Setting Up A Snake Enclosure

One of the first things you will be doing after you purchased your new snake enclosure is setting it up. Now I'm not going to say there is a defined right way or wrong way to set up a snake cage, however some ways are better than others. So that means I don't claim to know the best way that will work for you, these are just the basics, plus some tips and tricks to get you going in the right direction. But I'm sure if you follow them you will have a kick ass enclosure for your snake.

Now let's get on with it. So you've got your new habitat or maybe you built yourself custom snake cages on your own. If so good for you. No matter which option you chose these steps are ones that you will probably be following.

So when you get the new snake enclosure set up in a place that you want it, the first step will be to clean it out with a reptile friendly cage cleaner. These products are readily available online, and I don't need to be promoting any one's product. If you are in doubt you can always schlep yourself over to the local pet store and see what type of products they recommend. Personally, I rather order online and have it shipped to me, but that is the cheap and easy way.

The next step is to prepare the substrate or floor of your new cage. Now I've covered this before so I'll just go into the short hand for it. You have a few different options, from the cheap and easy to maintain to the beautiful and difficult to maintain. A lot depends on you, and where your snake cage is going to be located.

The easy method is just to use some newspaper and throw it out when needed. However it is ugly and your snake won't enjoy it like it would something closer to it's natural habitat. The high end you can use soil, but this is hard to clean and maintain as your snake lives in there. There are a couple of products in between that both look good and will make your snake happy. There is fake soil and a substrate that is looser and thus easier to clean and remove. The choice is up to you.

The next step is to get your snake a habitat that is right for it. If they are a tree snake they want an elevated branch to perch on as they live most of their lives above ground. If they are a boa or corn snake for example they will want and enclosure where they can stay and feel protected. What ever is right for your snake, get it situated in the cage.

Next up is the all important water bowl. Have the dish positioned in one part of the cage so that the snake can get to it and drink. I prefer a heavier bowl that is weighed down so that my snake can not tip it over and spill the water all over the enclosure. Bear in mind that snakes not only drink from the water, but also bath and defecate in it. This means you will need to make sure the water is changed as often as necessary.

You will also want to make sure that your snake enclosure has a tight fitting lid. A snake can escape from the smallest opening and you don't want your reptile friend wandering around the house. You can secure it with something like bungee cords. Or order on of the cage clamps that keep the lid on the habitat from a pet supplier.

Some other things you will want to consider, but I'll cover in another article is humidity and temperature. There are options to help you control those as well, but they are too detailed to go into here.

So there you have it. Setting up a snake enclosure just takes those easy steps. However you may find that even though it is easy, it may take you some time.