Pet Snake Profile - Natural History of the Sharp-Tailed Snake

Throughout the mountains of North America, the sharp-tailed snake can be found burrowing in the ground or hiding from the heat of the day under logs or in mammal burrows. This snake is kept as pets by only the most experienced of herpers, and there are quite a few reasons why. All of these reasons can be traced back to the specialized lifestyle of the sharp-tailed snake. Here is a look at that lifestyle, and the reasons it becomes a problem when trying to keep them as pets.

Profile and Identification

The sharp-tailed snake is a very small species that grows to about 20 inches at the most. They are generally light brown in color and can be found among the leaf litter of the western mountains. The snake also is so named because of the sharp tail that can be found on the end of their body. This tail is presumably used to anchor the snake to the ground when they are feeding, but this is not something that is universally agreed upon by the experts.

Habitat

Sharp-tailed snakes are found in the mountains of the western part of North America, and they are unlike many other species of snake. They spend the warmer times of the year hidden away under logs or soil, or cooped up in a burrow that has been abandoned. The reason for this is because they are more active in the damper, cooler climates. This unusual feature is likely tied to a very specialized diet, and creates a real problem for an amateur pet snake owner. The right temperature, humidity settings and substrate must be used to keep the sharp-tailed snake safe and healthy, and this is not the easiest thing to do for a newbie. Experience is the only real way to recreate this habitat effectively, making the sharp-tailed snake a poor first choice for a new snake owner.

Diet

The sharp-tailed snake is a highly specialized eater, favoring primarily the slugs that can be found after rains among the leaf litter of the forest floor. They have also been known to eat small salamanders and the occasional snail, but the slugs are their primary food source. In captivity they will often require nothing but slugs, and that can be problematic for many pet owners. Slugs are not nearly as readily available as the typical mice and rats that many snakes eat, and this is particularly true during the winter months. Keeping the sharp-tailed snake fed with slugs is not an easy task for the average snake owner.

Breeding

The sharp-tailed snake is almost exclusively found in the wild, with breeding by pet shops and owners virtually non-existent. These snakes are generally not bred in captivity meaning that if you want one for a pet, you are likely to have to catch it yourself, or pay someone that has caught it. Either way, you are getting a wild snake that is not accustomed to being kept in a little cage. While the snake is far too small to do any real damage, the temperament of these snakes are bound to be nervous and scared. This is usually a recipe for an unhealthy snake, and an unhappy pet owner. Some snakes are naturally docile whether wild or not, but the sharp tailed snake is not generally considered among that group of reptiles.