Have You Kissed Your Snake Today?

People are usually very shocked when I tell them I have a pet snake and a pet lizard. These are not your usual house companions, I know. Most people are repulsed, some are intrigued and others are amazed. Usually they ask me a ton of questions. I love it when they do because it gives me the opportunity to dispel some myths that surround them. Reptiles are highly misunderstood critters. I'd like to take the time to teach you more about these fascinating animals.

Question: Are snakes slimy?

Answer: No! Snakes are not slimy at all. They feel very smooth and leathery, especially after a fresh (proper) shed. Did you know that a snakes scales are made of keratin? That's the same stuff that your fingernails and hair are made out of. The temperature of their skin will vary depending on where they are. All reptiles are ectothermic, a.k.a. cold-blooded. They can not regulate their body temperature like you and I can. They depend on their environment to keep them warm. For example, if Scarlett (our ball python) has been out of her cage for a while she'll feel cold. On the contrary, if she's snuggling under a blanket with someone (yes, snakes snuggle) or sitting on top of her under-tank heater, she'll feel warm.

Question: Are snakes poisonous, dangerous and aggressive?

Answer: No. Most snakes are not poisonous and the ones that are, you won't find in a pet store. You have to really go looking for those and you have to check with local laws to see if it's even legal to own them. The five most common pet snake varieties are as follows: corn snakes, ball pythons, king snakes, milk snakes, and boa constrictors. None of which are poisonous. Every snake is different, and yes they have unique personalities, but the majority of those snakes are known as docile creatures not aggressive. A snake is more likely to just try to get away from danger rather than try to defend itself. They aren't really equipped for a fight. The majority or incidents where a person is bit by a snake it is due to human error.   

My snake, Scarlett, has never bit anyone ever and she's been transferred between at least four different owners now of varying capabilities. Adam has spent a lot of time before trying to get her to bite him to find out what her triggers are, (not a suggested activity). So far, he has yet to find one. However, that doesn't mean we are super relaxed in our handling of her. We don't handle her if we know she's in a bad mood or getting ready to shed unless we have a good reason for it. We know the warning signs of a snake that is in a bad mood. We only allow kids to touch her back end and try to keep them away from her head. She certainly isn't poisonous, nor does she have fangs. She has teeth that point backwards (towards the inside of her mouth) that are used in gripping prey while she constricts it and in helping to pull the prey into her mouth.

When Scarlett is out and happy, we feel safe enough to put her around Miranda's shoulders, let Elliott gently pet her and we've even put her on our dog's back before(all under supervision). She's super gentle and very chill.

Question: Do snakes and kids mix? Won't the snake eat them or give them salmonella?

Answer: The largest snakes on the planet are the green anaconda and reticulated python both can reach between 20 and 30 feet is length and to the scale at over 500lbs. Although these snake can get to a staggering size it is widely debated whether or not it is physically possible for them to swallow an adult human being. There have been reports in extreme situations where a child has been eaten by a snake of this stature in the wild. In captivity they are well fed by with much easier prey and have no reason to consider humans to be food. My four foot long ball python refuses to eat anything bigger than a medium sized rat. If we keep a rat around to long, it becomes to big for her to eat it. She certainly would not even consider eating even the smallest of newborn. A snake will have a more difficult time eating anything wider than the widest part of their body. Yes, they can dislocate their jaws and consume prey much larger than their heads, but that doesn't mean they stretch out to ridiculous widths to eat anything.

There have been news stories of snakes killing owners, but that's due to the person's carelessness and stupidity. Pythons constrict their prey, causing them to suffocate. It is extremely rare for a snake to kill their owner because a snake exerts a lot of effort, and energy constricting something so only rarely will they kill something they can not eat. The best way to avoid this if you happen to have a very large snake is to always have another person around when you are handling them. That way if the snake happens to wrap itself around you the other person can detach the snake and help you safely place it back in its environment.

As far as kids and pet snakes mixing, it all depends on the individuals involved. If your kid is hyperactive and not known for being gentle around animals, then a snake is probably not a good idea. Every snake has the potential and ability to bite and some are more prone to striking than others. Young snakes especially are more defensive as they feel more vulnerable than an adult does. Know your snake's temperament before allowing any children to handle it and try to keep fast movements and loud noises to a minimum. Always be cautious around your snake's head as this is where they feel most threatened. All animal interactions must be highly supervised and you must wash your hands before and after any and all handling of the snake.

As far as the salmonella issue, the risk is extremely minimal and is decreased even more with cleanliness. The snake itself does not carry salmonella, however, it can be found in their excrement. As long as you dispose of their feces and urates(a snakes form of pee) right away, clean their cage and change their bedding frequently your risk of catching salmonella from them is even less than that of handling raw meat. We keep our snakes tank very clean. Adam, Miranda and I have all given Scarlett kisses before, right on the lips, and none of us have ever had salmonella.

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In summary, always do your research before obtaining any new pet, but especially reptiles. Do your research outside of the pet store because to often their information is misguided. All snakes have different requirements as far as tank size, temperatures, humidity, etc. and not figuring out the optimal way to care for them is extremely detrimental to their health.

Our snake Scarlett is a ball python (python regius), known to some as a royal python. She is approximately 8 years old, four feet long, and roughly 1900 grams. She resides in a 40 gallon metaframe tank with some customized features, including a homemade, front-opening vented door. She has two identical hides, a large water bowl and an under tank heater.on one side. She eats one medium sized live rat, ideally every 10 days. However, she's extremely picky and only eats when she wants to. Her longest stretch without eat was nine months long. She is extremely docile and very calm around kids.

Feel free to ask any more questions! My husband and I are always willing to answer them!