Reptiles Pet Snakes 
HOUSE 
I am indebted also to Mr. Deckert for the following 
suggestions for a snake cage and for feeding these 
pets: The cage or vivarium should be eighteen 
inches long, eight inches wide and twelve inches high. 
If a larger cage is desired these proportions should be 
kept. The cage should have the bottom and three 
sides of wood, and one side of glass. The bottom 
should be covered with large pebbles, sphagnum moss 
or slabs of bark. If pebbles are used, a slab of bark 
should be laid on top of them, so that the snake will 
find a retreat behind it. A small branch should be 
firmly fixed in the cage to provide a basking place. 
The cover of the box should be of wire screening, and 
when in place it should be securely hooked to prevent 
the snakes from prying it open. A cage of these 
dimensions will do for four or five garters. 
FOOD 
Give the garters minnows, small frogs and toads 
and large earthworms. They will subsist almost 
entirely upon the earthworms. The frogs and toads 
may be killed first and presented to the snake on the 
end of a stick in a lively manner. 
The milk snake must be fed a mouse or very young 
rat, if possible, every week or ten days. Water 
snakes should be fed fish, frogs and toads; they 
refuse to take earthworms. Fresh, clean drinking 
water is an absolute necessity for a snake’s well being. 
It should be placed in a small enameled pan, like a 
soap-dish, from four to six inches long, about three 
inches wide, and one and one-half to two inches deep. 
Fresh water must be given every day, although 
reptiles need not be fed but once a week. Do not be 
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