Snake husbandry question

Ericthesalesguy · 06-20-21, 03:08 PM

Hi. I'm a second snake owner so not pro at all. First one was a beautiful female corn snake that I responsibly re-homed. Been wanting another snake for 15 years and just got my KSB who is awesome. He's eaten 3 thawed pinkies and molted twice. Helped him molt a bit this time with warm water and pulled off a bit from his tail.

The ASPCA says no snakes should be kept as pets because all their reasons. My wife says he shouldn't be out of his cage much because she's creeped out by snakes.

I think this guy who will never get longer than 24" and 2" thick should get used to his forever home which doesn't have to be his tank but also my office room because that's his world forever.

Should snakes be allowed to be out of their enclosures if it's safe for everyone?

ClockwerkBonnet · 06-20-21, 04:05 PM

The real hassle when it comes to snakes wandering through the whole house is that they can easily find good places to hide. I don't have firsthand experience on this yet, but we have members who have experienced that with their pet snakes, and in some places (notably Australia), wild snakes may sometimes be found in people's shoes.

If you and your wife don't want your future boa to hide in your shoes or bookshelves and freak you out, it's best to keep the snake in its cage.

Pythonguy1 · 06-20-21, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ericthesalesguy

Hi. I'm a second snake owner so not pro at all. First one was a beautiful female corn snake that I responsibly re-homed. Been wanting another snake for 15 years and just got my KSB who is awesome. He's eaten 3 thawed pinkies and molted twice. Helped him molt a bit this time with warm water and pulled off a bit from his tail.

The ASPCA says no snakes should be kept as pets because all their reasons. My wife says he shouldn't be out of his cage much because she's creeped out by snakes.

I think this guy who will never get longer than 24" and 2" thick should get used to his forever home which doesn't have to be his tank but also my office room because that's his world forever.

Should snakes be allowed to be out of their enclosures if it's safe for everyone?

That choice is completely up to you

Either way your snake prefers to be left alone. He would much rather stay in his cage where he feels safe and secure. Handling is only for your entertainment and doesn't benefit the snake whatsoever. Letting him out to 'explore' your office however can be beneficial. As long as he can't escape anywhere and he's getting plenty of movement, he will actually stay healthy as the exercise of exploring your office is stopping him from accumulating too much fat. So in a sense, yes it is a good idea.
The statement that 'no snakes should be kept as pets', is absolute BS. Snakes make great pets and are helping people realize that they are not the deadly monsters they have been made out too be, which in turn, paints a better picture for snakes in general. The ASPCA obviously has no clue about snake care as they state this, 'Like all wild animals, snakes belong in the wild'. All animals are wild animals! Dogs, cats, horses, snakes, even humans can be! Anyway, just ignore the ASPCA, they don't know what they're talking about. Then comes the issue with your wife. I don't have any experience in this position but all I can say is that if she doesn't like the snake being out in your office room, all she has to do is stay out of your office room

Ericthesalesguy · 06-22-21, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pythonguy1

That choice is completely up to you

Either way your snake prefers to be left alone. He would much rather stay in his cage where he feels safe and secure. Handling is only for your entertainment and doesn't benefit the snake whatsoever. Letting him out to 'explore' your office however can be beneficial. As long as he can't escape anywhere and he's getting plenty of movement, he will actually stay healthy as the exercise of exploring your office is stopping him from accumulating too much fat. So in a sense, yes it is a good idea.

Cool, thanks guys for the advice. I get that he doesn't really care about me at all, I've always looked at snakes as more of a hobby than a pet. It's a hobby to get the enclosure and upkeep right, then it's mostly either a knick knack to look at or enjoy a little bit of handling.

My biggest goal for this guy is to maximize his size. I've read these guys don't even get 3 feet in the wild but if they're well exercised and fed they can reach almost that length. I'm loving the idea of a cute 3 foot long and nicely thick snake.

Not too worried about this guy getting lost as he seems to mostly stay where I put him. Like right now as I'm working, he's exploring my window sill where i've put my venus flytrap for some sun and a rock for him to hide.

I also have a bit of a disagreement with folks who say KSB's "just want to burrow and stay there". Sure, leave him alone and he'll just sit there in a cave or under the sand. Don't give him that option and he's a pretty curious active little guy. If we all agree that snakes are mostly reacting to their environment and looking for food then it makes sense to me to give him more environment to react to.

Pythonguy1 · 06-22-21, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ericthesalesguy

Cool, thanks guys for the advice. I get that he doesn't really care about me at all, I've always looked at snakes as more of a hobby than a pet. It's a hobby to get the enclosure and upkeep right, then it's mostly either a knick knack to look at or enjoy a little bit of handling.

My biggest goal for this guy is to maximize his size. I've read these guys don't even get 3 feet in the wild but if they're well exercised and fed they can reach almost that length. I'm loving the idea of a cute 3 foot long and nicely thick snake.

Not too worried about this guy getting lost as he seems to mostly stay where I put him. Like right now as I'm working, he's exploring my window sill where i've put my venus flytrap for some sun and a rock for him to hide.

I also have a bit of a disagreement with folks who say KSB's "just want to burrow and stay there". Sure, leave him alone and he'll just sit there in a cave or under the sand. Don't give him that option and he's a pretty curious active little guy. If we all agree that snakes are mostly reacting to their environment and looking for food then it makes sense to me to give him more environment to react to.

They might like to "burrow and stay there" in the wild. But he is in captivity and in your care. I don't think anyone has the right to criticize you for taking your snake from it's cage. Especially if the snake is tolerating it.

poison123 · 06-23-21, 08:05 AM

Hello, I have no issue with a snake being out of its enclosure so long as its being supervised. However some snakss need a more controlled environment IE humidity, temp gradient etc so having a snake out for extended periods of times can be harmful in the long run. With desert animals what they don't tell you in a care sheet is that they also burrow to gain moisture. Keeping your ksb out for extended periods may be preventing your ksb from obtaining the moisture he needs which is the reason for the stuck shed. I would also look at your setup and provide a moist area/hide or habe deep substrate and keep it moist at depth with a dry lair up top.

Edit: to clarify I don't mean soaking wet just damp a little water goes a long way.