Picking a vet for your pet snake should be one of the first things you ever do. Even before you buy the snake and bring it home you should have picked out a vet “just in case”. If you look in any city phone book you will no doubt see numerous listings for veterinarians. Some areas (in the United States at least) are so densely packed with veterinarians they’re nearly as prevalent as fast food restaurants. One thing that many people don’t seem to realize is that when you have a snake, or any reptile for that matter, taking it to the generic “small animal” vet isn’t a good idea. In fact it is often a very poor idea to the detriment of your animals health. You need to find a veterinarian who specializes in herpetological medicines.

Just like there are many different “types” of doctors with many different specialties the same is true with veterinarians. There are small animal vets (cats, dogs, etc) farm vets (horses, cattle, etc), exotic animal vets (big cats, elephants, etc), reptile vets (snakes, lizards, etc), and many others. You wouldn’t go to a doctor who specializes in joint replacement for cardiac issues so why would you send your sick snake to a vet that works with cows? Yet that’s what many people do, because they are either irresponsible or don’t know the difference.

When to pick a vet for your snake

The best time is before there is a critical need for their services. There are some very valid reasons for this including:

• You have a chance to build a relationship before trouble strikes
• The person will have a chance to get used to your animals
• It allows you to build your network of contacts in the reptile world
• You’ll learn how to get there before you’re in a rush. It might sound funny but 4:45pm on a Friday afternoon is a bad time to be trying to get to the vet across town without knowing where you’re going
• Vets will often offer discounts, payment plans and other amenities to return customers that first time walk ins don’t get

How to pick a vet for your snake

First sit down with a phone book in your local area and start looking under “veterinarians”. Begin by calling them and simply asking if they have a vet on staff who specializes in reptiles. You can also use Google from a computer and type “yourzipcodenumber veterinarians” (without quotes) in the search field and it will bring up vets in your local area. If you want to pin-point it a little better type in you exact address along with the zip code.

As you contact each vets office ask to speak with the reptile specialist. Most will refuse to put you on the line with them, but at least try. Either way write down the name of the vet, and their address. Then try to schedule a good time to meet that person. The vast majority will agree to meet you for 5 or so minutes without charging so long as they aren’t doing work on your animals. Don’t try to pick the vets brain too much just get a feel for if they know what they are doing. You can eliminate a lot of people with a simple meeting. Better to do it now than to do it in a crisis situation.

Once you’ve narrowed things down to two or three vets chose in order which one you like the best, in between (if you have 3 choices), and least. That doesn’t mean who you personally like or dislike, but who makes sense to visit. I know a great vet 45 miles away from where I live, but he’s the last choice I have in an emergency.

The final step in the selection process is to actually visit the vet with your snake and have them do a general checkup. Watch to make sure the vet is actually comfortable with your snake, handles it properly, asks the appropriate questions, and is through. If you get a bad feeling about the whole things there is probably a pretty good reason for it. Trust your gut.

The bottom line is that choosing a vet to take care of your pet snake isn’t difficult, but it shouldn’t be left for the last minute. You’ll pay for it in terms of anxiety, and price and your snake’s health could suffer because of it. Just take that little bit of extra time and do it right.

This is the second of a two part interview I conducted via Email with Brian Barczyk, owner of BHB Reptiles. Part one can be found over at the ReptileGeeks.com blog page. Be sure to stop by Brian’s podcast site, SnakeBytes.tv and have a look at some excellent video footage he and his crew have shot of their operations!

Do you have a particular snake you would call a “pet”?

I have about 500 that I would call my pets.lol Really I think I have a couple Ball Pythons, a Hypo nile Monitor and a Rock Python that I don’t even think of breeding, they are just my pets. I love them all, but those are the ones that are just my personal pets.

Hmm… I wonder if this is Brian’s “pet” monitor at the end of this video?

Which incidentally reminds me I’m look for a monitor or a tegu. Any advice out there for me?

How do neighbors react to your business?

We really keep to ourselves here. My direct next door Neighbor knows what we do here and he’s great about it. I really haven’t ever talked to my other neighbors about what we do. When you drive by our building you would never know what we do. That’s the way I like it, you just don’t need a mob running to the city about kicking you out.

Absolutely and with the way that people tend to react to snakes and other reptiles low key is just common sense. Loud and proud isn’t always a good idea.

What are three things that you’ve been surprised to see change over the years in regards to keeping snakes as pets?

I think one is the popularity of reptiles. To see them in so many commercials and being kept by so many households. I just never thought it would grow like it has. Second would be how large a company like ours has grown. I just never thought it would be possible twenty years ago to produce the number of animals that we do and still sell them, it’s really mind blowing. And third is the color mutations in all the species. When I started albino Corns and Snow Corns were the big thing. There was hardly any mutations at all, not there are hundreds to choose from.

I wonder if the popularity of reptiles has degraded their quality or is it too much of a hassle for most of the “fly-by-night” people to get involved with? I believe Brian’s business has grown due in large part to how he conducts himself. His passion for his snakes shines through in everything he does and it’s hard not to want to do business with a guy like that. As far as morphs go I’m in agreement. It’s amazing how many different looks that one kind of snake can take on via breeders manipulating the genetics by breeding to bring out certain traits.

How many staff do you employ not counting direct family?

We have eight full time employees. We could probably use more:)

I’ve got someone who’d like to work for you Brian.

Impressive, I am of brazil, all that is forbidden here, I want to work with you? please, work for free, I do not have to pay money, so me of food and water, and place to sleep please …….. …. - Tiliquaskinks (a comment on the monitor video above).

Of course I’m always available, but I’m afraid I don’t do free (at least not on a consistent basis)

Would you do it all over again?

In a second, I love what I do as much now as I did twenty years ago. I always say that the day that I don’t get excited about hatching the cheapest snake I have will be the day I get out of the business.

I doubt anyone can argue with logic like this!

Do you or have you worked with venomous species?

No, I love to look at them an I think there’s a place for them in the industry. I just get bit way too much. I know it wouldn’t be right for me.

I don’t blame you Brian! Getting bit would be no fun at all!

Do you have a formal education in biology, or zoology or a similar area?

I went to colledge for Biology, figuring that I would get my Herp degree. By time I was in my second year I realized that this was the way I wanted to go with my life. I think I made the right decision:)

From the looks and sounds of it you certainly made the right decision Brian. If not there’s always night school!

Biggest regret in the past 12 months regarding a business decision?

I really never regret business decisions. I make a lot of good decisions and of course I make a lot of really bad ones. You have to just put them behind and hope that the good outweighs the bad. I like the quote ” often wrong, never in doubt”.

Great quote I’ll have to keep that in mind. I’m sure I can find a use for it about 50,000 times a day.

Would you recommend breeding snakes to others as a business (or even a hobby)?

Of course I would! If I didn’t believe in what I do, I wouldn’t do it. It’s been so rewarding for me and my family. I wish everyone could share my life. The only advise I would give is to have passion for it. You have to love it with everything to be really good at it.

Excellent advice summed up in one word here. Passion. Without passion for a business like this you’ll quickly go under.

What is the main question I should have asked but didn’t?

What was the most exciting thing that has ever happened to you as a reptile breeder?

I would answer that the day I hatched my first Pied Bald Ball Python was probably the coolest thing that I can remember. They had just been proven out by Pete Kahl a few weeks earlier and I had a ton of money into this project. This was not only a huge investmet, but a picture I saw of a Pied years before is what got me so excited about Ball Pythons. I remember the very moment that I cut the egg and saw the one and only Pied I produced that year. It was such an incredible feeling!! I’ve had a lot of great stuff happen since, but that one probably still is my most exciting moment.

Excellent question and even better answer. That’s why it’s always good to let someone you are interviewing ask themselves a question!

Once again I’d like to thank Brian for taking the time to fill out the interview questions for me! I encourage anyone considering a new snake to at least contact Brian and see what he has to offer! Thanks for reading!

Pet snakes must be kept warm especially when the heat goes out! When the heat goes out and the temperatures drop it can have deadly consequences. Especially during the cold of winter. While we hope to never have to face a situation like this it is important to be prepared for it. The better prepared you are the better chance your snakes have of surviving.

I hope there is never a need for any of this, but should something happen it is important to be able to care for the snakes as well as you can.

Treating snake bites is important even if it is from a non-venomous pet. The most docile of snakes has the potential to suddenly and without warning bite you. The size of the snake and the size of its teeth will have a lot to do with how much damage it can potentially do to you. Regardless if you are handling a 12 inch Garter Snake or a 15 foot Reticulated python there is always a potential for a bite. If you are bitten there are some basic steps you can take to reduce the chance of infection and inflammation.

Get the snake to release

Fortunately when it is just a bite most snakes will let go on their own. However if the snake is persistent in holding on, or for some reason unable to let go you’ll need to encourage them a bit. Do not pull the snake free from your skin. Most snakes have teeth that are curved towards the rear so they can get a better grep on their prey. If you just rip the snake away you’ll almost certainly tear your skin more than it needs to be torn and you’ll probably break several of the snake’s teeth at the same time. Instead hold it firmly behind the head and gently push it towards the bite so the teeth come out of your flesh and then pull it away from you.

Obviously the above works fine for a small to medium sized snake, but what about something massive like a 20 footer? I’ve heard (and read) from several sources that pouring holding a cotton ball soaking in rubbing alcohol over its face will get it to release. I’m not sure who packs around an alcohol soaked cotton ball while handling their snakes so that begs the question who is going to think to drag a 20 foot snake that has clamped on to your flesh through the house to get to the alcohol and cotton balls? I’ve also heard that you can get a large snake to release its bite by rubbing the scales “against the grain” from the tail end towards the head. I’ve not had a reason to try either of those methods, but apparently they work.

It’s also important to be able to recognize, particularly with the larger snakes, when it is more than just a defensive bite. In other words you need to be able to discern when the bite is a feeding attempt. If it bites and releases it is just a defensive bite. If it bites and hangs on but does nothing more it is a defensive bite. On the other hand if it bites and attempts to start throwing coils you must realize how serious the situation is. Get the snake off of you as quickly as possible using whatever means you need to use to assure your safety. I met a guy who claimed to have torn a 9 foot boa in half when it threw coils around his neck. I don’t know if it is true or not, but I do know it is an appropriate response in order to preserve your own life.

After the snake has bitten you

Once the snake has released the bite you need to treat it. A snake bite can be a combination of puncture wound and/or laceration depending on how deep it goes and how much damage is done to underlying tissue. Of course if you need stitches get to the doctor and get stitches. I say that right up front because sometimes we have a habit of not doing what we know we should do. But suppose it is “just a bite” and stitches are not required.

• Irrigate the wound with fresh, clean water. This is the key to cleaning, not the soap.
• Clean the wound with a mild anti-bacterial soap. Avoid using hydrogen peroxide as it can actually cause damage to the healthy tissue needed to heal the wound. Also avoid soaps that contain alcohol because it can irritate the bite area
• Dry the wound by blotting it with a soft, dry cloth or towel. Don’t use friction to dry the wound or you could cause more damage
• Don’t bandage the wound unless there is a risk of cross contamination. Bandaging a wound makes the area dark, moist, and warm. The perfect breeding ground for bacteria.
• If you’ve been bit by a venomous snake forget everything I said and get yourself to a medical professional immediately!

There you have it, treating a snake bite isn’t hard. In fact it is almost the same as treating any other kind of minor open skin wound.

Infection from a snake bite

Despite our best efforts bites from any animals can become infected. If this happens you’ll likely need a treatment course of something such as penicillin. That is beyond the course of this article except to say speak with your doctor and he/she will get you on the right regiment of medications.

Disease from snake bites

Snakes, like all animals carry a host of diseases. Some are worse than others but none are pleasant to deal with. They also carry large number of protozoa. Some of the disease and protozoa include:

• Tapeworm
• Roundworm
• Salmonella
• Snake Mites

In closing please keep in mind that anytime you are bit by any animal there is a potential for serious side effects if it isn’t addressed as quickly as possible. The first line of defense once you’ve been bitten is cleaning it to get bacteria out of the wound. Once again if it is a bite from a poisonous species of snake don’t wait around get to a medical professional as soon as possible.

Credit:M Ignoffo’s Flickr page

This care sheet can also be used for the Mexican Hog nose (Heterodon kennerlyi) because of the similar care.

Introduction:

Hog nose snakes are small, rear fanged (not toxic to humans), species that inhabit the western part of the United States reaching southern Canada and northern Mexico. They are known to be bluffers and when disturbed they can play dead, strike with a closed mouth and hiss. Yet, this is nothing to worry about as most calm down when they realize you are not danger. Hognose snakes reach a maximum length of 25-36 inches, and as usual females are larger than males, neonates average about 6 inches.

Housing:

An appropriate cage size for an adult would be a 10 or 15 gallon and neonates and juvies do good in 5 gallon tanks. I use tubs because they are easier to clean and are way cheaper. A 16qt tub is good for a large neonate or juvie; an adult can be in a 32qt or smaller. In tubs it is also easier to maintain a good temperature. When setting up an enclosure make sure to provide many hides and deep aspen bedding. Hog nose snakes are natural diggers and this way they feel secure. Also, a water dish is a necessity. I like to provide a humid hide for my smaller snakes, it’s simply a small hide, cup, whatever, that is filled with either moist moss or paper towels; this helps them shed.

The temperature should be 70-85F hot side with a basking spot at around 90F. Night time temps can be 65-80F hot side. No UVB lighting is required but you can have it, it has never been actually proven Hog nose snakes need UVB.

Feeding:

Unlike most hog nose species, Western Hog nose snakes readily eat pinkies when they are young and it is fairly easy to start them on f/t. Sometimes scenting with a frog is necessary but rarely and if you get a CB snake it shouldn’t be a problem. Babies can eat pinkies every 4 days and adults can eat adult mice every 7-10 days. PLEASE do NOT feed in the enclosure! Snakes have been known to accidentally eat bedding when feeding and this can harm or even kill your snake!

About Me:

I’m just a young snake hobbyist. I love me reptiles to death… If you want to contact me you can e-mail me or visit my Reptile Geeks page.

Keeping your snakes tank clean helps to ensure it stays healthy. It goes beyond just changing the substrate. From time to time you should thoroughly clean your pet’s tank.

The types of cleaning

There are three types of tank cleaning that you should do.

1. Spot cleaning
2. Wipe down cleaning
3. Through cleaning

Each method has an appropriate time to be used. Below we will briefly discuss each one.

Spot cleaning

With this method you just clean up the mess. Good for when you discover the snake has gone to the bathroom as you’re headed out the door for work or school. You just clean up the mess, and then as soon as possible you clean the tank properly

Wipe down cleaning

Using this method of tank cleaning you will be wiping the sides down, removing any feces you missed during the spot cleans, replacing soiled substrate with fresh. This method just uses a soft cloth with warm water and a little bit of vinegar on it. No soap or other cleaning products are used because you won’t be rinsing. You should practice doing this at least once a week.

Through cleaning

In this case everything comes out of the snakes tank and gets washed.

• Hides, water bowls, and any habitat enhancements are all scrubbed
• All substrate regardless of conditions is completely changed
• The enclosure is inspected for damage
• Accessories (heating elements, thermometers, etc) are all checked over for problems
• Inside and outside of the snake’s cage is cleaned

A through cleaning takes time and requires the snake to be out of the enclosure. Prepare a temporary housing solution for this. A simple plastic tub with a layer of newspaper will work just fine. Make sure it isn’t air tight (poke a few holes in the lid if need be), and keep it out of drafts or cool/cold areas. It is also a good idea to have an under the tank heater attached to this enclosure just to be on the safe side. Just remember you’ll need to start heating it up about an hour before you put the snake into it.

Cleaning agents

Snakes are very sensitive chemicals so you need to be picky when you choose what you’re going to use to clean their tanks. Just as important as being picky, if not more so, you need to be certain to rinse everything very well! Plastics for instance will actually retain a large amount of chemical agents due to their porous nature. Snakes don’t mix well with chemicals, especially if they’re forced to live with them.

Diluted bleach and soap solution

This is perhaps the simplest, cheapest, and most popular cleaning agent. It is also potentially deadly so use it at your own risk. You take a 1 ounce of bleach, and combine it with teaspoon of dish soap in a quart of water.

Before you go any further do not combine dish soap that contains ammonia with bleach! It can and likely will cause a potentially deadly ammonia gas to form. Deadly to you as well as any other living thing in the house. Read the label of your dish soap very carefully before mixing it with bleach.

If you can’t find a dish soap without ammonia then you can still wash using this method.

• Wash with the dish soap first and then throughly rinse until there is absolutely NO residue left
• Then soak in a bleach:water solution (1:32 ratio) for about 10 to 15 minutes
• Rinse again, very well. You should not be able to smell ANY trace of bleach

Chlorhexidine

This agent is best known as a major ingredient in dental mouthwash. It is designed to kill and combat dental plaque and bacteria. Strangely enough it also makes a great cleaning agent for a snake’s tank (or any other animals enclosure, dishes, etc). This doesn’t mean that you should get out your bottle of mouthwash and use it to clean your tanks. That would be a bad idea. Spend a few dollars and buy a ready made chlorhexidine solution such as Oronine or Avagard. You can read more information about Chlorhexidine here.

There are certainly other cleaning agents out there, but for the task at hand either one of these will work. While the bleach, soap and water concoction is useful it is potentially volatile and if you do not rinse it off well enough it could kill your snake. The best option is the chlorhexidine, followed by vinegar and water solution. Last is the dish soap and bleach