If you have limited space but are looking to bring another scaly friend into your life, you might be wondering about the best small snakes for pets.
While bigger snakes can make great pets and many are easy for beginners to care for, they require much larger enclosures. This means they’re more expensive and take up more room than smaller snakes.
Though they’re often overlooked in favor of more popular breeds, tiny pet snakes can make a great first reptile and will be easier for children to handle. Plus, they’re just plain adorable! Don’t let their cute looks fool you, though. You’ll still have to do the proper research before purchasing one.
Before bringing home a snake and giving it a name, you must ensure you’re able to provide adequate care. Consider the size and husbandry requirements of each breed you have in mind. Doing so will give you a better idea of how to prepare for your new pet and what you should expect.
Read on to find out about the best pet snakes that stay small.
TOP PICK: THE ULTIMATE SMALL SNAKE
After examining the top small pet snakes, by far the ultimate choice for experienced and new keepers alike is the rosy boa.
Rosy boas are considered calm, friendly snakes and one of the easiest species to care for. They are slow-movers, so they’re easy to handle and are not a huge escape risk. They also have a very long life span. Some in captivity have lived to be 25 years and more!
With their minimal husbandry requirements, there’s not much that can go wrong with their care, especially if you do your research beforehand.
Read on to learn more about whether a rosy boa is a good fit for you!
The Best Small Snakes for Pets
Snakes can be rewarding pets, but not everyone has the room for a large enclosure to house a giant breed. Luckily, there are many pet snakes that stay small.
While there is no shortage of options, deciding between them is not a simple task. Not only should size be a consideration, but also the care requirements and temperament of each snake species. You might be wondering how you’ll ever choose!
Feeling overwhelmed and not sure where to begin? Listed below are some of the best small snakes to keep as pets for both experienced and first-time reptile keepers.
Rosy Boa
Rosy boas are calm-tempered snakes and relatively easy to handle for beginners. They typically have a light base with brown or red-orange stripes down their body. They’re slow-moving in comparison to other snake breeds, which is a plus if you’ve never owned a snake before.
These snakes can grow up to about three feet long and require at least a 20-gallon enclosure. Because they are native to the desert, you’ll need to ensure that their humidity stays low.
Unlike many other beginner-friendly snakes, rosy boas are not always easy to find. You will likely have to purchase through a breeder or reptile expo if this is the species you decide to purchase.
You should also keep in mind that rosy boas are natural burrowers. They love to hide, so the reality is that you may not get to watch or interact with them as often as you’d like. This is something you’ll definitely want to consider before purchasing one for a young child or if you’re someone who wants to handle their snake frequently.
Rosy boas can live to be 25 years old or even older, so make sure you’re committed to keeping them that long before getting one!
Western Hognose
Known for their unique appearance, western hognoses are a great option if you’re looking for a cute little pet snake breed. True to their name, they possess an upturned scale on their nose that closely resembles a pig’s snout.
These snakes vary in size, ranging from around 15 inches to three feet in length. They require at least a 20-gallon enclosure, but since females are typically larger, up to a 40-gallon is often recommended.
While western hognoses are rarely aggressive and can be easily handled by beginners, they do display defensive behaviors if they feel threatened or irritated in any way. One of the most common is playing dead. This can be alarming if you’re unsure of what’s happening or you’re a new snake keeper!
Another thing you should consider before purchasing a hognose is that their diet in the wild usually consists of small amphibians, such as toads! Because of this, it’s sometimes difficult to get them to eat rodents, so feeding can be a challenge at first.
Though they do have a few downfalls, this snake breed still makes a wonderful pet, especially if you want something that is more unique-looking than your typical snake!
Garter Snake
Of all the small pet snake breeds out there, the garter snake is probably one of the most common. They do not have complicated care needs, making them well-suited to beginner snake keepers.
They only grow to be about two feet long and can live happily in a 15- or 20-gallon enclosure. Not only that, but their temperature requirements are as easy as it gets. They thrive at around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, which is close to room temperature in most modern homes.
Like western hognoses, garter snakes will also display defensive behavior if they feel scared or threatened. When spooked, they produce a secretion from the glands at the base of the tail that can be foul-smelling. With that said, some are more tolerant of being handled than others.
Because garter snakes are commonly found in the wild, many sold to new owners are wild-caught. They often do not adjust well, so you’ll want to ensure that you purchase from a reputable pet store or breeder that sells only captive-bred snakes.
Additionally, they have an average lifespan of only eight to ten years, which is very short compared to many other breeds.
Children’s Python
If you’re intimidated by the larger size of the popular ball python, maybe a Children’s python will be more your style! Named after John George Children, who discovered them, these snakes are native to northern Australia. This species is often overlooked, but due to their simple care requirements, they make a great reptile for first-timers and experienced keepers.
Children’s pythons are considered a semi-arboreal species, meaning they will climb when given the chance. In the wild, they often climb trees and have even been known to hunt bats!
With that being said, having both floor space and places to climb in the
One of the bigger species on our list, Children’s pythons typically grow to around three or four feet in length. This means they’ll require a slightly larger enclosure, which can be more expensive if you’re on a tight budget.
Additionally, you should try to keep the humidity in the enclosure around the 50 to 60% range. This will allow them to shed more easily and thrive in their habitat.
Milk Snake
Milk snakes range a lot in size but are most commonly between two and three feet long. They have a beautiful and striking pattern that is very similar to that of a coral snake, which is highly venomous.
Don’t be mistaken, though! Though they look almost identical to corals, milk snakes aren’t venomous. In fact, a bite from one is akin to a scratch or scrape.
This is because they don’t actually have fangs, and their teeth are very small so a bite from one of them is unlikely to hurt you. Not that they are likely to bite you anyway, because they are one of the more docile snake species available.
Because of their calm nature, milk snakes are a great option to keep as a pet. And, of course, they’re beautiful to look at!
In terms of care, you will ideally need to provide an enclosure that is at least 40 gallons. They also need a temperature gradient in the tank, ranging from mid-70s to mid-80s across the enclosure. This will allow them to regulate their body temperature and digest their food properly.
Kenyan Sand Boa
True to their name, Kenyan sand boas love to burrow in the sand. Native to northern Africa, they grow to be around two feet long and can live to be roughly 25 years old.
Because they tend to burrow, they can thrive in a relatively bare enclosure with few decorations. A cluttered
Though Kenyan sand boas are even-tempered and passive, they do have a reputation for being flighty. This means that they are more likely to get startled and try to flee or escape your hands. If you don’t have quick reflexes to catch them before they get away, this could result in a panic!
Depending on the way you look at it, though, this can also be a positive. Because they tend to flee rather than attack when threatened, you have a very small chance of getting a bite from one of these snakes.
FAQs on Small Pet Snake Breeds
What is the smallest breed of snake?
Barbados threadsnakes are believed to be the smallest snake breed in the world. They are a burrowing species native to eastern Barbados and are roughly the same width as a strand of spaghetti. These snakes are so tiny that they might even be mistaken for a worm at first glance!
As adults, Barbados threadsnakes only grow to a length of about four inches at the biggest. Because they’re so small, they are unable to hunt rodents or small amphibians like other snakes.
Instead, they feed primarily on insect larvae buried beneath the soil. Their diet consists mostly of ant and termite eggs.
These snakes are adorable and pretty much harmless, so you might think they would make a great choice to keep as a pet; however, this species is quite uncommon in the wild and very rarely kept in captivity. Still, they are fascinating snakes and definitely worth mentioning!
What is the best small snake for beginners?
All things considered, rosy boas are probably the best choice if you’re a beginner and want a pet snake that will stay small. With their beautiful striped pattern and calm demeanor, you can’t go wrong with a rosy!
Rosy boas have an exceptionally long life span and are easy to care for. They love to burrow and hide, but can also be quite friendly when handled.
Additionally, they are pretty slow-moving when compared to other snake species, so they can be easier to work with if you’re feeling intimidated or nervous about holding your new pet.
Another great option for beginners is a corn snake, though they are considered medium-sized. While they do grow to be a bit larger than a rosy boa, they too have very simple care requirements and a docile temperament. It’s also rare for them to bite, which is another reason they make a perfect choice for beginners.
Is there a snake that doesn’t bite?
All snakes have the potential to bite if they feel spooked or irritated. If you startle them, there’s a chance they’ll see you as a threat and may strike at you.
There are many docile species, however, that are not prone to aggressive behavior and will rarely bite humans. Others, like milk snakes, don’t have fangs, so a bite is going to be very mild or might not even hurt at all. If you are particularly worried about getting bitten, one of these snakes may be the best fit for you.
At the end of the day, you have to keep in mind that snakes aren’t domesticated pets like dogs and cats are. This means that they have basic instincts that will be triggered under certain circumstances, such as biting when spooked.
If you’re going to get a pet snake, you’ll need to accept the fact that you may get bitten someday. It’s just a fact of life as a snake keeper, but it doesn’t mean you did anything wrong or that your snake doesn’t like you. It simply means that something made them feel scared or upset for a moment.
You are more likely to get bitten when your snake is hungry, has just fed, or is about to shed than any other time. Avoid handling them under these circumstances to reduce your chances of being bitten.
Do snakes love their owners?
The truth is, snakes don’t really feel love or affection for their owners. You might be disappointed to learn this fact, but it’s nothing personal.
Have you ever heard the term “lizard brain?” Just like lizards and other reptiles, snakes’ brains are simply incapable of processing deep emotions like love.
This doesn’t mean that your pet snake won’t grow to recognize and trust you. Some even enjoy coming out of their enclosures to explore and be handled by their keeper. It’s all going to depend on your snake’s individual personality; some will enjoy their time out more than others.
In the reptile world, gaining your pet’s trust is the ultimate form of connection. Just because they can’t express emotion like you would doesn’t mean that your relationship isn’t something special!
Last Word Before Slithering Off
Though there are many big snakes out there that are popular and well-known, don’t overlook the smaller breeds. They can be just as fun and may be easier to keep than their larger counterparts! Trying to decide which one is the best fit for you can be overwhelming, so hopefully this list has helped.
The best tiny snake breeds all have a few things in common: they are adorable, fun to own, and have manageable care requirements that both rookies and seasoned reptile enthusiasts can handle.
Not only that, but with their smaller enclosure needs you’ll have more space to fuel your reptile obsession! With all that in mind, there’s no way to go wrong with one of these small scaly pets!
