Many people enjoy the idea of having a snake as a pet, but they don’t want to feed live animals or a few rodents in their mouths. So Is it possible to keep one as a pet, you might wonder?
Snakes have more than 2,500 different varieties around the world. And some varieties do not consume mice. Some snake species can survive only on eggs.
If you don’t want to feed your snake’s rodents, then the snakes that eat eggs are the right pet for you. Egg-eating snakes are a rare breed of pet that is fascinating. And they are not as easy to find as some other snakes.
However, if you prefer the concept of an egg-eating snake, they aren’t all that difficult to keep. All you need to know is what it needs to survive and live a healthy life.
So, let’s look at how to care for an egg eater snake as a pet.
What Are Egg-Eating Snakes?
The Egg-Eating snake is one of the friendliest snakes. With no teeth, a calm attitude, and a diet consisting of eggs and No more defrosting rats. This type of snake is a rare and peculiar snake that survives primarily on eggs. They’re probably the closest you’ll get to keep a vegetarian reptile.
Only the Indian egg-eating snake (Elachistodon Westermanni) and the African egg-eating snake (Dasypeltis) have the biological makeup to survive only on birds’ eggs.
Indian egg-eating snakes are rare, but the African egg-eating snake is the most commonly kept as a pet. The common egg-eating snake is the most popular African egg-eating snake kept as a pet (Dasypeltis scabra).
Their bodies are long and slender, and they are grey or reddish-brown in hue. It has a darker, geometric pattern on it. Their snout is round at the end of their head. It allows the snake to ingest eggs, which are their primary source of nutrition.
Due to their diet of eggs, they don’t have any teeth. Their body length ranges from 50 to 90cm (20-36in). The greatest weight of this species is 0.5kg (1lb). There are some interesting facts that you got to know:
- They Consume Food at Night
- Their Tongue Picks Up On The Eggs
- They eat whole eggs.
- They don’t like handling too much.
- Treat him like he is a part of your family.
- These Snakes Remain Small
Types Of Egg-Eating Snakes
African egg-eating snakes (Dasypeltis scabra) and Indian egg-eating snakes are the two types of egg-eating snakes (Elachistodon Westermann). African egg-eating snakes can be found all over Africa, whereas Indian egg-eating snakes are only found in India and are rarer than their African counterparts.
African Egg-eating Snakes
The African egg-eating snake belongs to the Dasypeltis genus and the Colubridae family. It is native to areas of Sub-Saharan Africa and the Arabian Peninsula’s southern regions.
The majority of African egg-eating snakes are light brown in color, speckled, and lined in black. Because these charming, slithery little snakes only eat bird eggs, they are skilled at climbing trees and rocky surfaces, searching for nests.
Egg-eating snakes can’t digest eggs that have already formed a bird fetus; they only consume fresh eggs just laid. Based on its scent, they can tell if an egg is fresh.
The scales of African egg-eaters are keeled, which is not uncommon for snakes of this size. These creatures frequently rub their scales together to make a hissing sound. It’s a defense mechanism designed to keep potential attackers at bay.
Indian Egg-eating Snakes
The Indian egg-eating snake, also known as the Elachistodon Westermann, is a rare egg-eating snake species. The species is only found in the Indian subcontinent and is therefore considered endemic.
It is also known as Westermann’s snake, which is its scientific name. The snake belongs to the genus Elachistodon, which is a monotypic genus.
Bangladesh, India, and Nepal are all home to the Indian egg-eating snake. Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka have all recently discovered the species.
It has a glossy brown to black color with blue-white specks on the back and a creamy middorsal line from the neck to the tail tip. The brown head has a black arrow mark on it. White with brown spots on the ventral. Adults can grow up to 78 cm (31 inches) in length, with a tail of 11 cm (414 inches).
The Indian egg-eating snake is a nighttime species with exceptional agility in scaling plants. It lifts the anterior section of the body as a defense technique, generating ‘S’ shaped coils.
How Do Snakes Eat Eggs?
Egg-eating snakes have a unique backbone that aids in the cracking of hard eggshells as they transit through their digestive tract. These enamel-tipped bones aid in the digestive process, allowing the snake to consume more food and spend less time asleep. The majority of the eggs are quail or similar-sized quail eggs. However, some snakes can grow large enough to eat chicken eggs.
Pre-packaged eggs have a tough outer shell that is difficult to disintegrate. As a result, it takes a lot longer for the egg to break down in the acids. As a result, it sits for considerably longer.
It is important to keep in mind most snakes will restrict their movement or become quiet while digesting their meal. Instead of waiting for the egg to digest by stomach acid, the vertebral hypophysis or a spiky component of the vertebrae sticks out and pierces the egg as the egg moves down the snake’s body.
Lifespan
The average lifespan of an egg-eating snake in captivity is between 10 and 15 years. It is the lifespan of a snake.
There are no promises, as there are always. Poor living circumstances and an inappropriate diet will harm African egg-eating snakes, just like any other pet. If they cannot fulfill their needs, these snakes will likely succumb to sickness and die young.
Also, when you first bring it home, Quarantine your snake to verify that it is disease-free. The egg-eating snake is extremely difficult to breed in captivity. As a result, the majority of snakes on the market come from the wild. If you don’t quarantine them, they can easily harbor bacteria and diseases that will spread.
Are They Good As Pets?
Snakes that eat eggs are calm and collected. They can be shy and even jumpy in the beginning. It is perfectly normal.
Allow your pet to adjust to its new surroundings. They’ll show evidence of comfort and stress-free life before you realize it.
But everything has its pros and cons. Sadly we have here as well. So the advantages of having a pet snake that eats eggs:
- Because they consume eggs, there’s no need to feed them live rodents or other animals or keep frozen prey in your freezer.
- They are small, measuring up to two to three feet in length.
- They’re easier to care for than other snakes because they don’t demand high temperatures or humidity.
- They’re peaceful, don’t have teeth, and aren’t venomous.
The Drawbacks Of Having An Egg-eating Snake As A Pet
- It can be challenging to find eggs to eat, especially if you have a baby snake or a smaller male than the females.
- They can be nervous, especially at first.
- Because they are nocturnal, you may not see much movement from them.
Are They Venomous?
Egg-eating snakes are known for their calmness, but they’re also non-venomous and don’t have teeth, which are all advantages if you’re considering getting one as a pet. Some, especially when they’re new to captivity, can be frightened and try to bite. Even if they do, a toothless bite won’t hurt you.
Do They Bite?
The common egg-eating snake may mimic the poisonous saw-scaled viper by rubbing its scales together when anxious or threatened. It creates a hissing sound, but it’s not a problem. If your pet egg-eater begins to make this noise while you’re handling it, give it some space because it’s most likely afraid.
Over time, regular, gentle handling will usually calm the snake down. Remember that most of these snakes that become pets were captured in the wild and have not become accustomed to humans.
Conclusion
If you want to keep a snake that eats eggs as a pet, you should do your homework first and make sure you can get the correct size eggs for them. Compare them to normal snake pets to discover which one you prefer, then get your egg eater. After all, these pets have numerous advantages, such as the fact that they are toothless and non-venomous, as well as a mild demeanor.
The care of an egg-eating snake is not difficult. These snakes are truly a piece of cake to own if you get acquainted with their feeding requirements.