If you think snakes are just the coolest animals, you might be interested in taking care of a pet snake yourself.

But before you decide to take that plunge into reptile pet parenthood , there are a few things you should keep in mind about pet snakes.

We spoke to Leah Feusse, a veterinary nurse with DodoVet , to find out what to feed them, how to care for them and which kinds make the best pets with regard to beginners.

Can you have snakes as pets?

Snakes can make great animals, but there are some things a person need to know about how in order to care regarding them, especially if you’ve never had a snake before.

Snakes only eat prey

Because snakes are carnivores , that means they just eat meat. But here’s the catch — snakes eat their prey whole, so you can’t just run out to the store and grab some canned snake food or a bag of kibble.

“Many snakes do well on only thawed frozen rodents, ” Feusse told The Dodo.

Snakes are cold blooded

That means your snake can’t regulate his own body temperature. Instead, he’ll need an external heat source to keep himself warm.

You can purchase a light separately to add to your tank, but some reptile terrariums come with light and warmth sources built in.

Like this one from Chewy intended for $75

Snakes you can’t have as pets

There are several kinds of snakes you can’t have as domestic pets.

Venomous snakes

You shouldn’t keep venomous snakes because pets to get obvious reasons.

“Some can have fatal bites, ” Feusse said. “Housing [and] trying to maintain plus feed them puts a person at constant risk. Not to mention the risk towards the public if they were to escape. ”

Snakes over 8 feet long

Massive snakes don’t make good pets pertaining to a couple reasons.

“They require larger enclosures than most people [can’t] set up within their homes, ” Feusse said. “Extra-large snakes are usually also dangerous. ”

Wild-caught snakes

It’s also not a good idea to try to raise the wild snake as a pet.

“They are usually aggressive because they feel constantly threatened, ” Feusse said. “Most never adapt to captivity and carry diseases and parasites. Wild-caught snakes do not live long, and a few will die simply because they refuse to eat under the stress associated with their captivity. ”

Snakes who are illegal in order to have since pets

In some places, you can not keep any kind of snake as a pet. The legality of having a pet snake is going to be different from state to condition.

It’s illegal to have any kind of snake because a dog in:

The states not upon this list have varying laws regarding keeping snakes as household pets — several require permits to possess venomous snakes, some require permits to have nonvenomous snakes and some don’t have got any restrictions at all.

So before you go in order to adopt an animal snake, make sure you’re familiar with the laws in your own area.

“Counties and cities within each state may have different limitations and are usually always changing, ” Feusse said. “So you should always check with your local municipality. ”

Best dog snakes

These are some associated with the greatest pet snakes for beginners. And according to Feusse, these snakes can be pretty tame plus most won’t immediately bite when they’re threatened.

Corn snake

Hammer toe snakes are nonvenomous and slender, ranging anywhere through 2 to 6 ft long. What makes all of them nice companions is that they could be “gentle plus docile with some handling, ” according in order to Feusse.

Ca kingsnake

Kingsnakes can be fairly outgoing, according to Feusse. And when they’re scared, Feusse said they’ll “coil and shake their tails like rattlesnakes. ”

The particular markings on their bodies can come in all sorts of patterns and colors, plus they’re often recognized by the light-colored bands upon their darker bodies.

Ball python

According to Feusse, ball pythons make great house animals because they “can be very docile with consistent handling. ”

And when these nonvenomous snakes get frightened, they will not try to mouthful you. Instead, they’ll curl up into a ball, which is how these people got their name.

Milk snake

A milk snake is a type of kingsnake that has a banded appearance, which means he offers colorful bands along his body.

Dairy snakes may grow up to almost 7 feet lengthy but can also become as small as 14 inches long. And, in accordance to Feusse, milk snakes will warm up to you which includes handling.

Hognose snake

Hognose snakes are usually pretty easy to spot because they will have upturned noses, which help them dig. They can grow in order to be a little over 5 to 6 feet lengthy. These snakes have the tendency to play dead when they really feel threatened.

According to Feusse, the Western hognose snake isn’t venomous — but you should know that their saliva could be a little irritating if you arrive into contact with it.

What a person need in order to take care of the pet snake

There are a few things you need to get care of a pet snake:

“If you purchase your snake’s enclosure for their adult size, you may usually maintain it meant for their entire life, ” Feusse said. “But substrate, light bulbs and decor will require to end up being changed on a regular basis. ”

How to find the best pet snake

If you’re looking to add a family pet snake to your family, adopting or rescuing is the particular best way to do this. You can find snakes in your area who are available to adopt quite easily upon Petfinder . There are usually also plenty of reptile rescue organizations you could reach away to.

So , snakes could make great pets as long as you are prepared designed for and committed to taking care of all of them properly. (And remember — adoption’s the best option! )

Want access to a vet 24/7? With DodoVet, you can connect via video chat, phone or text with an empathetic veterinary expert who can help you be the best pet parent you can be. Say goodbye in order to Dr . Google and have all your family pet parent questions answered anytime, anywhere. Learn more here.