How to Set Up a Snake Aquarium
Snakes make very rewarding pets for people who want something a little exotic that does not require a tremendous amount of work. Young snakes and small species can be kept in an aquarium, but simply putting the snake in the aquarium with some food and water is a recipe for disaster. These cold-blooded reptiles need some specific items in their habitats in order to thrive. Before you purchase your pet snake, make sure its habitat is ready.
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Things You'll Need
- Aquarium
- Warming pad
- Newspaper, potting soil or reptile carpet
- Heavy water dish
- Climbing branch
- Enclosure
- Thermometer
- Humidity gauge
- Tight-fitting lid
Instructions
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Choose an appropriate substrate. Snakes that like to burrow need potting soil or sand. Other species can have newspaper shreds, reptile carpeting or large gravel as the substrate.
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Place a heating pad on the bottom of the aquarium, but only on half of it. This gives the snake the ability to control its body eat by moving between the warm and cool halves of the aquarium.
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Use two thermometers in the tank--one on the cool end and one on the warm end. Research the preferred temperature for your snake species. Keep the temperature constant by positioning the tank away from windows and other drafty spots.
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Put a store-bought climbing tree or log into the aquarium for the snake to climb. Give the snake an enclosure so it has a place to escape from the light. If the aquarium will hold more than one snake, give each one its own enclosure.
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Place a large, heavy dish of water in the tank on the unheated end. The snake will use this to drink and soak in, so only fill it 1/3 full.
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Install a humidity gauge in the tank to measure the humidity in the air. Make sure the habitat is humid enough for the species of snake you are keeping.
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Place a lid on top of the aquarium, and make sure it is escape-proof. It must latch in place and have no small spaces for the snake to fit through. However, it should not be air-tight, because the snake will suffocate.
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Tips & Warnings
Clean the substrate regularly, as it can harbor bacteria. Make sure the aquarium is large enough for your snake as it grows. The snake should have 3/4 square foot of living space for every foot of its length. Heat lamps are not the best heating method, because they need to be turned off at night. Since snakes are cold-blooded, they need a heat source 24 hours a day.
Do not use logs or branches from the outdoors. They often contain chemicals that are harmful to snakes. Do not use wood shavings as substrate because it traps bacteria.
Resources
- Photo Credit Nitin Ale
