Regardless of if you have a new snake or an established snake, it is common for them to quit eating for periods of time. The important thing to remember is not to panic. Most snakes (such as ball pythons) can go between 6 months to a year without food before having any serious medical problems or passing. This is because snakes can lower their metabolism allowing them to not consume as many meals while conserving energy. There are several possible reasons as to why your snake may be refusing food. Let’s go over them, and get your snake on the right track to eating again!

Bearded dragons are notoriously picky eaters, especially when it comes to eating their vegetables. If your bearded dragon is refusing to eat their salad, don’t worry, you’re not alone. There are a number of reasons why your dragon may be refusing their food, all of which we will go over. Lets go over some possible solutions and care tips for your bearded dragon!

In their natural environment, reptiles are part of an ecosystem, and within that ecosystem are other living things all working together to ensure that the environment is balanced. When setting up your reptile's enclosure, you want to make it as close to their natural environment as possible to keep them happy and healthy. The best way to do this is to build a bioactive terrarium. A bioactive terrarium will include live plants and small invertebrates whose job it is to break down waste. 

A common misconception is that all snakes lay their eggs in a dark place and then slither off, leaving them and continuing on with their lives. That's just not true. Some species of snakes do lay their eggs in a den and then leave them, but not all snakes do. Others retain their eggs inside of their bodies until they are ready to hatch, and some don’t have eggs at all! 

If you feed live rodents to your snake, chances are your snake has been bitten or will be bitten some day. There are ways to lower the risk of a rat bite, but the only way to 100% prevent your snake from being bitten is to feed already dead prey. Although this is encouraged, it is not always ideal or possible for every situation. Some snakes, particularly ball pythons, will refuse to eat frozen thawed mice and rats. If you feed live prey, it is important to be prepared so you know what to do if your snake does get bitten. 

Snakes, especially small ones such as corn snakes and king snakes, are excellent escape artists. They are strong, and capable of squeezing through the smallest of places. If you think that your snake may have gotten out, don’t panic. More than likely, you’ll find your snake within a day or so, but even if you don’t, snakes can live months without food. The biggest threat to your snake will be the cold, your snake managing to get outside, and any other pets that you may have roaming around, so the quicker you find them, the better. 

If you’re here, it's because either you or your children want a snake, and you're not sure where to start. Picking out the right snake can be intimidating — you want an easy to care for and docile snake. The good news is, most snakes are easy to care for, and with the right handling and husbandry, are docile as well. I have compiled a list of the 5 best beginner snakes, with number one being the very best beginner snake. These snakes have been chosen due to good temperament and easy care. We will go over the pros and cons of each to help you narrow down which snake is the best for you!

I know how exciting it can be when you get a new reptile. You want to immediately put them into their enclosure and watch them explore — after all, you’ve put so much time and energy into creating a beautiful home for them to enjoy. However, you shouldn't rush into sticking them into their new homes quite yet. It is important to quarantine any new reptiles and monitor them to ensure that they’re healthy before putting them into a room where other reptiles are. 

Branches sold in pet stores and online are oftentimes ridiculously overpriced. Who wants to spend $20 or more on a stick? It can be very tempting to pick up a cool stick from your backyard or driftwood off the beach and put it into your reptile’s enclosure. However, you may be bringing home more than a new decoration. Parasites can live on the branches in your yard, and these parasites can be transferred to your reptile. It is important to thoroughly sanitize branches (or anything else) you bring in from your yard before putting it anywhere near your reptile. Make sure that the branch you have chosen comes from a pesticide free area too, so you don’t put any unwanted chemicals into your reptile’s enclosure. Depending on the size of the branch you can choose to bake it, boil it, or chemically sterilize it. Let’s talk about how to safely sanitize branches for your reptiles.

Enrichment by definition is “the action of improving or enhancing the quality or value of something”. Zoos provide this to their animals to give them a better quality of life. Have you ever seen big cats play with balls, or otters toss toys back and forth? When you take your dog on a walk, you’re providing them with enrichment as well. Snakes might not play with toys or want to go on a walk, but there are still plenty of other ways to enhance their lives while spending little to no money.