Important Pet Supplies for a Snake

Whilst they may not be everyone's cup of tea snakes are massively popular family pets. When keeping a snake however there are some important pet supplies you will need to effectively care for your reptile friend.

One of the pet supplies you will need is a snake cage. This does not always have to be a cage and frequently a regular terrarium will suffice. There are also specialist plastic enclosures that can be used. Fundamentally, any enclosure should be secure enough to prevent the snake from escaping. The last thing you will want is a rogue snake somewhere loose in the house.

Snakes and most types of reptile will require a separate heat source in order to regulate their temperature. Whilst pet supplies like a heat source are fairly generic, it is important to understand the more specific needs of your pet, taking into account the species. Heating snake cages can be performed using a heat lamp or a tank heater; many prefer lamps, particularly when combined with a rheostat as this allows for more exact temperature control.

Most varieties of snake will need somewhere to hide; in the wild snakes spend much of their time hiding under rocks or branches and hence for the sake of allowing your pet to follow its natural instincts, which will in turn reduce the amount of stress it is worth buying some hides. Arguably it is one of the most important parts of any snake set up as it determines the habitat in which the snake will live.

The cage will typically have to have some form of substrate; this once again can be based upon the species of snake although frequently materials such as newspaper, aspen shavings and also cypress mulch are used. Fundamentally your choice of substrate should be based upon what you pet snake will need to thrive in captivity.

When it comes to lighting many keepers choose to use UV lights. Whilst there is currently some argument over their usage it should be remembered that the purpose of an artificial light is to replicate the conditions present in the wild, subsequently some element of UV light should be included in your choice.

As well as the pet supplies mentioned above it is also important to make sure that your snake has items such as a water bowl, a snake hook for handling and also suitable cleaning products.

The Bearded Dragon Manual (Advanced Vivarium Systems)