Any pet owner can tell you how much of a challenge taking a trip with a pet can be. Snakes take that difficulty to a whole new level for an entirely different set of reasons than a dog or a cat. Traveling with mammals is by far easier than traveling with any reptile let alone a snake. Before you bundle into your car and start heading down the road there are some things you can try to do to alleviate potential issues.

Make a place just for the snake

This doesn’t mean you need to clear out an entire seat, but it does mean the snake should have a place to be during the duration of the trip that isn’t buried in “stuff”. On the other hand it certainly shouldn’t be allowed to roam free in the car. It must be secured! An appropriately sized plastic tub will do just fine for the trip. It doesn’t need to be extravagant the basics will suffice; newspapers or paper towels for substrate, a hide for the snake, and heat packs to keep the temperature up in the snakes tub.

Be very careful with the heat packs as they can get hot enough to literally cook your snake alive. Under no circumstances should you ever put the snake directly on top of the heat packs without something in between them and its belly. Make sure you keep an eye on the temperatures of your tub (or whatever container you use) with a digital thermometer. It is a good idea to set it up before hand and do a test run so you can see how the temperatures act. The picture to the right shows what can happen to a snake if you do not use heating pads properly!

A road trip can drive your snake crazy

Ok, probably not literally crazy, but close enough. If you remember back a few weeks we published an article about how snakes hear and we learned through that article that snakes have a very higly developed sense of hearing which makes use of vibrations. Imagine that you are a snake and you’ve just been stuffed in a box and stuck on the floor of a car. Now imagine that car is going 60, 70, 80+ miles per hour down the highway. If you were a snake the vibrations would be maddening. While you can’t stop the vibrations altogether you can certainly minimize them for the sake of the snake.

• Place a three to five inch thick layer of foam rubber between the floor boards and the bottom of the snakes container
• Avoid potholes and other major road abnormalities
• Fill the empty spaces in the tub with balled up news paper. This will both dampen the sounds and give the snake more options for hiding
• Avoid slamming the car doors when you get in and out

There are probably other ways to help reduce the vibrations and noise your snake will have to endure. If you can think of anything else concerning the car please let us know!

Limit your travel time with your snake

Generally if you can’t make the trip within 24 hours consider having your snake shipped after you have arrived. Anything more than 24 hours and the potential for problems grows exponentially. It will cost more and there will be more to coordinate, but it is also much safer.

You are NOT a traveling circus

There’s no need to show off your snake to the rest of the drivers. Don’t have it curled around your neck. It can be stressful on the snake, on other drivers and on yourself trying to keep it in sight. Not to mention what could happen should your snake be a constrictor and suddenly get in its mind to start squeezing.

You belong in your own seat and the snake has its own place that it should occupy while traveling. See to it that the snake occupies that spot

Things you should have for the trip

Up to this point we’ve discussed traveling with a pet snake in a fairly abstract manner. Now it is time to approach it from a more practical manner. As you are preparing for your trip make sure you have the following:

• A container to put the snake in. Earlier I mentioned a plastic container and that will work, but you could use something else if you want
• A three to five inch thick piece of foam rubber to help minimize vibrations
• A pillowcase to put the snake in during the trip. Remember it isn’t a traveling zoo so there’s no reason for it be “running” around
• Make sure you have several towels (or something similar) to put between the snake and the heatpads.
• Try to travel during the day when you are more likely to find a vet along the way if necessary. In fact to be on the safe side you should try to find out what vets along the way will see a snake if necessary
• Bring along your snake’s first aid kit “just in case”

No doubt there are other considerations for the road trip when you have a snake along, but these are the minimum considerations you should be taking into account. Never forget that you can always ship the snake if need be via FedEx. Better that your snake should arrive safely than for your snake to end up dead.

If you’ve ever been handling your snake and noticed a tiny black spot moving around on its body you have likely been introduced to a mite. You’ll be lucky to just see one black spot as mites usually travel in groups and infest your snake. Mites can actually be rather difficult to get rid of even and sometimes will take multiple treatments. Needless to say a might infestation on your snake is not something to be taken lightly.

What is a mite?

By no means am I an entomologist, but I believe it will be beneficial for you to know what a mite actually is. We don’t need to get into great detail about them for the purposes of this article, but an overview of what they are and how they can affect your snake is important.

• A mite is a parasite
• Mites are well represented with over 48,000 different kinds in the world
• They are closely related to ticks
• Some have speculated that mites may have killed off the dinosaurs
• Mites carry diseases that can affect both snakes and people
• They can be notoriously difficult to get rid of once they have established a foothold
• Spiders are distant cousins of mites, with both being member of the same class, arachnida

Mites are not in any way beneficial to your snake and can quite easily be deadly. In the next section we will take a look at problems mites can cause your snake.

How mites affect snakes

Out of the 48,000 different types of mites there is only one, Ophionyssus narticis, that commonly affects reptiles. It is often called by its common name of snake mite. That’s not to say that no other mites can infest snakes but those are the most common. A snake with mites can be affected several ways. Some of them are listed below:

• Cause a loss of appetite
• Cause poor shedding
• Cause anemia

Not to mention how irritating it is for a snake to have mites laying eggs in their eyes, around their anal vent. Ultimately mites are far more dangerous than simple discomfort. They can kill your snake if left untreated. Furthermore they can infest other snakes in your collection and snakes in other collections. As a responsible snake owner it is your duty to do everything in your power to rid your animals of any mite infestations they might have.

Getting rid of snake mites

The very moment you discover mites you should begin taking measures to get rid of them. Even if you can’t immediately begin treating to kill the mites and sterilize the tank you can at least begin the process.

• Move the snake onto plain, white paper towels. This will help you to start seeing the mites
• Remove everything from the tank and replace with new stuff if possible
• Items you do not replace set aside to treat and do NOT use them until they have been treated
• Schedule a vet visit. For the most part when you actually see a mite infestation you have big problems

Once you are able to begin a focused assault on the mites you have a couple of options. One is called Provent-a-mite which has proven itself to be a formidable ally in the battle against snake mites. Another option is an injection of a drug called ivermectin. If you decide to use ivermectin you should be very aware that it has the potential to cause severe health issues in your snakes.

As reader JSCRICK pointed out you should never inject invermectin! In fact it should only be used under the direct and skilled eye of an experienced herp vet for a variety of reasons.

Thanks to JSCRICK for pointing out my error relating to this information!

Whatever method of treatment you choose expect it to fail. That probably isn’t what you wanted to hear, but by expecting it to fail you will be even more vigilant. Since mites are notoriously difficult to get rid of being vigilant is very important. Once you believe an infestation has been erradicated spend the next month or two checking each and everyday for any signs that the mites are still there. I’m sure this sounds extreme but a mite attack on your snake is also extreme.

One last word, snakes naturally have mites (and ticks) all over them in the wild. It is a finely balanced ecosystem out there unlike in your plastic tub which are fertile breeding ground for mites. Especially when they are kept at the right temperatures and humidities. As soon as you suspect that your snake is carrying mites start working on dealing with it. Your snake can’t afford for you to wait.

One of the most unappreciated conditions for a novice owner that can affect a snake is regurgitation. When a snake regurgitates a meal many people will treat it as if it were nothing to become overly concerned about. Unfortunately it is a condition which can lead to the death of your snake in very short order if steps are not taken to address the issue. In this article we will attempt to answer the following questions regarding regurgitation in snakes.

• What is regurgitation?
• What is the difference between vomiting and regurgitation?
• What causes regurgitation?
• How can it be prevented?
• How to treat a snake that has regurgitated a meal

What is regurgitation?

When a snake, or any animal for that matter ingests food it goes through a process of making its way to the stomach. Snakes have one of the most primitive digestive systems in the world. It is basically a straight shot from mouth to anus and the stomach is just one stop along the way. Regurgitation refers to when a snake reverses the process of ingestion and forces the food item back out of its mouth. This occurs before it reaches the stomach and is mixed with digestive acids, enzymes, and the like. Technically when it has reached the stomach it is called vomiting and not regurgitation. Both conditions are potentially deadly for your snake.

In the video below you see an Anaconda regurgitating something. Please note the video is labeled as regurgitating a hippo, but aside from both species being found on totally different continents separated by an ocean whatever it is regurgitating is far to small to be a hippo.

Notice how it just comes back out and is clearly not digested whatsoever, and aside from being very dead it looks (almost) fine. That animal has been regurgitated. It hasn’t reached the stomach and the major parts of digestion haven’t begun. In researching this article I was unable to locate a video of a snake “vomiting” a partially digested meal. Which is actually just fine by me.

Differences between vomiting and regurgitation

Like mentioned before if a snake expels food it has ingested out of its mouth that is never a good sign regardless of if it is regurgitation or vomiting. Both take their toll on a snake and potentially put it at risk of dying. Vomiting is actually worse than regurgitation. It actually depletes amino acids and enzymes from a snake’s stomach that are essential to their survival. Generally it is a sign of illness and you should contact a veterinarian about it.

Regurgitation on the other hand is when the snake willfully reverses the process of ingestion before the prey reaches the stomach and expels it from its mouth. In this situation the snake will lose very little in the way of amino acids a

What causes regurgitation?

One of the primary causes is handling a snake too soon after it has eaten. The general consensus is give the snake at least 48 hours after it has eaten its meal before you handle it. Every snake is different, but 48 seems to be a good number. It seems for the first 48 hours after eating a snake a snake feels particularly vulnerable to attack so when it is handled it is much more likely to regurgitate its meal so it can get away.

Another cause of regurgitation in snakes is improper husbandry. This is part of the reason it is so important to find some reliable caresheets for snakes that will walk you step by step through the proper setup of your snake’s enclosure. Pay particular attention to temperatures and humidity.

Stress is also a primary cause of regurgitation in snakes. In this case not stress from handling, but just stress from co-existing with humans and other household pets. For the most part snakes aren’t social animals, at least not compared to dogs and cats and even some lizards. Which means that too much activity can cause them stress, which can cause them fear, which can cause them to decide to regurgitate their meal “just in case” they decide to flee.

Another cause of regurgitation is over-eating. Snakes are eating machines. Once that “switch” is thrown and they are in feeding mode they will try to eat anything thrown in front of them. In fact a method of getting snake to change to another prey item is to offer the normal item and as soon as it has eaten that offer the new item. The snake will almost always make a go of the second prey that is offered.

It should be noted that all the causes of regurgitation mentioned here can also lead to vomiting. The mechanics are different but the cause is often the same. That’s not to say that only these things can lead to regurgitation (or vomiting for that matter), but that these are some well known causes in snakes.

How to prevent regurgitation

There are some steps that can be taken to help minimize the chance a snake will regurgitate. You’ll notice that they tie in very closely with the causes of regurgitation from the section above.

• Do NOT handle your snake for at least 48 hours after it has eaten.
• Be very concerned about the husbandry your snake is living in, particularly temperatures and humidity
• Avoid stressing your snake after it has eaten. Don’t tap on its glass, keep everyone away from it for at least 48 hours. Including Especially curious children and nosy animals. Let your snake have some peace for a while as it begins the process of digestion. It will come out and “say hi” soon enough.

Sometimes despite your best efforts you will find yourself needing to treat a snake which is regurgitating its meals. Clearly it doesn’t take a scientist to realize that if a snake is vomiting it is not getting its nutritional needs met. In cases where a snake is regurigtating repeatedly you will need to worry not just about the causes, but also worry about what the snake needs for proper care.

How to treat a snake that has regurgitated a meal

First and foremost ensure that the snake doesn’t have a history of regurgitation especially not within the last several meals. If so it could indicate a serious health problem for the snake, which of course starvation just happens to be.

Next give the snake an opportunity to rest. Don’t handle it or bother it for several days. Don’t shove more food into the snake’s face either. Just let it rest. In fact if your living situation allows for it I suggest setting up a small closet, or room where no one will go in and out of. Put your snake in there to give it even more peace and quiet.

When you do offer it another meal (try to wait about 2 weeks after your snake regurgitates before trying again) it will need to be about 1/4 to 1/2 the size it normally would be. This is especially true of snakes that have vomited, but I use the same principle with snakes that have regurgitated and had great results.

If necessary seek a professional assessment of the situation from a veterinarian. Better to spend $50, $70, $100 on a quick checkup and consultation than to spend ten or twenty times that when the snake has been pushed to the brink.

Snake regurgitation is no small matter and should always be treated with great respect. It can easily move into the realm of becoming a killer if not dealt with accordingly. Never just ignore it and think it will magically fix itself. It is an indication that something is wrong in paradise.

The final piece of advice this article can give is to contact a vet if your snake regurgitates. They may or may not want to see you, but there’s a reason that they are paid professionals who deal with animals and “you’re” not.

Corn snakes, king snakes, and ball pythons are three good snakes for beginners. They stay a relatively small (under 6 feet), are docile, and are inexpensive.

Snake 1: The Corn Snake

Corn snakes are generally easy going, aren’t difficult to care for, are manageable in size, and affordable. At maturity they will generally reach between three and five feet in length though rare six footers are known to exist. Like all snakes they are carnivores and their diet consists largely of mice.

Corn snakes come in a variety of colors with many breeders working towards producing a variety of colors and patterns. They are generally very good eaters and require very little specialized care aside from keeping their tank at the proper temperatures (88-90 degrees basking and 70-75 ambient background). Like all snakes the prefer a temperature gradient so they can more easily regulate their body heat by moving from one spot to another. Normal household humidity works fine for these snakes as Corn snakes are not a tropical species. No additional lighting is necessary but if you use it then go with a 12 hour on and 12 hour off cycle as too much will be stressful for them. Visit N.E.R.D’s site for a more complete Corn Snake care sheet.

Snake 2: California King snake

California Kings are hardy snakes that will often live for 10 to 15 years in captivity. Over 20 is rare, but no unheard of. They grow to about four feet in length, but five and six footers are out there as well.

The “normal” pattern is black and white banding, but breeders have managed to manipulate genetics through selective breeding to come up with a variety of patterns and colors. Like the Corn snake they need temperatures of 88-90 for basing and between 70-75 ambient. These snakes also do very well with normal household humidity. One item of note is that they are cannibals and will eat each other and your other snakes. Do NOT house them with any other snake and do NOT house them together. Visit N.E.R.D’s site for a more complete California King Snake care sheet.

Snake 3: Ball Python

The Ball python is a short, heavy bodied python with a gentle disposition that makes a great first time pet snake. They can live to be upwards of 40 years old and generally grow between three to five feet in length. There are Balls that have gotten over six feet but those are rare.

Unlike the previous two snakes we mentioned the Ball python has some strict requirements to keep it healthy. First the temperatures must be kept as close to exact as possible. They require a basking area that is 88-92 degrees and the ambient background temperature should be 78-80 degrees. Do not let it fall below 75 degrees as these snakes can have issues with respiratory infection. You will also need to keep their humidity between 50-60% normally and around 70-75% while they are shedding. The temperature and humidity requirements of these snakes make them good candidates for a homemade tub. It should also be noted that Ball pythons are infamous for going “off feed”. Especially in the winter months. Sometimes they will refuse to eat for 3 or more months at a time. During this time keep an eye on them and to make sure they aren’t losing excessive weight (some is to be expected) and are generally healthy. For more information about Ball pythons and their care visit N.E.R.D’s site and have a look at the Ball python care sheet.

Credit:Jim MasonFor years all that was available for learning the proper care was outdated, old school thinking caresheets and literature. Husbandry recommendations that were workable, yet truly less than ideal as it turns out. Burmese pythons gained a reputation not quite deserved based on issues with their health.
Recommended temperatures in the older caresheets and books is just too cold. That combined with inexperience has led to many ill burmese through the years. So why not come up with better suited temperature ranges that allow a slight bit more room for common young keeper error? Not to mention the fact a warmer range is better for the burms overall. This isn’t even taking into consideration the even cooler temps some recommend(ed) for breeding purposes.

There are many more heating options available than when many of the caresheets and books were published. Heat tape, heat pads, and the addition of heat cable/rope and radiant heat panels, make it possible to get proper heat for any application. We are not stuck using light bulbs or electric blankets anymore.

Some ranges from available books and caresheets go as low as the high 60’s at night. Totally unacceptable, since we cannot successfully duplicate nature and the way temps drop in the wild. In actuality, ranges int he 70’s (ambient) are too cold ; though stated as acceptable by some authors. From personal experience I have found a range going no lower than 80 degrees at anytime works well. Even for cycling for breeding. Yes outside walls or parts of the room/cage may dip to 78-79. But using the old temps, that low range would be much lower in those areas.

One example would be:

Non-breeding times.

Daytime temps- 84-86 ambient, 90 hotspot. Nighttime- 82-83 ambient, 90 hotspot. (minimum of 80-82) (minimum of 80)

Breeding times.

Temps slowly drop one degree per week, stopping at 80 degree nighttime temp. The daytime would in turn drop to 83-84.

This coupled with proper humidity and done in a consistent manner offers a much safer way to successfully breed burmese pythons without jeopardizing health with too cold of temps.

A healthy burm is a much happier burm!

Credit:George Rollow
Just like any other pet a snake can and probably will get injured or sick at some point in its life. Sometimes only yourself and your knowledge stand between your snake and severe issues. You can have all the knowledge in the world of dealing with a snake’s afflictions, but without the proper tools you will get nowhere fast.

What is a first-aid kit?

Before we talk about the particulars of what to put in your kit it is important to understand what a first aid kit is and what it is meant to do. To keep it as simple as possible a first-aid kit is a collection of medicines and implements used to provide initial care to an injured or sick beings. Generally for ease of use a first-aid kit is contained in a bag or kit and easily transportable.

What the bag contains is what makes it a first-aid kit. Otherwise it is just a bag, and even stuffed full of things it is just a bag full of “things” if you don’t know how to use them. The objective of this article isn’t to teach you how to use the tools and such in your kit, but it is to explain what things you should have in there and why. If you wish to learn how to properly use them speak to a professional herpetologist or veterinarian that deals with snakes.

Why a first-aid kit for snakes?

Like I said earlier snakes can and likely will get injured at some point during their lives. It doesn’t matter if that comes from improper handling, another animal, sickness, or anything else. Since it is a foregone conclusion that it will happen there is wisdom in being prepared for the worst. And over and above everything else it just might mean the difference between life and death for your snake.

What belongs in a snake’s first-aid kit?

Since this article is generic in nature and not aimed at one particular species of snake or another I will describe the contents of a generic first aid kit. There will always be specialized items you could pickup for your particular kind of snake if you desire to do so.

Phone numbers

You will want to keep some important phone numbers handy.

• Your primary herpetological vets day and night phone numbers
• The phone numbers of two alternate vets who are willing and capable of working with snakes
• A contact number for a more seasoned member of your local herpetological community who can help you out if need be

You can always add to those numbers if there are more you feel you need, but at the very least I recommend you keep those nearby.

Directions

If you need to get your snake to the vets as quickly as possible you need to have directions. Even if you’ve traveled the route 3 times a day for the past 20 years you should still take the 10 seconds and print them out and put them with your first-aid kit. It won’t hurt anything and might prove useful at some point. If you use a GPS system I recommend saving the locations of the vets in it so you can get there even quicker.

Bandages

A few clean bandages and rolls of gauze should do the trick. Keep them appropriate for the size of your snake. You don’t need to wrap a corn snake in 3 yards of gauze anymore than you’d try to wrap a Burmese with 3 inches of it. One thing of note is that many bandages and gauze packs sold over the counter contain various chemicals to help in the healing process. Be wary of those bandages, you only want a simple antiseptic such as neosporin, but without additives like lidocaine. In fact if you can get just plain bandages without any addition “properties” you’ll be better off. As you’ll see in a moment you can always add the other things later.

Ointments

You want to keep this as simple as possible. First it helps to avoid confusion. Often using the wrong medicine is more damage than doing nothing at all. Get a tube of plain Neosporin or Bacitracin. You can also use the “triple antibiotic” versions of them. Not to sound too much like a broken record, but avoid at all costs lidocaine(and other topical pain killers) in whatever topical ointments you get for your snake’s first-aid kit. For the record lidocaine can be toxic to snakes and that’s why you should avoid using it. Small amounts can sometimes be used but that’s best left to the professionals.

Medicines

I hesitate to recommend any specific medicines to have on hand for your snake. A qualified specialist should be consulted about what to keep, how to store it, and how to administer it should that step become necessary. One commonly available medication is Provent-a-mite and is available over the counter at any pet store dealing with reptiles. It is used to deal with infestations of mites just like the name suggests. As with any medication follow the directions of your vet or those found on the label.

Tools and other implementations

It is always a good idea to keep some other basic supplies with your snake’s first-aid kit. I find the following to be useful.

• A pair of tweezers - Handy in order to properly remove ticks, and splinters (yes snakes get these)
• Heat packs - Used if you need to keep the snake warm and the power goes out or something similar
• A wash cloth - Useful for helping the snake remove a retained shed
• A wash basin - Appropriately sized for the snake to soak in to loosen skin that is left over after shedding. Some people also soak their snakes in water to flush off the mites. Just use provent-a-mite and save yourself a lot of hassle
• Baby or mineral oil - Can be helpful in removing retained eye caps after a snake sheds
• Flashlight - Always helpful to have one of these in your kit especially when you’re trying to see something in low light situations. To be most effective spend a few extra dollars on a lightweight LED headlamp instead of a handheld. Snakes are hard enough to keep still with two hands don’t handicap yourself anymore than necessary

I’ll stop listing extras you can have because I could go on for days. Ultimately you’ll have to decide for yourself what things fit best with your first-aid kit and what would be unnecessary for your snakes health.

Further information

The best information you will find regarding your snakes health is from knowledgeable breeders, enthusiasts, collectors, “herpers”, and qualified vets. There’s also a virtual treasure trove of information on the internet if you do a little bit of searching. The more you know about snakes in general and yours in particular the better off your animal will be.