Snake Habitat

Approximately 2,900 species of snakes are found on the planet, which are eventually categorized into 15 families and 456 genus. One can notice immense diversity in these carnivorous reptile species. On one hand, there is the Thread snake, with an average length of around 10 cm, and on the other, there is the Anaconda, with an average length of around 25 ft. Some of these snakes are venomous, while most of them are non-venomous. Among the several interesting facts about these reptiles, their habitat is perhaps the one which is most neglected.

Snake Habitat in Wild

As in the case of their appearance, one can observe a great deal of diversity in their natural habitat as well. Basically, snakes are found in almost all the biomes of the world. They exist everywhere, right from the dense forests of South America and Asia to the harsh deserts of North America and Africa. While the habitat of King cobra is restricted to the dense forests of Southeast Asia, that of the rattlesnake spans the vast arid regions of the southwestern United States. Similarly, the eastern coral snakes are found in the pine and scrub oak sandhills of North America, while the ball pythons are found in the grasslands and Savannas of Africa.

More information on the habitat of some commonly occurring snake species:

• King Cobra
• Rattlesnake
• Anaconda
• Ball Python
• Green Tree Python

In some regions, these snakes cohabit with humans as well - a deadly combination which results in harm to either one of the two. These reptiles also inhabit the water bodies. In fact, there are approximately 52 species of sea snakes in the world, the pelagic sea snake being the most common. These snakes have adapted themselves quite well to their natural habitat. The best example of snake adaptations is the flattened tail of sea snakes, which facilitates locomotion in the water. The coloration of copperhead snake found in the deciduous forests and dense woodlands of North America compliments its natural surroundings very well. In fact, the camouflage is so perfect that it is very difficult to spot a copperhead lying among the dry leaves in this region.

Captive Habitat

Ophidiophobia, i.e. the abnormal fear of snakes, is one of the most common phobia in the world, and this very fact explains why snakes are not as popular pets as other animals of the kingdom Animalia. King snakes, corn snakes, ball pythons, etc., are some of the snake species which are quite popular as pets. If you are one of the very few people who would like to have any of these snakes as pets, you need to be well versed with their habitat in the wild - on the basis of which you will have to prepare a habitat in captivity.

How to Prepare an Ideal Habitat for your Pet Snake?
The size of the aquarium in which you will house your pet snake will depend on the size of the snake itself. The bigger the snake the larger should be the aquarium. It is wiser to opt for a large aquarium in the very beginning, as these reptiles tend to grow quite fast. Snakes being cold blooded animals require some source of warming in their habitat. A warming pad that can heat the aquarium from the bottom is the best bet. When it comes to substrate, a plain newspaper works well in most of the cases. However, if it is a burrowing snake species, you will have to resort to potting soil or sand as the substrate. You can also opt for reptile carpets available in the pet stores. If it is some tree climbing species such as the corn snake, habitat should include some branches to facilitate climbing opportunities for it. The habitat of a snake in captivity should also include a source of drinking water, most ideally in form of a dish. More importantly, you need to ensure that the temperature and humidity levels are optimum.

As we mentioned earlier, you need to get the basics of the habitat right if you intend to keep a snake as a pet. However, that doesn't mean you would waste time by going through this information about snakes, if you don't intend to have one as a pet. The fact is that there are so many interesting things to know about snakes, and the habitat of snakes is just one of them.