House Snakes
These care guides are just that, guides, based on my experience with the species. Please be mindful of you local climate and house environment and adjust the care accordingly. Some individuals among a species may also vary in their care needs.
Black African House Snake
(Boaedon fuliginosus)
*please note my care may vary from others. Their care is likened to that of a corn snake.
The African house snake (Boaedon fuliginosus) is a harmless snake found in sub-Saharan Africa. It has been given this name due to the fact that it is often found near towns and villages. It is a great beginner snake as it stays a very manageable size, tolerates handling well, and is easy to care for.
(Boaedon fuliginosus)
*please note my care may vary from others. Their care is likened to that of a corn snake.
The African house snake (Boaedon fuliginosus) is a harmless snake found in sub-Saharan Africa. It has been given this name due to the fact that it is often found near towns and villages. It is a great beginner snake as it stays a very manageable size, tolerates handling well, and is easy to care for.
- Lifespan: 20+ years.
- Size: 120cm/4ft females, 60cm /2ft males. Slender bodied.
- Appearance: They change color day to day from light grey to black with a white abdomen. They have an iridescent sheen. Their heads look more like pythons than colubrids. They have brown eyes.
- Light: They are mostly nocturnal.
- Water: A water dish should be included in the enclosure. You can use various things as a water dish, make sure they can fit their whole body in it and that it isn’t something that tips over or is made of a toxic material.
- Food: feed according to snakes size. Overfeeding can shorten their lifespan. Always remove uneaten prey within 4hrs. You can tong feed, they are constrictors so they will strike and wrap themselves around the prey. They eat mice:
- Babies (6” to 10”) eat 1x/week, 1 pinky mouse
- Juveniles eat 1x/week, 1 fuzzy to hopper mouse
- Adults eat every 2 weeks, 1 adult mouse, 1 chick
- Babies (6” to 10”) eat 1x/week, 1 pinky mouse
- Housing: They can be escape artists, make sure the enclosure is secure. A 40gal tank with a secure lid would work. Larger the better. They do prefer more ground space than height, so a horizontal enclosure is best. They are quite active and will utilize the whole space, they are also decent climbers. Have a humid hide, a dry hide, and water dish on the cool side. A hide and a basking spot on the warm side. The bedding can be: paper towel (great for quarantine), cypress, aspen, coco bedding kept more dry, reptisoil. Replace bedding every 2 months and spot clean weekly. The bedding should be 2” in depth.
- Temperature: This African species prefers it warmer. They are cold blooded and rely on an external heat source. I provide this with heat tape on a thermostat and a 60W heat bulb on a timer over a basking spot (use a thermometer to make sure the basking spot doesn’t exceed but remains around 32C/90F). The cool side of the enclosure should be around 20C/70F. A humid hide and a water dish should be on the cool side.
- Enrichment: housing materials can add to your House snakes enrichment. I use wood, rocks, cork, fake foliage, live plants or anything without moving parts and small spaces they could get stuck in to decorate enclosures. If you collect materials from outside make sure to sanitize them properly with heat or insect safe cleaners (soap and water, thoroughly rinsed and dried). Give them many hides.
- Handling: They are very handleable. They are an active snake and very interactive with handling. They will anchor themselves to you with their tails and are very inquisitive. Make sure you support the snakes body when picking it up and when handling.
- Temperament: They can be flighty when a baby, they calm with handling. They aren’t known to bite, they don’t musk.
