*Show us your pet reptiles.....*
- Thread starter fishboyuk
- Start date
Aside from correct husbandry they don't need "attention". They aren't dogs or children and don't need the same enrichment that mammals or other higher orders do and in that respect are the perfect pet for the modern busy lifestyle.
The reptile brain is very basic and instinct driven especially in species that have remained fundamentally unchanged for millions of years such as many snakes. They are ambush predators (the ones I keep at least), staying still for days at a time waiting for prey, then they find somewhere warm to curl up and digest their food. Lots of hiding and remaining still.
They have have 3 basic needs, food, water and warmth and with these met the majority would be "happy" kept in box. In fact many species that live in burrows and crevices are much happier kept in small enclosures.
Depends on the snake and how you heat it.
A heat mat on a thermostat would be fairly low wattage (20w) and on about 30-50% of the time.
A ceramic bulb would be more, perhaps 150w again on about 30-50% of the time on a pulse thermostat (depending on how warm the location is).
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For me it's more a fascination I suppose, more like having a fishtank than a puppy. I tend not to anthropomorphise my reptiles but this doesn't mean I care for them any less.
You can get ground up mice/rats that have been made into sausages....
http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/zoological/reptilediet.html
Personally I think it's worse.
Probably a corn snake.
Heres a list of all the colours they come in http://www.ratsnakefoundation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=13&Itemid=28
If you're genuinely interested in the sausages I think this is the only place they are available in the UK http://www.kiezebrink.co.uk/94-kiezebrink-sausages00126
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I honestly have no idea. An adult corn snake would normally eat 1-2 30g adult mice every 10-14 days depending on it's size.
It would be best to start on mice and try and switch it over to feeding on the sausages if you really want to go that route.
Not really. Do bear in mind a lot of the personality traits we perceive in cats and dogs can be explained by fairly simple instinctual responses. People do tend to see what isn't there.
There are some that do have higher intelligence, especially monitors and crocodilians but you probably wouldn't want one of them....
They don't "like" it as such but with regular handling they will learn there is nothing to fear and become tolerant.
I've owned over 100 snakes over a 5 year period and handled most days and in all that time i've only been bitten by tiny hatchlings which doesn't hurt anyway. It's funny more than anything.
oh, now thats pretty bigdo they all get that size?
They can get to about 6 ft but that's unusual.
They are pretty skinny so it's a lot smaller than it sounds.
Here is my friends blood python
and my 4ft corn snake for comparison. Similar lengths. Very different size!
You can expect 12-15 average for a corn snake but thay have been known to live over 20.
Best to keep them alone though they can be cohabited in female groups but that throws up loads of potential problems.
A lot of people do but I had to separate my groups because I didn't like seeing them covered in bite marks. You will always get some level of hierarchy in a group and with that comes disputes. Try it if you like, but yes, start with them from a young age (old enough to sex obviously) and introduce them slowly with the aid of a clear divider like a sheet of clear plastic.
Edit - sorry I read that as leopard gecko but yeah I guess it's pretty much the same. I only ever kept my cresties on their own but people do cohabit them.
