SPECIES

African Rock Python: Because of its exceptional size, and its ugly temperament, the African rock python is not a species that many keepers, especially novices, should choose to maintain. Boas and pythons require clean enclosures with good ventilation. Most snakes will climb if branches or platforms are provided. More >>

Amazon Tree Boa: This species is also referred to as the Garden Tree Boa, by experienced hobbyists as ATBs, and, in error, as Cook’s Tree Boa (a different species). More >>

Anaconda: (All Anaconda species.) More >>

Andean Milk Snake: The Andean milk snake has a white snout and scale margins. At least 24 red rings may, or may not, be tipped in black. It is commonly bred in captivity. Cages should be escape proof, complete with water and hiding area. More >>

Arizona Mountain Kingsnake: Cages should be escape proof, complete with water and hiding area. Kingsnakes and milk snakes must be housed separately (except during breeding season) because they are cannibalistic. More >>

Asian Rat Snake: The generic name of this species has only recently been changed from Elaphe. Wild collected individuals are often very defensive and may injure their snouts by striking against the glass of their terrarium. They will bite. More >>

Baird's Rat Snake: Baird's rat snake is closely related to the common rat snake. Members of the rat snake clan can have stripes, blotches, or a combination of stripes and blotches; even unicolored species can be found. More >>

Ball Python: Ball pythons require secure, well-ventilated cages. A glass aquarium with a secure ventilated top (screen wire or perforated metal) makes a satisfactory cage. Most adults could live out their lives quite happily in an enclosure the approximate size of a 20-gallon long aquarium. More >>

Black Mamba: This snake is dangerously venomous. It is from the color of the mouth lining, not of the body, that this snake derives its common name. The olive brown to gray scales are smooth and of velvety appearance. Gray examples seem most common in the southern portion of the range. More >>

Blood Python: Boas and pythons require clean enclosures with good ventilation. Most snakes will climb if branches or platforms are provided. Hideboxes should also be provided. All captive snakes require fresh water to drink in bowls made of nonporous materials. More >>

Boa: (All Boa species.) More >>

Boa Constrictor: The snake's cage should be as simple as possible. Newspaper is recommended as substrate because it is less likely to be ingested and is quick to dry. A cage should provide a thermal gradient that will allow the snake to choose between warm and cool regions. More >>

Borneo Short-tailed Python: The Borneo short-tailed python is an excellent captive and pet. Boas and pythons require clean enclosures with good ventilation. Most snakes will climb if branches or platforms are provided. Hideboxes should also be provided. More >>

Bullsnake: Wild bullsnakes can be irascible and unapproachable, but after a short time in captivity many become quiet and handleable. Besides the typical dark saddled tan phase, bullsnakes are now available in a number of designer colors and patterns. This snake breeds readily in captivity. More >>

Burmese Python: Boas and pythons require clean enclosures with good ventilation. Most snakes will climb if branches or platforms are provided. Hideboxes should also be provided. All captive snakes require fresh water to drink in bowls made of nonporous materials. More >>

Bush Viper: This venomous, pretty, rough-scaled, arboreal viper is also known as the common bush viper and the green bush viper. More >>

California Kingsnake: The California kingsnake is the most commonly bred and kept kingsnake in captivity. Cages should be escape proof, complete with water and hiding area. Kingsnakes and milksnakes should be housed separately because they are cannibalistic. More >>

Cape Cobra: Of variable coloration, the dangerously venomous cape cobra may be russet, mahogany, olive-brown, of any one of several shades of yellow to almost black. There is often a profusion of darker speckles or flecks on the lighter colored snakes. The snake has a broad hood. The venom is very potent. More >>

Carpet Python: The vernacular of Atherton Tableland carpet python is frequently used for this snake. Although having the smallest range of any of the several subspecies, the bright colors and small adult size of jungle carpet python has made the snake a hobbyist favorite. More >>

Chihuahua Mountain Kingsnake: Cages should be escape proof, complete with water and hiding area. Kingsnakes and milk snakes must be housed separately (except during breeding season) because they are cannibalistic. More >>

Children’s Python: A pair of Children’s pythons may be maintained in a 20 to 30 gallon capacity terrarium. The substrate may be of fallen oak and maple leaves, folded newspaper, several thicknesses of paper towels, aspen shavings or cypress shavings. More >>

Common Boa Constrictor: The snake's cage should be as simple as possible. Newspaper is recommended as substrate because it is less likely to be ingested and is quick to dry. A cage should provide a thermal gradient that will allow the snake to choose between warm and cool regions. More >>

Common Rat Snake: The common rat snake, Elaphe obsolete, is the largest species of North American rat snake. Its range includes most of the eastern United States into southern Canada, and west to Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. The subspecies of obsolete include the black rat snake (E. o. More >>

Copperhead: Known also by the vernaculars of chunk head and highland moccasin, the venomous northern copperhead is a relatively slow moving, abundant, viperine snake. It is heavy bodied and has the namesake coppery-orange or coppery-russet head. More >>

Corn Snake: Members of the rat snake clan can have stripes, blotches, or a combination of stripes and blotches; even unicolored species can be found. Corn snakes have an attractive "checkerboard" pattern on their ventral surfaces. Color of the ventral scales is usually black and white. More >>

Cottonmouth: Some of the many vernacular names for this snake are water moccasin, swamp adder and trapjaw. This is a rather slow moving, abundant, viperine snake that is quite apt to stand its ground rather than run if frightened. More >>

Desert Kingsnake: The desert kingsnake has an overall dark black or brown background coloration with white to yellow crossbars that my number as low as 42 or as high as 97. Cages should be escape proof, complete with water and hiding area. More >>

Eastern Coachwhip: Because of its usually feisty disposition, and resistance to handling, this is not a snake sought by a large number of hobbyists and collectors. It is not deliberately bred in captivity. More >>

Eastern Coral Snake: Three species of coral snakes are the only elapine snakes native to the United States. More >>

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake: To reptile enthusiasts, this is the king of the rattlesnakes. This dangerously venomous snake is usually rather slow moving, but can hurry along if it chooses. It often crawls slowly in a straight line (rectilinear movement). More >>

Eastern Garter Snake: A pair of eastern garter snakes of average size may be maintained in a 20 to 30 gallon capacity terrarium. The substrate may be of fallen oak and maple leaves, folded newspaper, several thicknesses of paper towels, aspen shavings or cypress shavings. More >>

Eastern Hognose: Known also by the vernaculars of hissing adder and spreading adder, the eastern hognosed snake is relatively slow moving, heavy bodied, and has a large upturned rostral scale. This modified nose-tip scale helps the hog-nose unearth its favorite prey species—the toad. More >>

Eastern Indigo Snake: This is a state and federally threatened species. Much mystique accompanies the eastern indigo snake that despite its endangered status it remains coveted by hobbyists. States where indigos are indigenous usually prohibit hobbyists from having the snakes. More >>

Eastern Kingsnake: The eastern kingsnake has a distinct chainlike patter of white- or cream-colored bands, usually 15 to 44 on a dark brown or black background. Cages should be escape proof, complete with water and hiding area. More >>

Eastern Milk Snake: Certainly a pretty snake, of the many subspecies of milk snake, the eastern is the least favored by hobbyists. It has a reputation, perhaps deserved, of being a bit difficult to acclimate. More >>

Eastern Ribbon Snake: A pair of Eastern Ribbon Snakes of average size may be maintained in a 20 to 30 gallon capacity terrarium. The substrate may be of fallen oak and maple leaves, folded newspaper, several thicknesses of paper towels, aspen shavings or cypress shavings. More >>

Emerald Tree Boa: The emerald tree boa generally displays a green dorsal background color with a cream to yellow ventral stripe. Horizontal white bands run the length of the snake’s back. Emerald tree boas experience ontogenetic color change, going from red, orange and yellow neonates to green adults. More >>

Eyelash Viper: This is the most polymorphic of the New World tree vipers. This venomous snake may be clad in scales of orange, various shades of yellows, olive, brown, and dull green to rich moss green. Darker or contrastingly colored crossbands, flecking, or spotting may be present. More >>

False Water Cobra: The False Water Cobra, is rear-fanged, with the venom potency unknown. It is often referred to by hobbyists by the acronym of FWC and vernacular of Brazilian smooth snake, is a large, attractive, but nervous colubrine. Defensive FWCs spread a narrow hood, thus the origin of the common name. More >>

Florida Kingsnake: The Florida kingsnake is now considered an intergrade between L. g. floridana and L. g. getula. The Florida king is a subspecies that is different than the rest of the kingsnakes due to the presence of 22 to 66 light (orange and yellow) crossbands on a dark brown background. More >>

Fox Snake: The fox snake is known for its stalking behavior, its odor and the reddish coloration of some of the snakes' heads. Members of the rat snake clan can have stripes, blotches, or a combination of stripes and blotches; even unicolored species can be found. More >>

Gaboon Viper: If not the most magnificent African venomous snake, it is certainly the most magnificent of the African viperine species. There are two subspecies, The East African, B. g. gabonica with small nasal horns and two dark triangles beneath each eye and the West African, B. g. More >>

Garter Snake: (All Garter Snake species.) More >>

Gopher Snake: Wild bullsnakes can be irascible and unapproachable, but after a short time in captivity many become quiet and handleable. Besides the typical dark saddled tan phase, bullsnakes are now available in a number of designer colors and patterns. This snake breeds readily in captivity. More >>

Gray-Banded Kingsnake: The gray-banded kingsnake is a highly prized, moderately sized snake. Cages should be escape proof, complete with water and hiding area. Kingsnakes and milksnakes should be housed separately (except during breeding season, of course) because they are cannibalistic. More >>

Green Anaconda: Captive green anacondas do best when given water containers in which to soak and swim, it is important to remember that the size of the water container will need to increase to accommodate the growing anaconda. More >>

Green Mamba: This snake is dangerously venomous. As it is with all mambas the elongate, flat-sided head is often referred to as coffin-shaped. When stressed an eastern green mamba may elevate the forward portion of its body and flatten its neck into a narrow but discernible hood. More >>

Green Tree Python: Green tree pythons exhibit dramatic ontogenetic color change as they mature (i.e., juveniles may be yellow, red, etc. and turn green as they grow older). As adults, green tree pythons can be found in a wide range of green shades, sometimes with a smattering of blue coloration, as well. More >>

Hognose: (All Hognose species.) More >>

Honduran Milk Snake: The Honduran milk snake is a very popular tricolored milksnake. It is commonly bred in captivity with several different phases including the "milk snake phase" and the "tangerine phase." Cages should be escape proof, complete with water and hiding area. More >>

Indian Cobra: Herpetologists recently have recognized two full species from within the old Naja naja: Naja kaouthia, the monocellate cobra, found from southeastern India to Thailand and Malaysia; and Naja naja proper, the Indian spectacled cobra, found in Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan. More >>

Indigo Snake: This is a state and federally threatened species. Much mystique accompanies the eastern indigo snake that despite its endangered status it remains coveted by hobbyists. States where indigos are indigenous usually prohibit hobbyists from having the snakes. More >>

Inland Taipan / Fierce Snake: Though large, the inland taipan is a relatively sedentary snake that spends much of its time in hiding. A single specimen could be housed in a large terrarium at least 4 to 6 feet long and 4 feet high; make sure there is sufficient room to safely clean the terrarium. More >>

Kenyan Sand Boa: Several specimens can be kept in a 20-gallon terrarium with a bed of loose sand at least 3 or 4 inches thick on the bottom. Hiding places in the form of cork bark or ceramic decorations can be partially buried in the sand. More >>

King Cobra: Housing a snake that is quick, intelligent, and deadly, as well as over 12 feet long, can be challenging. When kept, they usually are given their own enclosures, one pair per enclosure. More >>

Kingsnake: (All Kingsnake species.) More >>

Long-nosed Snake: Long-nosed snakes are generally considered difficult to keep and are notorious escape artists. Keep specimens singly for best results. The snake should be given a terrarium of about body length with a loose sand bottom about 2 inches deep and a piece of bark or slightly raised rockwork. More >>

Mangrove Snake: As a large, arboreal species, the mangrove snake needs a large terrarium at least 4 feet long and 3 or 4 feet high. There should be many climbing branches, vines and resting platforms in the terrarium, especially near the top, as this species takes it food by ambushing it from above. More >>

Mexican Hognose: This species often has been considered a southern subspecies of the western hognose, Heterodon nasicus, but recently has been elevated to species rank. More >>

Mexican Milk Snake: One of the most attractive and easiest milk snakes to care for, a Mexican milk snake will be at home in a 20-gallon terrarium with a secure screen top. The substrate can be aspen or a mixture of sand and potting soil about 2 inches deep. Newspaper can also be used. Keep specimens individually. More >>

Milk Snake: (All Milk Snake species.) More >>

Nelson's Milk Snake: The red rings of Nelson's milk snake number 13 to 18. It has a predominantly black snout and very little white flecking. Cages should be escape proof, complete with water and hiding area. More >>

Northern Copperhead: Known also by the vernaculars of chunk head and highland moccasin, the venomous northern copperhead is a relatively slow moving, abundant, viperine snake. It is heavy bodied and has the namesake coppery-orange or coppery-russet head. More >>

Python: (All Python species.) More >>

Rat Snake: (All Rat Snake species.) More >>

Red Rat Snake: Members of the rat snake clan can have stripes, blotches, or a combination of stripes and blotches; even unicolored species can be found. Corn snakes have an attractive "checkerboard" pattern on their ventral surfaces. Color of the ventral scales is usually black and white. More >>

Red-tailed Boa Constrictor: A fast-growing species, young specimens rapidly outgrow small terraria. Plan for the adult with a vertical terrarium at least 3 feet square at the base and 3 or 4 feet high. More >>

Reticulated Python: Some reticulated pythons are sweet-tempered and trustworthy, however, many, especially wild-caught specimens, have nervous and irritable dispositions and simply do not make satisfactory captives. More >>

Rhinoceros Viper: Most specimens are wild-caught and should be thoroughly vetted for intestinal and other parasites, neck problems and paramyxovirus infection (“star-gazing disease”). They also may be severely dehydrated and need to be soaked as they adapt to the terrarium. More >>

Rosy Boa: Many workers now place this species in the genus Charina along with the rubber boa. Long considered one of the easiest snakes to care for, rosy boas are at home in a small, dry terrarium with minimal decorations. More >>

Rough Green Snake: The terrarium for this arboreal snake should be vertical and well-ventilated. Try using a mesh cage (usually sold for chameleons) or turn a 20-gallon aquarium on end and use a mesh lid for the front of the terrarium. More >>

Rubber Boa: Specimens from scattered populations in Southern California often are considered a full species, the southern rubber boa, Charina umbratica. Rubber boas do well in a small terrarium of 10 gallons and need little in the way of special conditions. More >>

Ruthven's Kingsnake: Ruthven's kingsnake is an unusual species by itself, with no subspecies. Cages should be escape proof, complete with water and hiding area. Kingsnakes and milk snakes must be housed separately (except during the breeding season) because they are cannibalistic. More >>

San Francisco Garter Snake: This subspecies is considered endangered and is protected by federal law in the U.S. As such it cannot be legally kept or sold without special permits. It is occasionally available in the European market as captive-bred specimens. More >>

Scarlet Kingsnake: The scarlet kingsnake is considered a full species, Lampropeltis elapsoides, by many herpetologists. Considered one of the most challenging kingsnakes to keep because of its small size and the difficulty of finding proper food, scarlet kingsnakes are also notorious escape artists. More >>

Sea Snake: Few zoos or individuals have had much success keeping sea kraits for long, as they need large pools of warm salt water as well as rocks and other dry areas on which to bask. More >>

Sidewinder: Widely known because of the erect scales over its eyes and distinctive sidewinding movement across loose sand, this little rattlesnake can be difficult to adapt to the terrarium. More >>

Sinaloan Milk Snake: A big, beautiful milk snake, this is one of the most popular snakes for beginning keepers because it is so easy to care for. Specimens must be kept singly because of the risk of a larger snake eating a smaller one, as is the case for all Lampropeltis species. More >>

South Florida Kingsnake: The South Florida kingsnake is known as the palest of the kingsnakes, as it occurs in a "bone" or lemon-yellow coloration. Cages should be escape proof, complete with water and hiding area. More >>

Spectacled Cobra: Herpetologists recently have recognized two full species from within the old Naja naja: Naja kaouthia, the monocellate cobra, found from southeastern India to Thailand and Malaysia; and Naja naja proper, the Indian spectacled cobra, found in Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan. More >>

Spotted Python: The spotted python requires clean enclosures with good ventilation. Most snakes will climb if branches or platforms are provided. Hide boxes should also be provided. All captive snakes require fresh water to drink in bowls made of nonporous materials. More >>

St. Helena Mountain Kingsnake: The St. More >>

Taiwan Beauty Snake: The generic name of this species has only recently been changed from Elaphe. Wild collected individuals are often very defensive and may injure their snouts by striking against the glass of their terrarium. They will bite. More >>

Trans-Pecos Rat Snake: Trans-Pecos rat snakes have a tremendous following in the United States. The Trans-Pecos rat snake has large, slightly protruding eyes, a pleasing pattern consisting of a series of dark, H-shaped blotches on the dorsum and a docile demeaner. More >>

Venomous: (All Venomous species.) . More >>

Water Moccasin: Some of the many vernacular names for this snake are water moccasin, swamp adder and trapjaw. This is a rather slow moving, abundant, viperine snake that is quite apt to stand its ground rather than run if frightened. More >>

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake: The terrarium should be about 4 feet square for the largest adults and tall enough to allow easy maintenance. Keep the substrate simple and easy to clean. Indoor-outdoor carpeting is suggested. A water bowl should be available at all times, as this species does well at a moderate humidity. More >>

Western Green Rat Snake: The western green rat snake is very rare in the United States, although there have been many sightings in Mexico. Members of the rat snake clan can have stripes, blotches, or a combination of stripes and blotches; even unicolored species can be found. More >>

Western Hognose / Plains Hognose: Specimens can be kept in 10-gallon terraria or plastic tubs on a substrate of 2 to 4 inches of shredded aspen or loose sand. The substrate should never be allowed to become wet, but a small bowl of water should be kept in the terrarium. More >>

Yellow Anaconda: Yellow anacondas are known for their ornery temperament and willingness to bite, but there are exceptions. More >>

Yellow Rat Snake: The taxonomy of the American rat snakes is currently being debated and changes often. Some workers do not recognize the subspecies quadrivittata as distinct from the main species, and some prefer to use the name Elaphe alleghaniensis for eastern U.S. More >>

Yellow-lipped Sea Krait: Few zoos or individuals have had much success keeping sea kraits for long, as they need large pools of warm salt water as well as rocks and other dry areas on which to bask. More >>