Snake Care Archives - Page 2 of 5

Kenyan Sand Boa Information and Care

Kenyan sand boas can make great first reptiles.

Is Diet Diversity Important To Your Snake?

Several years ago I landed a job as the guy that incubates, hatches, and raises Eastern Indigo snakes (Drymarchon couperi) for a head start and release program in the state of Alabama. It was by far the most rewarding work…

Causes, Prevention, And Treatment Of Snake Mites, Acariasis

Causes Ophionyssus natricis is very common in snakes and occasionally infests lizards. Trombiculid mites (chiggers). Ophionyssus acertinus is the “lizard mite” which is rare on snakes. There are more than 200 mites and ticks that parasitize reptiles. KEVIN WRIGHT, DVM,…

Stimson's Python Care And Breeding Information

The Stimson’s python (Antaresia stimsoni), also known as the large-blotched python, is a small, wide-ranging species endemic to Australia. Named after Andrew Stimson, a herpetologist at the British Museum, the original description was published in 1985 by Laurie A. Smith of the…

Expert Care For Amazon Tree Boas

Amazon tree boas have been a staple in the pet trade for many decades, but they are, understandably, not everyone’s cup of tea, especially when calm handle-able species like ball pythons dominate the industry. But for those who like to…

Top 20 Popular Herps

Which one of these reptiles and amphibians is right for you?

The Ever-Popular And Wonderfully Colored Ball Python

About 40 years ago, the only ball pythons (Python regius) available for sale were imported, normally colored ball pythons from the countries of Ghana, Togo and Benin. Many of these did not fare so well. Since those early days, tremendous…

Snake Health 101

The first publication on the “Diseases of Reptiles” was written by a medical doctor, not a veterinarian, and was a total of four pages long. My last book on Reptile Medicine and Surgery had more than 70 veterinarians contributing chapters and…

5 Great Beginner Pet Snakes

We often get questions about what is an ideal beginner-friendly snake for those new to the hobby. Beginner meaning fairly easy to care for with not a lot of requirements other than good husbandry and attention to detail. Of all…

The Garter Snake: A North American Icon

Garter snakes are the most commonly found, scientifically researched and widely distributed snakes in North America. An interest in reptiles was ignited within many hobbyists when, as kids, they caught a garter snake in their backyard. Garters can be much…

Care And Breeding The Gray Rat Snake

Back in 1982, I was into collecting rat snakes and had assembled a Dream Team of specimens that was pretty impressive for the time. Back then, the acquisition of different animals was much more difficult without the wide range of…

Rough Green Snake Shutterstock 620013362

Rough Green Snake Care Sheet

Rough Green Snake (Opheodrys aestivus) Availability The rough green snake is readily available in the pet trade and unfortunately is one of the most exploited snakes in North America. rough green snakes are collected by the hundreds each year…

Expert Care For The Emerald Tree Boa

Editor's note: Rico Walder, one of the foremost experts on green tree pythons passed away October 11, 2014. He was 49. In addition to working with emerald tree boas, he was considered one of the top green tree python breeders…

Texas Rat Snake Care Sheet

Texas Rat Snake (Elaphe obsoleta lindheimeri) Texas rat snakes are long, slender snakes found in a wide variety of habitats throughout Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. They’re amazingly active and adaptable, capable of climbing and swimming with ease in search of prey.…