Read About Snake Species by Size

When considering what kind of snake to buy as a new pet, you’ll need to understand snake species by size to find the right animal for your home and family. Remember that the bigger a snake is, the more temperamental, finicky and labor intensive he will be.

Beginning snake enthusiasts often look to start small, which is a wise decision. Smaller snakes are easier to house and have simpler dietary needs than their larger cousins. Garter snakes are common pet snakes and are popular because of their size, although they can be a bit nippy and grouchy. Generally, most Garter snakes don’t exceed two and a half to three feet in length. They can be easily housed in small aquariums with good lids.

A great smaller snake is the corn snake. They hatch out between eight and twelve inches in length and rarely grow longer than four feet. They come in a variety of colors and are extremely docile. These are fabulous pets for new snake owners with little experience.

Also in the small snake family are milk snakes. Generally, adult milk snakes are between three to four feet long and can be fairly calm. They are known to eat small mice and don’t need extensive maintenance.

Ball Pythons are a popular snake choice for many reasons. Ball Pythons are most often less than six feet in length. That makes them extremely popular for people who desire more complex snakes that live in areas with limitations reptile sizes.

Most Boa Constrictors are between six and eight feet long. They can be good pets, but are not for people with little snake experience. They eat larger rodents, which is important to take into consideration for those who have smaller pets in their home.

Burmese Pythons are snakes for those with lots of experience. They usually exceed eight feet in length and can have a large girth, which means a lot when considering diet. Most snakes eat prey that is about as big around as the snake is. Bigger snake tummy means bigger prey.

The largest snakes are Reticulated Pythons and Anacondas, which are a type of Boa. These snake breeds can exceed thirty feet in length. There are reports of these snakes eating mammals like dogs, deer and even small alligators in the wild. Absolutely no one but an expert on snakes should embark upon these two kinds of snakes.

Remember when selecting a snake that what is little today may not be in ten or twenty years, which are fairly common life expectancies for snakes in captivity. As a general rule, the larger the snake, the more he needs so it is important to understand snake species by size when getting a pet snake.