Caring for a Northern Brown Snake?

Question

A guy my husband works with is offering to give us his snake. He said he got it because its tail was injured and he is nursing it back to health.

So is this a type of snake that is normally a pet or are they usually wild? What do they eat? what are their basic needs?

He said he can give us everything we need for the snake. but i really don't know what all of that is?

ferrisulf · Accepted Answer

I would strongly advise against this for your sake and the snake's.

If this is an animal he found injured and is nursing back to health, he should release it back into the wild when it is healthy, not hand it over to someone else. Wild-caught animals rarely thrive in captivity. Their lifespans are generally shorter, they often don't calm down as well, and they give more problems than a captive bred animal.

These aren't so common in the pet trade and there aren't many resources out there that talk about their care. Different subspecies of brown snakes live anywhere from Southern Canada all the way into Mexico.

Their diets could also become a major problem for anyone attempting to keep them (esp a wildcaught snake). They "feed largely on earthworms, snails, and slugs, but will also eat small salamanders, soft-bodied grubs, and beetles." You wouldn't be able to do f/t mice, which is ideal for captive snakes, especially for someone's first snake. If this snake readily takes earthworms it may be all right, but if it is wildcaught it may want more variety, and you have to be careful what species of beetles and snails it can be given.

You don't know if he has been taking care of it properly and it would be difficult for us to tell you even if you could list what he'd give you because this is not a common snake in the pet trade. Wild caught snakes just don't make good pets, especially for beginners. And it doesn't help that there is no book/careguide for you to use to make sure you can even care for it properly.

These snakes don't exceed 15 in. so they are small snakes. They are not dangerous but may bite and musk, depending on the individual snake. Once again, if it is wild caught you're far more likely to get bitten/musked and there is less of a chance it will ever calm down and handle well.

My best advice I can give: Don't take it. If this is a wildcaught snake (It very likely is) then it needs to be released when it has recovered. Don't take it if it is still injured unless you are willing to pay for exotic pet vet bills: EXPENSIVE  and have previous experience with snakes. You don't want your first snake to be a wildcaught injured animal.
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Storeria_dekayi.html

Anonymous · Answer

Northern Brown Snake Care

? · Answer

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Dekays feed on worms, snails, slugs, and soft-bodied grubs. I think they are probably one of my favorite native snakes because they only grow to be around a foot long and give birth to live young. Babies are tiny -- only a few inches long. My guess would be that what you found is an adult that's looking for a place to brumate through the colder months of winter. It would be in the snake's best interest that you release it so that it can continue its search and prepare for brumation.

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Caring for a Northern Brown Snake?

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