While many people's holiday thoughts turn to kittens and puppies decked out in red bows, others dream fondly of a pet that is a little more scaly and cold-blooded. Snakes may not be considered a typical holiday mascot, but they can be wonderful, easy to care for pets. Your local herpetological society is a good source for help with basic care information or guidance in selecting the right breed of snake for you and your home. They will also help you understand which snakes are legal to keep in your area, an important consideration that can vary widely from area to area.

Bringing a snake home also requires the right gear and care resources. Here are some considerations to ensure you care properly for your new snake.

A Place to Curl Up

Cage: It's best to keep your snake in a special terrarium made for snakes. You can also use a 10-20 gallon aquarium. For larger snakes, you will need a larger habitat.

Your snake may try to rub against the side of its lair, so stay away from mesh or wire that will cause sores on your slinky friend. Snakes like cozy spaces where they can curl up. For a small snake, the size of your cage should be 1/2 square foot per foot of snake. A larger snake, six feet or longer, requires 3/4 square foot per foot of snake.

Lid: Be sure to snake-proof the top of any container that is home to your escape-artist snake. Aquarium tops are not strong enough to hold most snakes and need to be weighed down with bricks or books.

Hide-box: A box with a hole big enough for your snake to get through will provide your snake with a retreat and a sense of security. Furnishings: Your new pet will enjoy a variety of surfaces to climb around on, such as sterilized driftwood branches, paper towel rolls, plants or a large rock with crevices.

Lining: Pine chips, orchid bark (repti-bark), potting soil (peat), indoor/outdoor carpeting and cypress mulch are all attractive options for your cage bottom. Unprinted newspaper, butcher paper, paper towels or brown paper bags are also suitable. Avoid fine sands or soils, sawdust, kitty litter, cob or substances that may be accidentally ingested or inhaled by your snake. Be sure to check on your snake's moisture requirements before selecting a material for the bottom of the cage.

Heat and lighting: Most snakes prefer a temperature gradient of about 70-85 degrees Fahrenheit. A heat pad under part of the cage is recommended to provide your snake with a warm spot. Since snakes need to regulate their own body temperature, be sure your snake can retreat to an area to cool off. (Most specialists do not recommend heating devices such as "Hot Rocks" because they can cause serious heat damage.)

Humidity: All snakes, including desert snakes, need moisture. Some may enjoy basking their bodies in a sauna-like environment, while others may prefer a cool, humid one. Some species need a humidifier or need to be sprayed regularly with a plant mister. Check out the requirements for your specific snake's species.

Water: Like most animals, snakes need access to fresh, clean water. Some snakes also like to bathe in a shallow bowl of water.

Things to Eat

All snakes are carnivorous. Carefully consider whether you and your family will be prepared to feed your snake! While their diet varies from species to species, most snakes eat insects or rodents. If your snake eats mice, most experts recommend feeding your snake fresh-frozen, thawed mice.

If you are squeamish about feeding your snake mice, consider a species that feeds on fish or insects. Although there are variations between species, your adult snake will only need to eat once a week or every ten days. A younger snake that is still growing may need to eat more often. If you have problems finding appropriate food, contact your local herpetological society.

Be careful not to handle your snake during or immediately after feeding.

Other Considerations

Since snakes can pick up illnesses from dirty cages, your new pet will like a clean and tidy home. Be sure to clean out his cage every week or two with a detergent and disinfectant. Diseases and parasites are common in newly acquired snake pets. Be sure to take your new snake to be checked out by a reptile vet for mites, ticks, bacteria, protozoa, viruses and worms.

Since all snake species have different requirements, be sure to buy a good snake or reptile basics book that covers your particular species. Visit with the local herpetological society. A number of herpetological societies also have websites with good care information. Learning how to care for your snake is well worth the effort, because while they may be cold-blooded, these creatures can still warm your heart.