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Snakes as pets? They won't wag their tails or excitely greet you when you arrive home, but snakes do have their own peculiar charm.

Describe as "cute", and "lovable" by their owners, a snake's primitive, hypnotic beauty is hard to ignore. First, beginners should learn as much as possible about the particular type of snake they wish to adopt, say the experts.

Feeding requirements differ among snake species, but basic to many of them are environmental needs - well-constructed cages, warm temperatures, and proper levels of light and humidity.

The most common snakes kept by enthusiasts are the constrictors - boas, pythons, rat snakes and milk snakes - as well as gopher, racer, corn and garter snakes. Be warned, however, that those cute boa hatchlings that naturally grow large in the wild, tend to grow even larger in captivity so snake newbies are usually warned to start small.

Ideally, before you purchase any snake, a pet store with adequate supplies should be located nearby along with a local veterinarian well-versed in treating sick snakes!

There are some 2,500 species of snakes around the world, with approximately 20% of the total known to be venomous. Many beginners may think that poisonous snakes are "cool", but these reptiles with the ancient pedigree continue to act on pure instinct no matter how long they have been domesticated.

And for or all their exotic beauty, a poisonous snake in a cranky mood can result in one lethal hobby, so safety recommendations for proper snake handling should be observed at all times.

On the Web, learn more about safety concerns, general care, feeding and watering, snake anatomy, or meet other pet snake owners in chats and forums, find snake classifieds and related supplies for sale, and get more expert advice on keeping your no-legged friends healthy and happy in their new human surroundings...

kingsnake.com - Snake and reptile central, with extensive resources for facts and information, chats and forums, plus a great picture gallery of user-submitted photos, snakes for sale, classifieds, links to breeders, equipment and supplies, books and magazines.

Care of Snakes - Expert tips from the University of Minnesota on selecting a pet snake, care and feeding, shedding, reproduction, common diseases and infections, recommended enclosures and space requirements, plus advice on lighting and climate, with contact details on related herpetological clubs and organizations.

Petsnakes - Good resources for the pet snake newbie with questions to ask before you buy, online chat to ask specific questions, and snake pictures in over a dozen photo galleries.

Snake Care Sheets - Factsheets on the care and feeding of boas, pythons, corn & rat snakes and more, with recommended reading.

The Corn Snakes Site - UK enthusiast with an extensive look at the species in photos, facts and information on care and feeding, feeding problems, egg laying, suggested reading, online forum, related links.

The EMBL Reptile Database - Turtles, snakes and lizards are just some of the reptiles featured on this colorful herpetological index. If you love reptiles, you'll be a happy surfer here.

also see in Pets -> Lizards