Wheat snakes are especially good for reptile lovers, as they make great pets for people of all ages. Native to the United States and Mexico, they are docile, hardy, attractive, and easy to care for.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Part 1: Assembling the Habitat
Step 1. Find the right terrarium
Grain snakes can reach up to one and a half meters in length. Maybe you won't need something very big at first, but think ahead. You can also opt for a tank or a small aquarium. When the snake is small, it is best to start with small tanks. For a large snake there are terrariums that are 70 to 125 cm long, but there is no real limit to the volume, just make sure it is enough to house it.
Step 2. Warm it up enough
It takes a heated mat that covers about 1/3 of the base. The heating can be controlled by a thermostat if you want, but it is not essential as long as there is some variation in temperature in the terrarium. Place the mat on one side to get it. Temperatures should range from 23 to 29 ° C, with the peak just to the side.
Wheat snakes are nocturnal creatures and use heat from the earth, not the sun, so lamps wouldn't do. Hot rocks are not suitable because they become a source of excessive localized heat. A cold snake could curl up around it and burn itself
Step 3. Provide the snake with some hiding places
You should provide them with places to take refuge to feel safe. Try to make it something on the warmer side - elsewhere it's optional. The hiding place should be in the hottest area, on the heated mat. Anything works as a hiding place, from the special ones bought at the pet store to a Lego cave. Be creative but choose non-toxic materials.
Step 4. Cover the terrarium with substrate
There are a variety of types available for this type of snake, but the best options are sawdust and newspaper shavings. Newspapers are suitable for absorbency and ease of replacement; on an aesthetic level, however, they are not that great. If you want a decorative substrate, use shavings. Another good option is cypress bark or mulch. Do not use pieces of cedar, which is toxic to reptiles.
Step 5. Never catch a wild grain snake. It is becoming easier and easier to find them, but that does not imply that you have to look for it in a field. The wild ones will not easily get used to captivity and the result will be that they will almost certainly die. Those raised in captivity have been captive for generations, so they are eventually domesticated. Find a good breeder in an online forum or through other sources. Pet shops are not recommended because they do not guarantee the origin. Once you have your snake, allow five days to pass before you feed or touch it, so that it adapts.
Method 2 of 3: Part 2: Caring for Your Snake Daily
Step 1. Always give him enough water
The snake must have a large enough bowl of water to be able to submerge in if it wishes. Change it twice a week. The bowl can be placed both in the warm and cold part of the terrarium. If you place it where it is warmer, remember that it will increase the humidity of the terrarium.
Step 2. Provide adequate lighting
You don't need UV lights or a calcium supplement like other reptiles. Snakes usually use UV to synthesize vitamin D3, but in captivity they don't need it as they get it from the mice they feed on. They also need calcium. Vitamin D is contained in the liver of mice and calcium in the bones.
Step 3. Don't keep two grain snakes together
They are solitary species; keeping them together will increase their stress. In captivity, wheat snakes (especially newborn snakes) tend to eat each other. The only exception can be a couple. If you want to spawn, check that your female is at least 300g, 90cm and 3 years old and consult a good manual. Don't put the couple together until both they and you are ready. Better to avoid intersections.
Step 4. Give the snake one mouse per week
Small mice should start with mice the size of a little finger, and then increase the sizes: white mice, house mice, medium-sized, adult and larger ones as the snake grows.
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Here is a rough guide to know how to feed it. Note that the names vary locally.
- Snake 4-15 g: small mouse;
- Snake 16-30 g: 2 small mice;
- Snake 30-50 g: small house mouse;
- Snake 51-90 g: house mouse;
- Snake 90-170 g: medium-sized mouse;
- Snake 170-400 g: adult mouse;
- Snake 400+ g: giant mouse.
- Better to use thawed mice that won't harm the snake, as well as being a more humane choice. You can also keep mice in the freezer for a long time, as they don't expire.
- To feed the snake, hold its prey with pliers and dangle it in front of him. He will hit it and perhaps wrap it up to swallow it, if it is whole. Do not feed the snake on loose substrate, which if ingested could cause intestinal blockage. Feeding it outside the terrarium would be ideal, so the snake would not associate the meal with the terrarium.
Step 5. Always make sure your snake is happy in its terrarium
The manure is not large, so there is no need to clean often. It will be enough once every three weeks to remove all excrement where possible. Feed the snake weekly and occasionally show him something new, you will see that he will be happy.
Method 3 of 3: Part 3: Handle it and Muta
Step 1. Handle your snake carefully
Take it from the center of the body and support it with both hands. When you take it, always keep it away from your face. Rock it with a balance movement, they don't like other ways. Do not take it for at least 48 hours after a meal. Wash your hands before and after touching it. If he opposes, don't put it back but continue the training and he will get to know you.
Step 2. Know when your skin sheds
When his eyes cloud over, it's time to moult. Your snake must be left alone - if you try to catch it it may attack you to defend itself, so wait until it has shed its skin.
- To help him, all you can do is create a humid environment for him. You can insert a plastic jar filled with wet napkins or damp moss into the terrarium. The container should have a lid or a hole with a cut so that the snake can get inside. When the snake is about to mutate, you can also move the water bowl to the warm part of the mat. Fog the windows 2-3 times a day.
- After a few days, the snake's eyes will return to normal and it will have shed its skin. You will be able to measure the old one to take this into account.
Advice
- Leave the snake alone during moulting as it becomes irritable and would not hesitate to bite you.
- Purchase a spray bottle to wet the snake during moulting. This will help to raise the humidity level.
- The heated mats reach 50 ° C, so a thermostat is NEVER an option! It is crucial for your snake's survival. A thermometer fixed to the bottom surface of the terrarium (such as the glass bottom of an aquarium) is also essential to obtain an accurate reading of the maximum and minimum temperature of the environment. Newborn snakes should be fed every 4-5 days, not once a week; you can consult the Munson Plan on the internet (in English) for good - if perhaps a little aggressive - nutrition advice. Two hiding places, one for the warm side and one for the cold side, are the minimum required, but it is preferable to create more, as they provide safety and tranquility to a preyed species such as the corn snake. You can certainly consult a good online forum and follow the advice and experience of those who have been raising these animals for decades.
- If there are any health concerns, take your snake to a veterinarian who specializes in herpetology or exotic animals right away.
- Do not play with him during the moult as this will increase his stress levels.
Warnings
- When the snake vibrates its tail and puts it in an "S" shape, it is agitated and may attack you.
- Some people recommend feeding the grain snake more often to speed up growth. As far as this is true, the incidence of early death increases from 25 to 75% with this technique.
- If your snake is breathing through its mouth or standing upside down against the glass, it may be having trouble breathing!
- If you can't find it, look for it under the substrate. Grain snakes love to dig.
- Do not catch a wild grain snake.
- Keep it away from other animals such as dogs, to prevent it from becoming aggressive!
- Watch out! Reptile scales can be lethal if ingested.
