Is a snake a good idea? And if so what do we need to know?

[feetheart]

DD will be 13 in a few weeks and was completely taken by a friend's snake over New Year.
We know nothing about snakes but I am wondering about getting her one, DH is not so sure.
I have done a little research (corn snake, vivarium, live for 15-20 years, eat dead mice!)
So, wise, reptile-owning MNetters, what else should we think about?

[feetheart]

No snaky people about?

[ThursdayLastWeek]

Hello feet!

I'm sorry I don't have any particular advice - but we are picking up our snake today! I saw this thread and thought what a coincidence.

It's DH project really, I don't know much about them or have much enthusiasm but he lives them and I expect our DS will too.

I think corn snakes are fairly docile creatures, we are getting a ball python which DH has sold to me as a shy creature that doesn't require much active looking after as such.

Anyways, I expect your DD will love it, but do you think she'll love it for a decade? And are you happy to deal with it if she doesn't?

[ThursdayLastWeek]

Bump for you feet

[feetheart]

Thanks Thursday :)
Evening snaky people?

[weeonion]

Hi feetheart.
Dd1 has a snake. She has had it for a year now - it was a rescue snake aged 3 when we got it.

We were not experienced reptile keepers but spent alot of time reading and researching as well as going to local pet shop who were really good in letting her handle snakes to get used to them, before we brought ours home.

In terms of uptake - incredibly low maintenance!! It gets water bowls changed once a week, any poo removed once a week and its home washed n scrubbed once a month. It gets a defrosted mouse once a week - that's all the feeding required.
DD handles at least once a day. Its a very chilled pet - no training or special handling but contact needed to keep used to being lifted etc. It coils round her arm or neck but very often curls up inside her jumper and chills.

Its not noisy, smelly nor demanding. I think it is a great pet - and dd and her friends love it. DD was a bit nervous about getting bitten but it has never happened.

[janethegirl2]

snakes are easy pets as long as you know what you're buying. Generally they need fresh water once or twice s week, a nice viv to live in with aspen, water dish, a min of 2 hides, a heat mat and heat bulb. Frozen mice, defrosted, and a suitable size on a weekly (or maybe longer time period, depending on the snake) basis.
Easy as long as you're not phobic about snakes.
I was phobic about the mice, but sm ok now most of the time.

[janethegirl2]

Yes and it helps if you're ok with blood. Snake can bite, doesn't hurt much, but does generate my blood....not good!

You can remove them but you do have to be careful not to damage their fangs

[CakeUpWall]

Love our corn snake. He's so relaxed and just happy to be around us. Really easy pet - we feed ours 2 mice every fortnight. Two days after he's eaten he needs a poo, but would rather hold it in than do it in his viv. So we get him out & hold him over a newspaper to do it, which is great as the viv doesn't need cleaning out that often.

He's fine to be left if we go away for a few days - very low maintenance. But quite a character too!

[feetheart]

This all sounds great, thank you.

[ThursdayLastWeek]

Ta da! I cannot believe I'm a snake owner

[feetheart]

Need a snaky emoticon :o

[CakeUpWall]

Congratulations, Thursday!

[ThursdayLastWeek]

It's funny you write that CakeUp because I'm nearly 36 weeks pregnant and expecting to see lots of 'congratulations’ soon

I think I might post on FB about the new addition to the Last household and put the wind up a few folk

[CakeUpWall]