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Proceeding of the NAVC

North American Veterinary Conference
Jan. 13-27, 2007, Orlando, Florida

www.tnavc.org

Reprinted in the IVIS website with the permission of the NAVC

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Published in IVIS with the permission of the NAVC
The North American Veterinary Conference 2007
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COMMONLY KEPT SNAKE SPECIES AND
HUSBANDRY, INCLUDING HUSBANDRY
RELATED ISSUES
Peter Holz, BVSc, DVSc, MACVSc, Diplomate ACZM
Healesville Sanctuary
Healesville, Victoria, Australia
COMMONLY KEPT SNAKE SPECIES
In North America ball pythons, red-tailed boas,
Burmese pythons, corn snakes, and California king
snakes are commonly kept. Carpet pythons and
childrens pythons are common in Australia.
CLASSIFICATION
Boids Giant snakes, eg, pythons and boas
Elapids Snakes with short proteroglyphic fangs,
eg, taipan, cobra
Hydrophiids Sea snakes
Viperids Snakes with long solenoglyphic hinged
fangs, eg, vipers and adders
Crotalids Snakes with solenoglyphic hinged fangs
and a heat sensitive pit between each nostril and
eye, eg, rattlesnakes and moccasins
Colubrids Snakes with aglyphic or opisthoglyphic
teeth, eg, garter snakes, rat snakes, and whip
snakes.
HUSBANDRY
1. Maintain snakes in a plastic or glass terrarium
with a hide box for privacy. For ease of cleaning
newspaper or butchers paper should be used on the
floor. For a more aesthetic appearance gravel, sand or
mulch can be used, along with branches for arboreal
species. These should be completely replaced at least
once a month. Faeces and urine should be removed as
they occur. Bleach is a good all purpose disinfectant.
Stomatitis often occurs secondarily in snakes striking
out against the glass causing rostral trauma. This can
progress to gingivitis, oral caseous granulomas,
pneumonia, osteomyelitis, septicemia, and death. Mild
cases will respond to topical application of chlorhexidine
dental gel, aminoglycoside ophthalmic drops, or silver
sulfadiazine. More severe cases require flushing with
chlorhexidine, debridement, and systemic antibiotics.
2. Snakes regulate their body temperature by using
energy derived from external sources. Therefore, an
ambient daytime temperature of 25 to 32oC must be
provided, with a heat lamp, pad, or ceramic bulb
providing a basking area of 40 to 50oC. Light should be
turned off at night to mimic the normal cycle and
temperature decreased but not below 20oC. A
temperature gradient must be provided to allow the
animal to thermoregulate. Sick and injured animals
should be held at the upper end of this range to facilitate
the healing process.
Ensure that snakes have no direct contact with heat
sources to prevent thermal burns. If they occur, burns
are treated with silver sulfadiazine cream, systemic
antibiotics and analgesics.
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Proceedings of the NAVC Congress, Orlando Florida 2007
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3. Provide water, and maintain humidity between
50% and 70%. Deviations from this range will result in
sloughing difficulties. High humidity or excessive
dampness will predispose the snake to developing
intraepidermal blisters which, if left untreated, can
progress to abscessation, ulceration, septicemia, and
death. Treatment involves the provision of a drier
environment, daily iodine, or chlorhexidine soaks and
systemic antibiotics. Low humidity will retard the
sloughing process. Humidity can be increased by
increasing the size of the water bowl, or the enclosure
can be misted. Abnormal sheds also occur with low
temperature, handling during the shedding period, and
the inadequate provision of cage furniture for rubbing.
Snakes will often fail to shed properly around scars or
sutures. If the snake is unable to shed completely on its
own, it needs to be assisted. This can be done by
soaking the snake in tepid water for 20 minutes or by
placing the snake between layers of moist towels. As
well as having difficulty shedding the skin, the snake
may fail to shed the spectacle. The spectacle should be
visible on the shed skin. If it is not present, it is probably
still attached to the snake. Severe damage can be
caused to the eye if attempts are made to remove the
normal spectacle. A retained spectacle may develop a
crease but confirmation requires magnification and a slit
lamp. To remove a retained spectacle, rub it from the
edges towards the middle with a cotton swab soaked in
water or artificial tears. If unsure of the presence of a
retained spectacle or if, after several attempts, it has not
detached then wait until the next slough and reassess
the snake.
4. Although snakes are generally kept without
access to ultraviolet light they may benefit from its
provision, but this remains undetermined.
5. Snakes should be fed whole animals, once a
week for smaller snakes, and once a week to once a
month for large slow-moving pythons. As a general rule
rats and mice are not fed live as they can attack and
seriously injure the snake.
6. Temperate area snakes can be cooled down
during the winter. This is optional but it does stimulate
mating behavior. The snake should be fasted for at least
2 weeks prior to allow all food to be digested. Ambient
temperature is then decreased by 2 to 3oC per day until
a temperature of 10 to 15oC is reached, and this
temperature is maintained for 3 months. Water but no
food should be available during this time. The snake is
then slowly warmed up and feeding commenced 2
weeks later. If the snake is sick or injured it is unwise to
cool it down, as healing processes and the immune
system all slow down dramatically. Therefore, wounds
will not heal and infections can take over and kill the
animal. In these cases, the snake must be kept warm
and fed throughout the winter period.
7. Care is required when handling snakes to support
their body at all times. An unsupported snake,
particularly a heavy python, can fracture its spine. There
is some suggestion that improper handling can lead to
spinal osteopathy. This manifests as a proliferative
segmental spondylosis of vertebral bodies leading to
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Exotics Reptiles and Amphibians

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vertebral ankylosis and fracture. Other suggested
etiologies for spinal osteopathy include trauma,
autoimmune disease or viral or bacterial infections.
Salmonella is often cultured from cases of vertebral
osteomyelitis. Clinical signs include scoliosis, obvious
nodular swellings along the spine, and loss of sensation
and movement caudal to the lesion. Treatment is difficult
and prognosis poor as bony lesions may not develop for
as long as 2 or 3 years after the initial infection.
Systemic antibiotics and nonsteroidal antiinflammatories
have been tried without success.

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Proceedings of the NAVC Congress, Orlando Florida 2007