So you think you want a snake?

The following is a list of the snakes that are available to buy without the need for any form of license.

And the reasons for NOT buying them!
American Federation of Herpetoculturist's official guidelines on keeping large snakes.

Anacondas Info

Combine huge size and nasty temperament in a powerful body.

 
Burmese pythons Info

Huge and generally nice, but involved in increasing numbers of human fatalities due to owner stupidity. This snake is becoming a frequent resident in reptile rescue homes. For why and more info click Here

 
Hognose Info

While generally nice and docile, they are rear fanged and mildly venomous; the Eastern only eat toads.

 
Rainbow boa Info

A sweet moderately sized boa with very critical humidity requirements.

 

Red-tail boas
also known as
Boa Constrictor

Not as huge as Anacondas, Burmese or Reticulated Pythons, but, based on the increasing numbers being dumped on rescues, even 10 feet is too much for some people.

 
Reticulated pythons

See Anaconda.

 
Any tree boa or python

Many tend to have very specific humidity and dietary needs, and with their testy temperament and very long, bird-snagging teeth, can deliver a painful bite.

 
Water snakes

Some garters are okay, (but require live fish) but most tend to be testy and finding and maintaining the proper water pH can be a problem.

 
Wild caught garter, kings, gophers, etc. Many are difficult to feed on what we have to offer them in captivity, and in most places it is illegal to capture wild birds and mammals to feed them


Anaconda: Eunectes murinus
Distribution: Much of northern South America and Trinidad.
Habitat: Semi-aquatic; restricted to swamps, marshes and river valleys.
Food: A constrictor capable of subduing and consuming prey the size of young tapirs. Often uses water to conceal itself from prey that includes mammals, aquatic birds, Caymans and crocodiles.
Breeding: Live-bearing; between 10 and 50 young normally.


Burmese Python: Python molurus bivittatus & P. m. molurus
Distribution: Southern Asia. Pakistan in the west to southern China in the east, and south to the Malay Archipelago.
Habitat: Often found near water, this sluggish python waits patiently for prey either coiled on the ground or hanging below a branch. In the cooler parts of its range it becomes torpid during the winter. Bharatpur Reserve in India is famous for its "hibernating" pythons.
Food: Subdues mammals and birds by constriction. There is even a record of a 6 metre (20ft) python killing and eating a leopard.
Breeding: Lays as many as 100 eggs. The female coils around them till they hatch, twitching her muscles to generate heat if the air temperature becomes to cool.



Western Hognose: Heterodon nasicus
Distribution: Southern Canada ranging south in a wide band through much of central USA and down into northern Mexico.
Habitat: Prefers open land, prairies, sparse woodland, farmland, floodplains and into semi-arid and canyon areas. Uses its broad snout to burrow and its enlarged back teeth in holding prey.
Food: Mildly venomous. Toads are this snake's staple food, but it will also take frogs, salamanders, lizards, snakes and reptile eggs.
Breeding: A clutch of about 4-23 eggs is laid.

Eastern Hognose: Heterodon platyrhinos
Distribution: Much of eastern and central USA.
Habitat: Active during the day it spends most of its time foraging for prey, often burrowing into root systems to locate toads. Like the Western Hognose, it will feign death as well as inflate the neck and strike.
Food: Mildly venomous. Toads form the majority of its diet, but, frogs may also be eaten.
Breeding: Lays a clutch of 5-61 eggs.



Rainbow Boa: Epicrates cenchria cenchria
Distribution: Through much of northern South America and into the Amazon Basin. Other Rainbow Boa sub-species range over most of South America.
Habitat: Found in forests, woodland and plains.
Food: A constrictor, feeding on small mammals and birds.
Breeding: Live-bearing, producing litters of around 20 young.

 

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