HOUSE SNAKE CARE GUIDE

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House snakes will thrive in many types of housing depending on your preference as a hobbyist or breeder. Housing size will be determined by what stage of life your house snake is in. Security of the housing must be considered at all stages of life as house snakes are very good at escaping!

Hatchling: Hatchling are small and escape easily through holes or gaps in enclosures.  A secure faunarium or tupperware container can be a cost-effective housing option. 

Juvenile:  Freedom Breeder FB5, Vision V-15,  Reptile Basics I160, Vivarium Electronics 108-8, Sterlite 6QT tubs (latching lid) 

Subadult:  Freedom Breeder FB10, Vision V-18, Vivarium Electronics 108-11, Sterilite 12QT (latching lid), 10 gallon tank

Adult: Freedom Breeder FB40, Vision V-35S, Sterilite 32QT (latching lid),  20 gallon tank

House snakes will thrive on many types of substrate depending on your preference as a keeper or breeder.  They have fast metabolisms and will defecate often therefore your substrate should be absorbent and easy to  clean. Options for substrate include newspaper, sanichips, aspen shavings and coco. 

We use paper towel for hatchlings until they have at least 3-5 meals and then they are moved onto sanichips.

House snakes appreciate hides and there are many options for this. Our favorite are the Reptile Basics hide boxes. The You and Me Hamster dishes double as a hide and water dish for small enclosures.

In addition to a basic hide, artificial foliage, bark, branches, rocks may be added to the keepers preference. When available house snakes will perch on branches.

House snakes  require a temperature gradient to thermoregulate their bodies. Generally, the temperature  of the cool side should be 70-75◦ F (21-24◦ C) and the  temperature of the warm side should be around 86-90◦ F (30-32◦ C). Although this temperature gradient will work for all of the house snakes , due to distribution and differences in habitat some of the specialized species will thrive better with minor changes to these temperatures.  Heating can be provided by a variety of heat sources including belly heat or heat lights or ceramic heat emitters depending on the housing set up.  

We have always kept our house snakes at an ambient temperature (in South Africa and now in Rhode Island). Our room range is between 28-30◦ F (82.4◦-86◦C).

Generally, humidity requirements are between 40-60%. Depending on your ambient humidity, housing type and substate you will need to adjust humidity accordingly. Typically, if your house snake is shedding with out any issues that your humidity is high enough. If shedding is an issue, a moist hide can be beneficial when it comes time for them to shed their skin.

House Snakes are voracious feeders. Although they will eagerly accept meals at shorter intervals, feeding  appropriate sized meal once weekly is more than adequate.  Hatchlings can be started on small pink mice. Adult males will max out on mice hoppers and females max out on adult mice. They are very effective constrictors with excellent aim and perfectly coil their prey. 

Most species of house snake will readily accept frozen thawed prey, but B. fuliginosus is notorious for preferring live prey.

Hatchlings can be skittish. By they time they get to their juvenile size they tame down and are easy to handle.  Once tamed down they handle like a miniature python and are quite relaxed.