Care Sheet for Water SnakesAverage Rating Given To This Care Sheet Is 3.17 (1=lowest, 5=highest) Last Updated: 05/05/2005 |
Main Category: | Snakes |
Sub Category: | Water Snakes |
Care Sheet Submitted By: | Ace13 |
Years Experience: | 1 to 2 Years |
Species: | Nerodia fasciata/watersnake |
Other Species or Phases this Care Sheet May Cover: | all northern-american watersnakes |
Sexing and Characteristics: | Males are smaller is length and width and their tales are longer are thick at the base instead of like a females who tapers quickly
the really only true way to tell is by probing |
Mostly Active During: | Both |
Substrate and Water Needs: | Can be house on aspen,newspaper,paper towels, or dry dirt
do not house on pine or cedar cause they contain oils that can cause respiratory infections |
Lighting and UVB: | Need to have a heat bulb on one side of the tank but do not need a UV light but it is beneficial and has be seen to have snakes live longer |
Temperatures and Humidity: | The overall temp should be in the low 80’s or mid 70’s
the basking site should be about 85 to 90
they do not require any humidity devices as long as u have a large enough water area so they can submerge their entire body |
Heating and Equipment: | You can use a heat mat or heat lamp but what ever you do do not use a heat rock from the chances of burns
require a large water bowl that can cover their entire body’s |
Caging Provided: | 30 gallon breeder tank houses my male and female broad-banded i use to use aspen but the fish and other food items would get it on them and the snakes would eat it so i now use newspaper with a heat lamp and large kitty litter pan full of water |
Diet: | Carnivorous |
Description of Diet: | Will eat toads,frogs,fish,tadpoles, and salamanders
do not ever feed goldfish or frozen fish cause they contain high levels of thiamine which destroys thiamine
some water snakes have been known to take mice and craw fish but it is very rare and i ever never seen it happen |
Supplements, Nutrition and Usage: | Supplement their diet with a vitamin/mineral supplement once a month but don’t over do it cause it can kill them |
Maintenance: | They need to have their cage spot cleaned everyday because they have a metabolism five times faster then that of a corn snake because of their diet which means they need to be fed as baby’s every day or two and as adults every three to five days but do not overfeed no matter how much they beg cause it can make it where they cannot breed or it can kill them |
Some Words on this Species: | They make very good pets once they become docile and can get up to 3 feet as males and 5 ft as females |
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