There are more than 3400 species of snakes on earth, and not all of them are an ideal addition to your home. However, snakes that don’t grow big are an excellent starting point if you are a beginner pet reptile owner. The small species are also an excellent choice if you live with young children or relatives who know nothing about snakes. Most small snakes are so cute and little to fit in your palm. They are also non-threatening and are much easier to handle safely and care for as home pets.
For starters, we will discuss 15 best snakes for beginners that stay small. They are non-venomous reptiles that are easy to handle by even a novice. Additionally, we will discuss why a small snake is a perfect option for you and useful tips to help you provide ultimate pet care for your slithering friend.
Rosy Boa
Rosy Boa will definitely find a special place in your heart. The pet comes in beautiful three stripes of orange, brown, and black, running down their body. It is a desert snake native to northwestern Mexico, and the southwestern U.S. Rosy Boas are a hardy snake species that are easy to care for.
The snakes grow to an adult size of 17 to 44 inches only. Besides, the species are calm and possess a more than average feeding response. You can feed the pet one adult mouse every 7 to 10 days. They also enjoy climbing and burrowing and prefer aspen shavings substrates that help keep humidity levels at a low. An ideal enclosure for the snake should be a 20-gallon long aquarium with a temperature of 70 – 75 degrees on the cool side and 84 to 86 degrees on the hot side. You should keep the enclosure humidity at less than 50 percent at all times. One husbandry mistake to avoid with this species is keeping high humidity levels in their enclosure, which may cause fungal and respiratory diseases. In terms of availability, Rosy Boa is widely available as a captivity breed. You may also find the snakes in other colors depending on your location.
Lifespan: 25 years
Length: 17 to 44 inches
Availability: Widely available
Western Hognose
Western Hognose is a fascinating small snake with amusing defensive behaviors. It is common for the snake to hood up like a cobra, lie down flat, or play dead when facing imminent danger. However, these snakes rarely bite and are among the easiest to care for species ideal for pet beginners. Western Hognose originated from the United States, and they got their name form their nose that gives them an adorable pig-like appearance. The reptile grows to a length of 15 to 36 inches.
An ideal enclosure for this pet should be a 20-gallon long aquarium with a temperature of 75 to 80 degrees on the cooler side and 85 to 90 degrees on the hotter side. Keep the humidity inside the enclosure at less than 50 degrees. The snakes’ ideal enclosures should be short in height as the species prefer spending their time on underground levels. You should provide an aspen substrate to allow the pet to burrow and hide. Feeding the pet snake is easy and less costly. They naturally love eating toads and other amphibians. You can also feed them on pinkies once every 7 to 14 days. The snakes, which are becoming very popular with pet owners worldwide, are readily available in captivity.
Lifespan: 20 years
Length: 15 to 36 inches
Availability: Readily available
Kenyan Sand Boa
Kenyan Sand Boas are docile, beautiful small snakes that love spending their time burrowing in the sand. The snakes, which are natives of northern Africa, should be kept in ideal enclosures with adequate calcium substrates, aspen or coconut mulch that will help the pets to burrow.
The minimum enclosure a Kenyan Sand Boa pet should be a 10-gallon aquarium with a temperature of 75 – 80 degrees on the cooler side and 85 – 90 degrees on the hotter end. You should keep the humidity inside the enclosure at around 30 percent. The snakes readily feast on mice or rats and should be fed once every seven days to 28 days. Kenyan sand boa is readily available in captivity.
Lifespan: 25 years
Length: 15 to 32 inches
Availability: Widely available
Milk snake
Milk snakes are beautiful small species of the Kingsnake. These snakes are native to various parts of North, South, and Central America can grow to 14 to 84 inches depending on the subspecies. There are currently 24 subspecies of the milk snake, and the New Mexico Milk snake is one of the smallest and popular species across the globe.
The New Mexico milk snake grows to a length of only 18 inches. The snakes are among the ideal first choice for beginners due to their ease of care and intriguing colors. They come with red, black, and white colors that closely mimic the aggressive coral snake to ward off attacks from would-be predators. Although each species require specific care, most milk snakes will thrive in a 20-gallon aquarium with a temperature of 72 to 78 degrees on the cooler side and 85 to 89 degrees on the hotter side. You need to keep the humidity at 40 to 60 degrees. Feed the snakes one to two large adult mice every 7 to 14 days.
Lifespan: 15 years
Length: 14 to 84 inches
Availability: Widely available in 24 subspecies
Rubber Boa
Rubber Boas are intriguing pet snakes that live in the coldest environments in their natural habitats. The snakes, which are native to the western United States, can digest their meals at low temperatures of negative 60 degrees. Baby Rubber Boas can live without food for the first 12 to 18 months of their life. Adults can eat only once in several months.
Caring for this species is easy and affordable because it is built to survive prolonged periods of fasting. However, you can feed your pet on an ideal meal of pinkies or fuzzies. The snakes can grow to a length of 15 to 33 and thrive in a 10-gallon aquarium. The aquarium temperatures should be 70 to 74 degrees on the cool side and 78 to 83 degrees on the hot side. Provide humidity of fewer than 50 degrees. Rubber snakes are not prevalent in the pet trade, and there are only a few Boa breeders who are struggling to meet the enormous demand.
Lifespan: 25 years
Length: 15 to 33 inches
Availability: Not readily available. Most breeders have a long waiting list.
Sunbeam Snake
Sunbeam snake is an attractive, calm, and easy to care for a small pet snake. The pet snake, native to Southeast Asia and Indonesia, loves to spend most of its time underground. They grow to a length of between 36-48 inches and thrive in a 40-gallon aquarium with 70-75 degrees on the cooler side and 80-85 degrees on the hotter side. Besides, you should provide an ideal humidity of 80 to 100 degrees inside the enclosure.
This pet features iridescent black scales that appeals to many hobbyists. However, the snake doesn’t tolerate a lot of handling and prefers to be left alone in their enclosures. The pet has a narrow jaw composition, and you should feed it only on young rodents or amphibians two to three times a week. This pet can go for a prolonged hunger strike when exposed to stressful conditions. The rainbow sheen of their scales and calm temperament makes this snake one of the most popular small species worldwide. However, captive breeding of sunbeam snakes is difficult. Most species available on the market have been field collected.
Lifespan: 10 years
Length: 36 to 48 inches
Availability: captive breeds not readily available. Field collected species reasonably available
Viper Boa
Viper Boa is a small, docile, and easy to care for snake native to New Guinea. It has an appearance that mimics the viper’s coloration, head shape, and defensive nature. The pet snake grows to a length of up to 24-36 inches and does well in a 10-gallon aquarium. The enclosure’s ideal temperatures should be between 77 to 82 degrees on the cool side and 85 to 89 degrees on the hot side.
Viper boa thrives in wet habitats while in their natural habitats. Therefore, it is essential to provide a high humidity level of not less than 80 percent in their enclosures. You can also provide a large bowl of water for the snake to swim or rest while inside their enclosures. They also enjoy digging, and you need to deliver up to three inches of ideal substrates that retain a lot of moisture. The snakes prefer eating amphibians over rodents, and when feeding them on rodents, rub the scent of their favorite prey on the meal. Feed the pet one fuzzy rat every 14 days.
Lifespan: 10 to 20 years
Length: 24 to 36 inches
Availability: Fairly available
Children’s Python
Children’s python is for a fantastic beginner species due to its calm temperament and easy-to-care-for nature. These pet snakes are native to Australia and they tolerate a lot of handling. They grow to a length of 36-48 inches and thrive in a 20-gallon long aquarium with a temperature of 78 to 80 degrees on the cool side and 88 to 90 degrees on the hot side. You should also provide an ideal humidity of 50 degrees.
If you love pythons but fear the risk and responsibility of larger species like the Burmese python, then children’s python should be your top pick. The children’s python is terrestrial, and you should provide adequate floor space in the enclosure. They are also active and curious species and thus a need to provide ideal substrate and hiding places in the enclosure. The pets feed well on rodents, but you may need to scent pinkies with anoles when feeding baby pythons. The readily available pets are loved for their friendly nature, simple care, and small sizes.
Lifespan: 20 to 30 years
Length: 36 to 48 inches
Availability: Readily available
Indonesian Tree Boa
Indonesian Tree Boa is a friendly, small semi-arboreal snake species native to Indonesia, New Guinea, and the Bismarck Archipelago. Unlike what their names suggest, this snake species are never to be found on trees.
The snake that grows to a length of 15 to 24 inches inhabits low lying shrubs and grounds. Most individuals prefer a meal of properly sized lizards and frogs over rats or mice. You can also feed them on one to three pinky mice, anoles, or geckos every 5 to 7 days. They thrive in a 10-gallon aquarium with branches for climbing, a large bowl of water for soaking, and ground-level covers. The enclosure should have a temperature of 78 to 82 degrees on the cool side and 84 to 85 on the hot side. You should also provide a humidity of between 50 to 80 percent. Most specimens in captivity are wild-caught
Lifespan: 10 to 15 years
Length: 15 to 24 inches
Availability: wild-caught species are relatively available.
African house snake
African house snakes are native to regions in the African continent. They are small-sized snakes that are hardy, friendly with a voracious appetite. The snakes grow to 24-59 inches and do well in a 20-gallon aquarium or its equivalent. The ideal temperature inside the aquarium should be 70 degrees on the cool side and 90 degrees on the hot side. Besides, provide an ideal humidity of between 40 to 60 degrees. However, the species breeds a lot, and a male and female should never be kept together.
The pet snakes have a huge appetite and may ingest substrate along with their main meal. Consequently, the snakes should be fed on a separate enclosure to prevent them from ingesting substrate that may cause infections and digestive issues. Feed the snakes on 1 to 2 large adult mice every 7 to 14 days. They are available widely in several color morphs.
Lifespan: 20 years
Length: 24-59 inches
Availability: Widely available
The Barbados Thread Snake
The Barbados Thread Snake is the smallest known snake species on earth, according to the National Geographic. The snake that is native to Barbados, Barbuda, and Antiqua grows to a length of 10cm. When young, you can hardly tell it is a snake as it resembles a tiny worm with a thin body and an invisible head. The thread snakes are burrowers and love spending their days squirming through soft soil. You should provide an ideal substrate in their enclosure for the snake to dig and hide.
The snakes that come in purplish, brown, or pink color will do well in a 15 to a 20-gallon aquarium with temperatures of 80 degrees on the cooler side and 90 degrees on the hotter side. Provide humid conditions of 50 percent inside the enclosure. The Barbados thread snakes are one of the cleanest, most peaceful, and easiest to care pets fed on appropriately sized rodents once or twice a week. The species is not readily available because they are hard to breed. Unlike other snake species that lay as many as 100 eggs, mother thread snake lays only one egg.
Lifespan: 40 years
Length: 10.4cm
Availability: Not widely available
Corn Snake
The Corn Snake is arguably one of the most popular pet snakes with avid reptile lovers. The snake is fairly docile, easy to handle, and care for. Corns snakes, which are natives to North America, are available in many color combinations. An ideal enclosure should be a 20-gallon aquarium with a screened top and an under tank heat pad. Besides, maintain the ambient housing temperature of 80 to 85 degrees. You should also provide an aspen substrate and a bowl of water for the snake to soak in. Feed the snakes on thawed/ frozen rat pup twice every seven days.
Lifespan: 23 years
Length: 61 cm
Availability: Widely available.
Gopher snakes
Gopher snakes are available in a variety of morphs. The snakes are widely available and popular due to their easy-to-care-for nature and friendly demeanor. The snake grows to a length of 3 to 6 feet and lives for 15 years in captivity. You can keep the snakes in a 20-gallon long enclosure while young and move them to a 30-gallon enclosure when they reach adulthood. Provide an aspen substrate of two to three inches that allows the pet to burrow.
Ideal temperatures inside the enclosure should be 75 degrees on the cool side and 85 degrees on the hot side. Additionally, it is vital that you keep a bowl of warm non-chlorinated water inside the pets’ enclosure for the snake to soak in. Feed the snake appropriately sized pinky mice or frozen-thawed rats once or twice a week.
Lifespan: 15years
Length: 3 to 6 feet
Availability: Fairly available
Ball python
The Ball Python is arguably one of the most popular snake pets currently. The snake is available in several morphs. This breed with a timid demeanor is one of the easiest to care for species ideal for beginners. Ball pythons are natives of western Africa and grow to between 2 to 5 feet. They do well in a 20-liter tank with a temperature of at least 78 degrees and a humidity of between 40 to 60%.
You should provide a hide box for the snake on both sides of the enclosure. Besides, provide large enough water bowls for the snake to soak in. Feed the snake with appropriately sized frozen rodents or small live rodents. The baby ball pythons should be fed once a week while the adult can be fed every one to two weeks
Lifespan: 30years
Length: 2 to 5 feet
Availability: Readily available
African egg-eating snake (dasypeltis)
The African egg-eating Snakes are unique in their appearance and are very easy to handle. They are friendly snakes with no front teeth. They rarely bite, and it is common for the reptile to strike their opponent with a closed mouth. You can keep one in a 20-gallon tank or plastic with enough lighting. The pets that grow to a length of between 12 inches to 18 feet.
They are considered vegetarians that should be fed exclusively on eggs once or twice a week. The eggs should be extra small, and the ideal source is the quail or finch eggs. When using frozen eggs, defrost them in warm water and lightly shake them then feed immediately. The ideal enclosures should have temperatures of 80 degrees on the cooler side and 90 degrees on the hotter side. You should also provide humid conditions of 50 percent inside the enclosure
Lifespan: 10years
Length: 12 inches to 18 inches
Availability: relatively uncommon
Why is a small snake the perfect pet for you?
There are significant advantages that you get from keeping a cute and non-threatening small pet snake. These include:
- Low cost – the price of small snakes is relatively lower than the bigger species. You will also spend much less money caring for a small snake than you would for a bigger species. Most small snakes require less food, small enclosures, fewer decorations, hides, substrates, and heating elements.
- Insignificant bites – most small snakes possess small mouths and teeth that deliver insignificant bites. Most are very docile, friendly, and shy and rarely bites. The worst they can do is delivering a little love bite that cannot inflict severe wounds. They are not also capable of constricting you to death.
- They are docile – most small snakes docile. They are also happy and relaxed when left to hang out in their tank. Besides, they tolerate a lot of handling and require no training. They are also pretty easy to house, and all you need is a 20-gallon aquarium lined with ideal shavings.
Snakes have had a long presence in history as one of the most intriguing creatures. They come in a variety of brilliant colors that hypnotize and interest you. Small snakes that stay small are relatively much easier to handle and care for as home pets. Unlike other bigger species, small snakes don’t require much space, and you won’t have to feed them every day. Some of the species we have featured go for weeks without a single bite. Moreover, they require little attention, and you won’t have to spend a lot of time loving and coddling them. If you are a newbie considering getting a scaly friend, go for one of the 15 pet snakes on this extensive list.
