# Basic snake set up for a beginner



## bobz (Mar 9, 2006)

Hello everyone,

I am maily envolved in this site due to piranha keeping but i stumbled upon the reptile forum and i thought i'd post a question for many of you guys that seem to be very experienced with reptiles.

The question i have is about snakes. I have always wanted a snake and i was wondering about a basic set-up. I have never kept any reptile so i am a complete beginner. If i were to get a basic set up what am i looking at. For example what tank size, what type of tank and what equiptment. For the snake i am asumings omething like a corn snake, i would like an easy to care for and small species. The set-up i would like would be as small as possible due to a lack of space.

If you guys could fill me in on some of the basics that would be great.

Thanks a lot,

Bobz


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## CrocKeeper (Dec 26, 2003)

Setting up a single snake is almost as fun as having the snake. If you enjoy your P's in well set up tanks for display then you may want to think along those lines for your snake. Red Ratsnakes (Cornsnake) make great first snakes, and are a fairly active species to watch in the vivaria...they are excellent climbers so think vertical furniture, i.e, grapevine, driftwood, etc..

When deciding the size of the enclosure, first you need to know how big your snake is....and I do not mean just how long it will be in the long run, I mean when you get it....a neonate red ratsnke is in need of far different housing than an adult......

Snakes are quite possibly the worlds finest escape artists, so security of the enclosure is also very important.

Basic set up you need an enclosure ( aquaria work, but are normally less than ideal in space as much is dedicated to vertical space and not footprint ) many types of molded PVC and ABS plastic enclosures are available with sliding glass or acrylic faces, custom builders abound for just this sort of thing and can be found in add space in reptile magazines in both the US and abroad. Many internet sites can also lead you to custom made enclosures. You will need a heat source (undertank heaters, heat lamps, ceramic heat emmitters, oil filled radiator heaters to heat an entire room, etc..many, many choices available here as well...you will need a good water receptacle, you will want a hide box for the snake, again choices are vast from molded plastics to your empty breakfast cereal box...you will want to decide what route you plan to take on feeding..live or pre-killed...both have their pro's and cons, and we can start a thread dedicated to just that one..LOL...You need familiarize yourself with your target species, and there are many good and bad sources of info...so read as much as you can..you will notice the facts settle out in the middle somewhere between the extremes...

Welcome again, and pay attention to many of our members here, we have a number of adept keepers here!


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## psychofish (Jun 5, 2004)

Cant top what CrocKeeper said so...........

Welcome to the Non P forum


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## bobz (Mar 9, 2006)

Wow,

Thank you so much for the detailed reply. I think a corn snake is teh snake i would get. There is a pet shop close to be and they sell tiny little corn snakes. Just to clear things up i live in England.

I will dos ome reading on the internet about corn snakes.

As for feeding i dont thik i would like to feed live, i don't thinks thats very nice to be honest, maybe as a one off but i would prefer to feed dead food.

So what size tank would i be looking at for a young cornsnae and also would you consider it expensive for this set up?

Thanks agian,

Bobz


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## CrocKeeper (Dec 26, 2003)

I can tell you if this is your first snake do not start with a neonate(baby snake) get a well started juvenile....also I will be back to post this evening a list of places in the UK...for feed, enclosures, etc....


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## bobz (Mar 9, 2006)

Thanks i will check that post out.

Bobz


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## KINGofKINGS (Jul 24, 2006)

Listen to crock... but imo if you want to do it right stick a couple hundred into the cage and get something real nice...


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## Red Eyes (Nov 25, 2003)

Here's a site that has info on cornsnakes and alot of other information  and a forum that is from the UK
and they also have a shop as well that sells alot of reptile products  (from enclosures to heat pads, etc).


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## bobz (Mar 9, 2006)

Thanks a lot guys for the info


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## CrocKeeper (Dec 26, 2003)

WWW.VIVBUILDER.CO.UK

www.Rainforestreptiles.co.uk

www.amazonpetshop.co.uk

www.exoticpetscumbria.co.uk

www.gillworthreptiles.co.uk

Those are places to look at...I can not vouge for any of them personally as I reside in the US...but I am sure you can spend some time finding those near you, and which are up your alley so to speak...


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## bobz (Mar 9, 2006)

Thanks a lot, i will spend some time checking all of them out.

Just another question i have, my parents are woried about a snake escaping, is this a big possibility.

Bobz


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## CrocKeeper (Dec 26, 2003)

Yes.

Snakes are the ULTIMATE escape artists..they make Houdini look like he was an ametuer...









That is a known going in, so you make sure you have a vivaria or custom built enclosure made escape proof for just that reasson...a screen lid with books on top doesn't cut it......









So ease your parents worries, acknowledge that that is a common problem, and can be avoided by spending the proper amount of time and money on a quality enclosure. Keeping any animal presents issues unique to each of the animals...you just have to be aware of those issues ahead of time by doing your homework.....somewhere it was said that a smart man learns from his mistakes, but a wise man learns from the mistakes of others....and as one of the others who has had to pull pythons out from behind the fridge, etc..so learn from past mistakes on my part and the part of countless others...spend the money on the quality set up and aliviate that possibility!


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## Guest (Aug 5, 2006)

I don't know what products are available in the UK, but I've found the All-Glass Critter Cage is be absolutely escape-proof.

For me, the secret to successful snake keeping is:
a) Having a heating system that will adequately keep them warm throughout the winter.
b) an escape-proof enclosure.
c) Keep the water dish and the enclosure clean.

I set up my tanks with places to hide on the cool side of the tank and other places on the heated side of the tank. This really seems to help.


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## KINGofKINGS (Jul 24, 2006)

I have always housed my snakes/ lizards in critter cages!!!^^ the 40g breeder is my personal fav- wish they made a bigger one tho?


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## psychofish (Jun 5, 2004)

Yep, all of my animals are in critter cages


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## bobz (Mar 9, 2006)

Thank you all for the advice guys.

So what is the best reptile tanks avalible in the UK, are they these critter cages. I would rather pay more money and have a safe cage.

Any UK owners here?

Thanks a lot once agian,

bobz


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## bobz (Mar 9, 2006)

Hey everyone,

I have checked out all those links, thanks for that. I have also been doing some reading on corn snakes.

Here is a reptile place that is kinda close to me, i have heard good things about it but wha do you guys think:

http://www.millenniumreptiles.co.uk/frames.asp

Thanks for checking it out,

Bobz


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## CrocKeeper (Dec 26, 2003)

Interesting site.

I like the fact that they flat took a stance on several species that often are problematic as captives...I DO NOT like that they did it because of an SPCA...I am pretty anti prevention of cruelty societies...I have found that most are anti animal ownership period....anyway, they look like professionals, and ones that care about what they sell you, and that you are successful...


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## bobz (Mar 9, 2006)

Thats great,

They are not too far away from me, maybe an hour or so. Now i will do some more research and i will have to try and persuade my parents!

I think if i bought all the equiptment i would ghet a compete kit from the place where i get the snake, so the experts can provide me with exactlt what i need.

so is there anything i should know? Also do corn snakes smell bad?

Thanks,

Bobz


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## DuffmanRC (Oct 2, 2003)

i'm having the same problem persuading my parents to let me have a snake. They know i will take good care of it, as i do with my fish, but my mom is scared of them so it may take me a while to get one or i will have to wait for my own house lol.


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## CrocKeeper (Dec 26, 2003)

No, you will not have a smell issue....LOL, keep the tank clean. While the rat snakes are capable of "musking" you it is so rare to see, and almost nil in captive raised animals..and it is not something that is smelled unless you are specifically musked...so in essence you only run into "stinky" issues if you do not keep a clean enclosure..and a clean enclosure = happy healthy captive...

The only two groups of snakes I have in my collection that I can say have an odor that is truly their odor are my copperheads, and my Mambas....and since you do not need, or want venomous taxa..no worries....


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## bobz (Mar 9, 2006)

Oh rite thats good.

I was thinking underneat my fish tank in the cabinnet i have a space that is about 30cm wide, 30cm deep and about 80cm high. I thinlk i could fit a tank in there but it would be high and not long. Could i fit a snake in there?

Bobz


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## bobz (Mar 9, 2006)

anyone?


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