Things to know about Snakes before you buy one:
Research! Do your research! This will not only help you understand what you’re getting into but gets you more prepared, fascinated and excited about your new pet. There are a million ways to do any one thing, all or none of them could be right for you. Doing your own research will help you be well equipped to figure out if any of those million ways is relevant to you and your situation.
I always tell people to read several different versions of something and assess the one that makes the most sense. Do not take as gospel what one person offers you as advice. Ask several different people and make your mind up with a little of your own added common sense. Read up, look at pictures, see how other keepers do their thing and learn from them. Doing this research yourself will save you from taking one of the said ‘experts’ advice and being unequipped and confused if/when something goes wrong.
- Snakes have long life spans.
- Some species require large enclosures – make sure that you can cater for the adult sized enclosure as well as the hatchie size.
- Snakes can bite. This does not mean that they will, however as an animal with very little other defensive mechanisms, a threatened or frightened animal will use their teeth to ask you to leave them alone. Bites can be avoided by paying close attention to the behaviour of your snake. Young snakes are a bit more prone to being defensive – with time and patience most individuals outgrow this behaviour.
- It is illegal to take your pet off your property unless travelling to a vet or a licenced dealer – not to school to show the kids, not to the local park, not to a photography studio. There are other available licences that would allow you to do this; contact DPAW.
- Owning a reptile licence comes with responsibilities – it is similar to a drivers’ licence. You need to pay a yearly fee for renewal and you must also submit an annual keeper’s return sheet.
- Pythons are primitive animals driven by survival instincts. Most individuals are very tolerant of handling whereas some would prefer to be left alone.
WA Python Care 