed humanely and didn’t suffer. That’s not likely to be the case when putting live prey in with your snake.
[l120]If you’re worried about your snake not accepting pre-killed food, you’re likely unnecessarily worrying. Almost every snake will accept pre-killed food. It may take a few tries to get your snake accustomed to pre-killed food if it had been on a live prey diet previously, but almost every snake can be taught to eat pre-killed food.
The process of feeding your snake pre-killed food is really quite simple:
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Thaw out your rodent in warm water for 30 minutes. Snakes won’t eat it if it’s frozen, so make sure it’s warm.
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Dry it off.
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Put the rodent in the cage.
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If the snake appears uninterested, grab a pair of tongs and move the rodent around to make it appear alive.
Snakes make great pets and can be companions for years. Why risk unnecessary injury or even death by feeding your snake live prey?
About the Author
Gary Ruplinger is the owner of BoaTips.com - a comprehensive snake resource site. If you're interested in learning more about pet snakes then be sure to stop by his website. You'll find all the basics to caring for a pet snake, a great snake newsletter, and specific advice on how to care for 20 of the most popular pet snakes. If you have any questions during your visit, make sure you visit the snake forum and participate in discussions about this great yet misunderstood pet.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gary_Ruplinger
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Unfortunately, feeding any snake is not always as simple as putting a mouse in the tank to find it gone the next morning. Occasionally the snake will refuse to feed and it may be tricky to get going again. There are all sorts of feeding hints and tips; however there is always a reason why a snake is not eating.
Below there is a checklist of reasons, and then solutions to the problems:
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Unsuitable vivarium / box
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Insufficient heat
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No cover or hiding area
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Unsuitable food item
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Recently Wild Caught animal
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Other
1) Unsuitable Vivarium / Box
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Generally when a snake refuses to feed, the first thing you should consider, especially if it has been recently purchased is if the environment is correct. Is your vivarium too large? It is possible to have something too small but this is rarely the case, as snakes often prefer tighter surroundings. Many keepers are so eager to put their hatchling snake in a 3 or 4ft vivarium that they are shocked to hear that this sort of treatment can eventually lead to the death of the snake. The vivarium / box should gradually get larger as the snake grows. For a hatchling snake a tupperware box no larger than the length of the snake should be provided.
2) Insufficient Heat
All snakes should have a thermal gradient, meaning they can go to one end of the enclosure to warm up, and move to the opposite end to cool off again. If the snake is kept too warm, its metabolic rate will speed up which will generally not cause it to go off its food, but it will need more food to keep it going. If the snake is kept too cool, it may go off its food. Not only that, its metabolic rate will have slowed down causing the digestive system to function slower than usual, which may cause the snake to regurgitate any food which it may have swallowed.
3) No cover or hiding area
When keeping snakes in a tupperware box, a hiding place may not be totally necessary, especially if you have a deep layer of substrate for the snake to hide in. However, possibly the most crucial factor of keeping snakes is that they must feel secure. Whether you decide to use an ice cream tub, a cereal box or a naturalistic piece of cork bark, the snake must have an area to retreat where it feels safe.
The size of the hiding area is also important. It must be large enough to fit the snake in, with very little room for anything else. You may also use artificial plants and branches which cover a higher area in the vivarium. Some snakes may feel more secure among the leaves and branches.
If the snake refuses to feed with all these hiding places provided, it is worth placing the food in the hiding place itself, or in its entrance. The snake may feel secure, but not secure enough to venture out to feed. This technique often works with newly acquired specimens.
4) Unsuitable food item
[l120]There are many ways of offering your snake a food item. Firstly you need to figure out the size food item it needs. A rule of thumb is that the size of food offered should be no wider than the girth of the snake. If the snake refuses the food, try something smaller.
Below are some bullet points that explain different food items and your method of feeding them:
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Try offering mice and rats of varying sizes. If these fail, try chicks, gerbils, hamsters or similar sized rodents or birds.
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Many keepers believe certain snakes will only take particular coloured rodents. Try white, brown and black rodents or any other colours you can find.
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Scenting the food item with a lizard, frog, chick, fish, canned fish oil or a live mouse may stimulate its feeding response.
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Try using freshly killed mice, this will smell a lot more and should also still be warm. This method works in many cases and is worth considering.
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Try cutting the tip of the nose off the rodent to expose the flesh slightly. • Braining is another method – this works by using a pin or a sharp knife and slicing the top of the rodent’s head, exposing the brain. For some reason brain smells real good to snakes!
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Do not touch the food item; occasionally if it smells the owner on the food, it will not go for it.
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Try heating up the rodent; put it on a heat mat for a few minutes, or dipping the head in boiling water. Be careful not to overheat the food item, as it may be so hot it will literally split the stomach, which is not pretty!
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Tease feeding is a method commonly used by many keepers; this involves a pair of long forceps or tweezers, and literally wriggling the food around in front of the snake, acting as if it was alive. If this fails, try lightly tapping the snake on the nose with the food, sometimes they appear to strike out of anger, then if it connects with the rodents head it will often coil round and constrict as a natural reaction.
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Live feeding is a method which should be the last resort. There are many keepers which are capable of getting almost any snake feeding without resorting to feeding live. However the more novice keepers may not be capable of trying all the tricks of the trade. Before resorting to feeding live, phone around a few known herpetologists and ask for help. Any herpetologist who is a member of some type of club or organization is usually more than willing to lend a helping hand. Live feeding is not a bad thing in its own right, but often a snake will take to live food and begin to refuse anything else. Unless you have easy access to live mice, this should be avoided.
5) Recently Wild Caught Animal
This could possibly be the trickiest problem to solve in terms of feeding. A wild caught snake will have been feeding on live animals all of its life. So, to take it out of its natural environment into unfamiliar surroundings and offer it a dead mouse is often just asking too much! Not only will it have only fed on live, but it will have come across almost every animal which it naturally co-habitates with, such frogs, lizards, small rodents, birds and bird eggs, plus other smaller snakes and many more potential food sources. The snake could have been feeding on a dozen or so food items throughout its life, so be sure to try as much as possible.
6) Other
Breeding season is a common time when snakes will go off their food. Males very often refuse to feed because they are thinking more about mating than anything else. This is well known with many snakes and generally starts from February through to May depending on the breeding cycle of the snake in question. Females rarely go off their food when it comes to breeding, as they need all the fat reserves to produce the eggs. It is not uncommon however for the female to stop feeding about a month or so before she lays her eggs. The reason for this is not quite clear, it could be because the eggs take up so much room in the snake’s body, it may become hard to digest and process the food. The only solution to this is to wait and keep trying, it should not last longer than 2-3 months and for a healthy snake, it will not be affected.
Stress is a big killer in snakes, and it can be bought on by many reasons. One major factor is over handling. Many owners buy a pet snake and all they want to do is play with it. This is commonplace, but the snake needs its own time just like anyone else. I suggest for a newly acquired hatchling snake it should be handled for no more than 20 minutes per day. This can be spread out into 10 minute intervals if you wish, but the less you handle it the better. As it grows older and becomes more accustomed to you; you can gradually handle it more and more. If the snake refuses to feed, the first thing you should do is to stop handling it as it just adds more stress.
Other methods for non - feeders
1) Drying the snake out – This method stimulates the snake to look for moisture which can be in a food item. Take the water bowl out for about a week and move the temperature up just a couple of degrees. After a week, soak an appropriate sized rodent in water to defrost, and offer it to the snake dripping wet. Make sure the snake is not offered the food item on a substrate such as wood chips or aspen. You should keep your snake on newspaper for this whole process. If the snake begins to look at all emaciated, place the water back in immediately. This whole process should be monitored extremely carefully.
2) If the snake is very young or small, try offering the tails of rodents, or chick legs. These are easier to swallow and may stimulate them to feed. If it will only eat these food items instead of pinky mice, you must coat them in a vitamin and calcium supplement. A good balanced vitamin supplement is Repton.
3) Try offering the food at different times of the day. Most snakes are primarily nocturnal; however they may prefer to take the food in the early hours of the morning rather than evening.
4) Place the food in different areas of the vivarium. Try up higher in a branch or underneath the hiding area. Many keepers have had success by placing a rodent in the middle of a toilet roll. The snake will feel secure in this and is a perfect hide area to safely eat its prey.
5) The temperature of the food is sometimes a stimulant. Keep the food at normal room temperature to begin with, but if this fails, place it on a radiator or something similar until the food item is hot.
6) If your snake is a hatchling, try and find a small, dark pot with a secure lid. The tubs which wax moth larvae are offered in are perfect. Place a pinkie and the snake in this tub together and then place in a warm area; but not directly on a heat source. Leave it over night and with any luck the food will have disappeared. Try also to use the braining method and placing it in the tub.
About The Author
By Chris Jones
Director of Pet Club UK Ltd.
http://www.petclubuk.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_M_Jones
Chris M Jones - EzineArticles Expert Author
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