You need the enclosure and everything that goes in it, plus some food. And thorough knowledge about your snake species and what it needs.
And that’s about it.
But there are some additional products that will make your life much easier.
None of them are expensive, so it makes a lot of sense to get them.
Both you and your snake will be much happier and have a much easier time living together, with the following snake care products.
Table of Contents
Products Every Snake Owner Should Have
A Snake Hook Or Tongs
Even if you have a friendly snake, a hook will come in handy at times. Sometimes the most docile snake can have an off day. A snake hook makes moving your little, or big, pet easier for both of you.
Snake tongs can also come in handy in a pinch, when your snake is ready for food. This is because when they are hungry, they might mistake your finger for a juicy mouse, especially if you finger touched the mouse and smells like it. Feeding tongs are better, but snake tongs would work also.
A snake hook can also be used to open up the snake’s bin. Some people also use these hooks to gently tap them on the side to let them know they are there and also that they are not food. Most snakes get used to the fact that they will be handled shortly after they are gently tapped.
There are loads of snake tongs and hooks available in pet stores or on Amazon. We have a whole article reviewing the best snake tongs and hooks. It will help you find the right one for your needs.
Feeding Tongs
Every snake owner should own a pair of feeding tongs. A lot of people will dangle the food with their hands. This does pose a bit of a risk, since the snake can bite your finger when grabbing the food from you.
Feeding tongs are cheap and last a long time. They are good investments for any snake lover and it makes little sense not to get a pair.
There are loads of different sizes available. The pair pictured above is great for small and medium sized snakes. You’ll need industrially sized feeding tongs when you get into bigger snakes like boa constrictors and Burmese pythons.
A Laser Thermometer
Most people use a round thermometer for their terrarium, but those do not do a good job. The main reason is that this type of thermometer only measures the temperature around the area of the thermometer.
However, it is best to read the temperature from the surface of the bedding. For this, a laser thermometer works best. Simply point the laser gun to where you want to read the temperature and it will give you a reading.
Laser thermometers like this one are inexpensive and incredibly useful.
A Good Cleaning Solution
All snake owners need to have a good cleaning solution on hand. Bleach and vinegar are used a lot and are both very useful, but that is not what we talking about here.
The best cleaning solution for pets is Chlorhexidine, because it is super safe for your pet. It has no harmful chemicals that can kill or harm your snake. You can easily buy Chlorhexidine on Amazon.
Chlorhexidine is widely used by veterinarians to clean their tables and tools, so you know it is the right thing to use for your pets as well. The cleaner is very concentrated and will have to be diluted before use.
The correct mixture is 30 ml of Chlorhexidine per gallon of water. That is approximately 2 tablespoons per gallon, so it is very easy to measure and mix. I usually put the diluted mixture into a spray bottle, because I find it handier to use that way.
A Feeding Needle And Syringe
This product only applies to those that are breeding snakes. You will need to get a feeding needle and syringe.
The feeding needle is hollowed and it has a rounded tip where the liquid comes out. This is not really a needle at all but more of a feeding tool.
Mineral Oil
When the snake is laying her eggs, the eggs can sometimes get stuck. You can then add some mineral oil to that area, to assist the snake in laying her eggs.
Mineral oil is great for helping your snake lay her eggs, but it can also assist with snake shedding.
Small Dustpan And Broom
Instead of tilting the whole tank out to clean out the bedding, it is much easier to use a small dustpan and broom like the one pictured above to sweep up neatly inside the tank. It is at a great size to get into any small areas inside of the enclosure.
Things To Remember Before Getting Your First Snake
- Make sure you know the adult size of the snake you are getting. This can save time and money in the long run, because you don’t want to end up purchasing an enclosure that is too small, just to have to buy a new one a year later.
- Snakes are not very active. You will often see videos on Youtube or on TV that show snakes being very active. This is not always the case. They are more lazy than they are active.
- Do some research on the best beginner snakes before just taking on any snake. You do not want to get a snake that is not easy to look after. Or a snake that is overly aggressive or even a snake that is venomous. Snakes like these might be easy to get but not good as pets. Make sure you get a snake that you will be able to look after.
- Make sure you know all the costs involved before getting your snake pet. The costs will include a new enclosure and also the cost of electricity. Food can also cost quite a bit, depending on what snake you get.
- If you don’t want to buy substrate, you can also use newspaper. Newspaper is cheap and is super easy to clean up. It is also harmless for the snake. The only thing drawback of using newspaper is that it does not look nice at all.
- Another thing you should know is that snake poop can be very big. This obviously depends on the size of the snake. The bigger the snake the bigger the poop.
- Some snakes also do not like to be handled too much. This can cause them stress and they might stop eating as a result.
- Feed your snake using tongs. This makes feeding tens times easier, because you don’t risk your fingers in the feeding act. Some snakes can get super eager when grabbing the food. This is especially the case when dangling a mouse in front of the snake.
- All snakes come from different areas of the world. This means that each snake’s temperature and humidity needs are different. Do thorough research on the type of snake you are getting so that you know how to look after you snake. Get a good reptile fogger to regulate humidity if your snake comes from the tropics or some other humid area.
- Make sure you have a good food supplier for the snake you will be getting. You can purchase most food the snake will require directly from Amazon, but some snakes need food that can be more difficult to find, like egg eater snakes.
Products For Snake Owners: Final Thoughts
Those 7 items are ones that most pet snake owners should have. None of the above items are essential, but all will make your, and your snake’s life much easier.
The nice thing about snakes is that you really don’t need much to take care of them, apart from the enclosure. The key to becoming a good snake owner is research, not buying stuff.
Do thorough research before getting your snake and make sure you know exactly what your snake needs. You could also check out our complete guide to pet snakes, for everything you need to know about caring for a snake.
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