Here are some of our most Frequently Asked Questions.


Can I put my new snake in with my other one?

NO! You need to quarantine any new arrivals prior to introduction to your existing collection.



Can I house two snakes together the whole time?

We do not recommend this. There are several reasons for this, including feeding issues, breeding issues and not knowing who was poorly should you find diarrhoea in the vivarium (for example).



Why won’t my Royal Python eat?

Is it breeding season? Is it a male? This is the most common reason for Royal Pythons to go off their food. At breeding season, there is only one thing on their mind, and it isn’t food ;)!

If this is not the issue,  then the environment must be assessed. Royals tend to go off their food if the enclosure is too open/cold/warm etc. There are articles on this subject.



Why won’t my Royal come out of it’s hide?

Royal Pythons in general are very shy. They are also nocturnal, so they will be more active in the evenings. They are not an active snake during the daytime, so they do not (in general) make the best display animals.


Why is my snake always in the water bowl?

Snakes do like to bathe, especially when coming up to shed. If this is not the case, then check them for mites. If you remove the snake from the water bowl, and you can see small round black spots in there, which look similar to Poppy seeds, then your snake has mites, and needs to be treated.

If not, it could be that the temperature is too high, so it is trying to keep cool. If they are female, and have been bred, it could be that they are gravid. Some snakes will wrap around a water bowl when gravid. Rainbow Boas like to soak in water when they are ovulating, mating and whilst gravid, so they spend a lot of time in the water during the breeding season!


Why is my snake always over the heat mat?

Chances are your temperatures are too low, so it is trying to warm up. Increase the temperature slightly. Your snake should spend an equal time in the warm and cool ends of it’s enclosure as it maintains body temperature.


Do I get paperwork with this snake?

Paperwork is a written genetic guarantee of an animal. It is given when the genetics are not immediately obvious. For example a normal looking snake, that is carrying Albino. It looks normal, so you have to trust that the breeder is telling the truth when it comes to the genetics of the snake that you are buying, especially when it is a highly priced animal.

When a snake is a visual morph, such as a Lesser Platinum, paperwork is not needed. You can see that the snake is a Lesser Platinum, so you do not need proof of the genetics, unless the snake is carrying extra genes.

We can provide paperwork for any of our offspring, however it is not needed for visual morphs or normal/wild type snakes as there is nothing to prove with them.


Why do I have to pay a deposit?

We have been breeding and selling snakes (and other animals) for a few years now. Out of ten enquiries about an animal, eight or nine will generally be timewasters or people that do not buy the snake, but have a genuine reason. We have kept animals on hold for people who seem to be genuine, who then either disappear with no notice or who mess us about and waste our time.

Paying a deposit (25%) proves that you are genuinely interested in the snake, and that you will not waste our time. Timewasting can be stressful for both us and the snakes, as we do not feed animals that are due to be picked up within a week, as this can help to reduce stress while travelling, and reduce the chance of regurgitation. Deposits are non refundable should you change your mind. We do not hold any animal without a deposit. This means less stress on both ourselves and the animals, which is our top priority.


I have a 3ft vivarium empty. Can I put my new baby Royal Python in it?

We get asked this question a lot! and the answer is no. As explained in ‘Housing Royal Pythons’, they are Agoraphobic. This means that they are scared of wide open spaces. A 3ft viv is far too big for a baby snake. They need smaller housing, more appropriate to their size. Eventually they will be big enough for it, but not to begin with.


Can I handle my snake every day?

This depends on a lot of things. Snakes do not really like to be handled, they simply tolerate it. When in shed, they can be grumpy as their vision is impaired due to the milky fluid they secrete underneath their eyecaps. If they can’t see, they do not know what is going on, so it is best to leave them alone when they are in shed.

Also when they have just fed, they are still trying to digest their food. If there is still a feeding bulge showing (depending on the size of food you have offered them), they should not be handled unless necessary. If you pick them up while they are digesting food, it can cause them to regurgitate, which can be stressful for the snake, and cause it to go off it’s food until it has recovered.


My snake has cloudy eyes! What is going on?

Your snake is in the process of shedding it’s skin. When a snake grows, it’s skin does not grow with it. So the outer skin must be shed to allow it to grow. When it is ready, the snake releases a milky fluid under it’s skin, which loosens the top layer. It then re-absorbs the fluid, leaving the top layer of skin ready to shed. It will work it’s way around its enclosure, rubbing itself on the surroundings until it is free of the old skin, and ready to start growing again! This process can take a week or more from start to finish.


Can my snake bite?

You have teeth, can you bite? We get  asked this a lot. Snakes are able to bite, as are you. Do you want to bite people? Hopefully the answer to that question is no! Would you bite if someone poked you repeatedly in the face? I probably would!

Snakes in general aren’t aggressive animals. They do not feel the need to bite people for no reason. The most common reasons for people to get bitten is if the snake thinks you are food or a threat. If food, constrictor species will bite and coil round the hand, or whatever they think is the food. This can happen during feeding, if they miss the cold food item they are being offered, and go for the nice warm hand instead. If they think you are a threat, they generally bite and let go straight away. Also known as ‘tagging’. They do this as a defence, not as an aggressive act. As you get to know your snake, you should be able to pick up signs of the snake’s mood, and so judge the temperament better. If the snake has it’s head pulled back, with it’s neck in an ‘S’ shape, it is preparing to strike.

However, most of the time, the snake is more scared of you than you are of it. So in general, they do not bite.


Is the snake tame?

Another question we get asked a lot. Snakes are not domestic animals, they do not appreciate ‘fuss’ and ‘petting’, and they do not crave attention like some mammals. They do not, therefore, become ‘tame’ like a mammal would.
They do get used to being handled, which is a lot different. Becoming used to being handled makes them less likely to bite, as they are not as scared of you.


A friend told me her friend had a snake, who slept in her bed.. and one night stretched out along side her.. The vet said it had to be put to sleep as it was sizing her up to eat her!!

NO!! This story has been circulating the web and word of mouth for years. We get a lot of people telling us this story, and it is not true!

Here is a link to a version of the story on Snopes.com.


Can I house my two snakes together?

It is not something we recommend. We only pair snakes during breeding season, as it can cause problems during feeding. If two snakes go for the same meal, they can end up fighting over the same food, and one snake could even get eaten by the other! King snakes for example, are cannibalistic, so they should only be paired for mating.

Some people have got away with co-habiting snakes. They separate to feed, and put them back in without a problem once they are done. It only takes the one error to lose a snake, by which time it is too late.

You would also not know which snake was ill in a vivarium with multiple snakes in. If one had diarrhoea, you would see it in the viv, but not know which one was sick. This would then potentially infect all of the other snakes.

So overall, we do not think it is a good idea, but of course, it is up to you.


Do I need a thermostat?

YES! Most definitely!

Thermostats control the temperature of the heating in the viv. Without one, the heat can build up, especially on a hot day, and not only overheat your reptile, it could potentially cause a fire.

Temperatures should also be checked with a digital thermometer to make sure that they are accurate.


Can I turn my axolotl in to a salmander by injecting it with Iodine?

NO! Axolotls do not produce the hormone needed for transformation in to salamanders, so they never do it in the wild. It is only with the additions of chemicals and hormones in the domestic water supplies that they have started doing it at all. It happens rarely in captivity. Since it was mentioned on a television programme normally associated with obscure facts, I have been told this a lot as friends/family know I love and keep axolotls. However it is a very stressful thing for an Axolotl to have to go through, especially as they do not naturally do this. It also reduces their life expectancy.