General care and maintenance of colubrid snakes
This care sheet is written as a set of general guidelines for the care and maintenance of colubrid snakes. Each colubrid
species may have slightly different needs.
Colubrid:
Colubrid snakes include the following types: corn snake, milk snake, king snake, rat snake (many types) and gopher
snake. Boas and pythons are not colubrids. This care sheet does not include requirements for boas and pythons
General Information:
Colubrid snakes are great “starter” reptiles. Their basic care is straightforward. This group of reptiles tends to be docile
and easily handled. By following the requirements below, you should expect to have a healthy pet for the next 12 to 15
years.
Cage Requirements:
Most colubrid snakes will do very well in a 20-gallon (long) terrarium for life. Larger species may require a 40-gallon
terrarium. Although hatchling colubrids can be safely housed in a 10-gallon enclosure, we recommend establishing the
larger enclosure in the beginning. This will save you from having to buy the larger enclosure when your hatchling
becomes an adult.
Cage Substrate and Decorations:
The substrate you choose for your new snake will depend on the reptile. Some colubrids require greater humidity while
others prefer a desert environment.
When choosing decorations for your snake, remember that snakes like to hide. It is important to offer them hiding places
on both the cool and warm portions of the enclosure. Doing this allows the snake to decide where it wants to be based on
its temperature needs and not on lack of hiding places. Half logs, driftwood and plastic plants make good hides.
Heating Requirements:
Reptiles are cold blooded. Because of this, colubrid snakes require that heating elements be added to their enclosure to
ensure that they can “warm up” when needed. Proper heat is required to ensure that your reptile can properly digest
meals, and synthesize the minerals needed for a long life. Failure to heat your reptile can cause your pet to regurgitate its
meals, act very sluggish or may ultimately cost the life of your reptile.
Most colubrids require a temperature range from 85-90 degrees on the warm side of the enclosure, and room temperature
of 75 degrees on the cool side. This temperature gradient can be established with the use of an under tank heater and
an overhead heat lamp. Both heating devices are placed on the same side of the enclosure allowing the warm side of the
terrarium to reach the 85-90 degree level. The other half of the enclosure is not heated, thus remaining at room
temperature. The temperature of your enclosure can be measured with thermometers available in the store. Feeding Requirements:
We urge you to continue feeding defrosted frozen mice to
your new snake. The most frequent injury we see in snakes is caused by a bite inflicted by the prey item. Most bites end
up infected and require veterinary care. You can avoid this hazard by maintaining your snake on a defrosted, frozen
mouse diet. Your new pet does not need to kill its own food to be happy.
We highly recommend that you feed your snake outside of the enclosure in which it lives. By feeding outside the
terrarium, you minimize the snakes feeding response when you reach into the terrarium. This means that you are less
likely to be mistaken as food by your snake. Plastic sweater boxes with air holes drilled into them make a great feeding
place. Once your frozen mouse is defrosted, place it in the feeding box. Remove the snake from its enclosure, and place
the snake in the feeding box. Secure the lid on the box, and allow your snake to eat. When your snake has finished
eating, remove it from the box and place it back inside its terrarium. Should your snake not eat the mouse, do not refreeze the mouse.
Water Requirements:
All colubrids require fresh water. The size of the water bowl you need for your colubrid will depend on the type of snake
purchased. Some colubrids prefer to soak in water on a regular basis, while others do not.
The water in the water bowl should be kept clean and full at all times. Water that is allowed to sit may harbor bacteria and
could harm the snake. If your snake defecates in the water bowl, change the water immediately. In all other circumstances
change the water at least every other day.
Shedding:
All snakes shed their skin. The frequency with which your snake will shed depends on its age. Hatchling snakes shed
much more frequently than adults. You can expect baby snake to shed about every few weeks, while adults may only
shed 4 times in a year.
The shed cycle in most colubrids lasts about 2 weeks. It starts with a dulling of the normal color. You may not notice this
slight change the first few times your snake sheds, but the longer you have it, the better you will get at noticing this slight
change. About one week after the initial dulling of the skin, you will notice that your snake’s eyes have gone opaque in
color. This is normal, and is caused by air entering the space between the old eye scale (eye cap) and the new eye scale.
The opaque color will clear within 3 days, and within a week of the eyes clearing your snake will begin to shed.
A perfect shed will come off your snake in 1 piece. The shed will include the head, the 2 eye scales and the body
including the tip of the tail. It is very important that the entire body of your snake sheds. Pieces of shed left on the snake
will dry out and may cause serious injury to your snake. Should pieces of shed remain on your snake 24 hours after it has
started to shed, we recommend soaking your snake for 15-20 minutes in 1’’ of 80-degree water. Doing this will help the
rest of the shed come of the body. If soaking does not help, please contact the store as soon as possible so that we can
assist you in removing the shed from the snake. It is vital that the entire shed be removed from the snake.
Do not be surprised if your snake seems disinterested in food while in a shed cycle. We recommend that you do not feed
your snake while it is in a shed cycle. Allow the snake to shed, then return to your regular feeding schedule.
