Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So lately I have had a very strong impression that I would soon have my own pet snake. I have wanted one for a long time now. After a visit from a friendly little rattlesnake the other day (hiding on our front porch) I felt like it was a sign my snake would be here soon! The next day I found a little garter, and it didn't feel like he was the one. Yesterday, low and behold, while my husband was cleaning the bottom or our stairwell outside of our basement, he found a baby bull snake stuck down in a very deep drain pipe/hole thing that goes deep down into the cement. "I found your snake!" We got him out and I made a comfy makeshift tank for him where he has hides, sand, and fresh water. Keeping him outside until I buy a tank today. It's 80 degrees. He's my first snake. I've done lots of reading up and most people suggest not owning a bull snake for a beginner. He is quite young and I am up for the challenge. So far he is not too hyper and not aggressive when held. I don't really have any concerns, just looking for some advice. I'm thinking of just getting a glass aquarium style tank for now, with a lid weighted down? What kind of cage do you experts prefer? It will be temporary, my husband is going to build me a larger cage. And as far as feeding: we have lots of small and bigger lizards around that I can catch easily so I'm thinking of feeding him lizards that are skinnier that is widest width, I just don't want to kill them myself. I don't like killing any living creature... Can I just put it in his cage and let him eat naturally or could the tiny lizard harm him? I'm super confident I can make any accommodations needed for him. I am open to any advice. Thanks friends!

I happened to stumble across your post tonight... Do you still have the snake? A word to the wise, aquariums with "weighted tops" have been responsible for more lost pets than one can imagine, and snakes would top the list. Though not totally implausible a Bullsnake would not typically eat a lizard, but rather are inclined to rodents and birds. A baby "Bull" can easily handle a "fuzzy" mouse. That is a mouse with full fur and eyes just opening or nearly so. You can generally buy a live one or a frozen one from any specialty pet store, or frozen from the big chain pet stores. Place it in a cup or even a paper towel tube to simulate a underground passage. If alive it will stimulate predation with it's movement. If frozen thaw thoroughly before placing it in with the snake. Good luck...

I think a bull snake would make an excellent "first snake." I still keep some of my smaller ones (I have one big Texas bull and three "local gophers" I'm working on breeding) in glass aquariums, but I recommend a reptile cage (very similar to an aquarium); even on my limited budget, I've been able to afford them. Escapes are problematic, and I have one snake who managed to accomplish one. Good news is I haven't been bothered by mice for the last two years, and they were a problem before.

Good luck. I "mix it up" feeding both frozen and live food (both mice and rats for the bigger snakes), and I just had one of the "wild gophers" (scheduled for release after I brought her home last year, thinking she might be gravid, but it was just a big meal. I don't care for her pattern) eat a thawed frozen mouse with no problem.

The only difference between keeping corns and bulls, pines, and gophers, IMO, is that the latter have "attitudes" that take some getting used to. They're mostly bluff, but I do recommend feeding them outside their cage (I use plastic shoe boxes or a spare, bare-bottomed aquarium). That prevents them from ingesting the substrate.