When I tell people I have a pet snake, I usually get one of two responses: an “oh, cool” or an uneasy “you have a what?” More often than not, though, I find myself defending why having a pet snake is actually really cool. Truth be told, it’s one of the most rewarding decisions I’ve made.
I’ve always been fascinated by reptiles. Growing up, I’d make PowerPoint presentations about bearded dragons and Jackson chameleons, trying to convince my parents to let me have at least one. They, unfortunately, always said no, as did my roommate in my first year of college.
So, when I started living alone, I thought it’d be the perfect time to exercise some college-life freedom. “Why’d it have to be a snake?” you might be asking. Great question, and an even greater Indiana Jones quote.
Dispelling the Rumors
First things first: no, my pet snake won’t eat me in my sleep.
I understand why people are scared of snakes; after all, I’m a little terrified of spiders. The misconceptions people have around having a pet snake, though, are mostly due to misinformation about the species as pets.
For example, my snake is a ball python, sometimes called a royal python. What’s interesting about this species is that they’re named after their defense mechanism. Instead of a more aggressive reaction, when ball pythons feel stressed or threatened, they ball up and hide their heads.
My snake isn’t aggressive. She’d much rather sit in my lap and watch videos on an iPad than bite me. While this might be attributed to her own individual personality (that of an iPad kid), her species isn’t inherently aggressive towards humans.
While you might hear the word “python” and immediately think of the Burmese pythons in the Everglades, my snake is far from that. Burmese pythons lie more in the 10 to 20 feet long range, a vast difference from the usual three to five feet that ball pythons grow to. So, it’d actually be impossible for a ball python to “size up” a human because snakes can only eat meals that are as wide as their own body. Ball pythons, on average, tend to grow to be four inches wide.
Having an Independent Pet
More surprising than how docile snakes can be, though, is the level of maintenance that comes with taking care of one. Ball pythons can live for over twenty years, making my pet ownership a bit of a commitment. However, the day-to-day care for my snake is pretty simple.
She lives in a terrarium that has monitored heat and humidity levels with a UVB light on a day-night cycle. Each day, I check the levels in her terrarium, adjust if necessary, and check her water bowl. That’s pretty much it.
Of course, if she’s in shed, there’s some extra care to make sure her terrarium conditions are comfortable for her, but the shedding process only takes about a week and occurs every six weeks or so. Ball pythons only require meals once a week or every other week, depending on their age and size, which is pretty nice for a college student who’s always busy. Cleaning her terrarium follows a similar schedule.
Another benefit? Many snakes, including ball pythons, are nocturnal. So, when I’m in classes all day, my pet snake is asleep, and when I’m coming home late at night, she’s awake and stays up with me while I do homework or watch movies.
Admittedly, I spoil my pet a bit. Enrichment is important for any animal, and this includes snakes. Part of her care includes taking her out of her terrarium and letting her explore my couch or watch the television. You’d be shocked to learn that she loves it when you turn on the PlayStation and give her a disconnected controller to mess with while you actually play the game. I also take the time to rearrange her terrarium occasionally, getting her new decorations, which is probably the most time-consuming element of taking care of a snake.
Forming Trust
One thing that people seem to bring up frequently is that a bond with a snake will never be the same as the bond you can have with another animal. It’s true; the way my dog greets me is completely different from how my snake just kind of stares at me from her terrarium. This doesn’t mean that there isn’t any bond, though.
I notice it the most when I handle her. When I hold her, there’s an ease to it. She doesn’t tense up or act scared. Rather, she makes her way up my arm and rests there. Sometimes she’ll play peek-a-boo through my hair or sit in the pockets of my hoodie. When she’s around other people, though, she freezes. She makes herself smaller and watches her surroundings with a hesitant air.
I’ll be the first to admit it. It’s a little crazy that I just have a snake in my apartment. However, it’s so interesting to have an animal like a snake that feels comfortable with me the way she does. It’s a two-way street. She trusts me to handle her, and I trust her not to scare my friends off when I have them over.
There’s a peacefulness that’s formed when she hangs out with me, and it’s different from having a pet dog or cat. That’s what’s so cool about it! When all else fails, though, I always have an exciting, fun fact to share about myself.
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