Some animals are simply not meant to be tamed. However, there are ways to earn your snake’s affection and trust. You and your snake might not become besties, but you can still expect to live in peace with the coolest roommate ever.

You can tame a snake, but only if it’s bred as a pet. Picking up a snake from the wild is often detrimental to the snake’s well-being and can be extremely dangerous. It’s easier to tame a snake born in captivity in controlled conditions. Some breeds are also more tameable than others.

If befriending a cold-blooded predator sounds like a good idea to you, keep reading. You will learn more about the process of taming a snake and what you can expect from this reptile. This discussion will only be about non-venomous snakes. Venomous and wild snakes should clearly be avoided at all costs.

How To Tame a Snake

You can tame a snake by feeding it regularly and handling it properly. You should feed it less frequently than you hold it, so it doesn’t immediately associate you with food. Moreover, if the snake is not in the mood for being picked up, don’t touch it. Otherwise, you risk raising its stress level and aggression.

1. Give the Snake Time To Adjust

When you first bring your snake into your home, refrain from holding it for a couple of days. Place it in its vivarium and make sure it is well-fed, warm, and clean. Keep your distance to let the snake get to know you, allowing it to slowly let its guard down.

2. Provide Food Regularly

Snakes don’t eat often. They eat once every 1 to 2 weeks. However, they like to eat regularly. Skipping a meal makes the snake agitated and more likely to attack. If you miss a feeding, the snake might nibble on the second best thing, which is your hand.

3. Provide Suitable Shelter

To avoid having a stressed and nervous snake, keep it comfortable. The size of the shelter should be longer and deeper than it is tall. Additionally, don’t forget to add a hiding place and a bowl of water where the snake can relax. Keep its enclosure warm and clean, and your snake will be much more amenable. 

4. Handle the Snake Properly

When you reach for the snake, the animal can assume two things. The first is that your hand is prey. The other is that your hand is a dangerous predator. Your task is to teach the snake to associate your hands with a gentle touch more than a delicious munch. 

Therefore, avoid feeding it every time you open the vivarium. You should always wash your hands before handling the snake; it might try to bite you if it smells food or a foreign smell on your hands.

Always hold the snake with both hands, one near the head and the other near the tail. Never grab the snake or make sudden moves, or you will be attacked. Snakes hate being squeezed too tight or held loosely, so make sure to firmly support the whole body. 

How Do You Tell if a Snake Likes You?

You should learn to distinguish between the snake’s friendly and aggressive mood. You can recognize a happy snake by its:

• Relaxed muscles.
• Willingness to be held.
• Reluctance to escape.

Frequent handling makes the snake milder. You shouldn’t hesitate to hold friendly snakes for around 15 minutes to keep the bond strong. 

However, some snakes simply don’t want to be touched. If the snake feels threatened and ready to attack, it will:

• Pull its head back, forming an ‘S’ shape.
• Shake its tail.
• Constrict its muscles around you. 

What snakes are good pets?

Two factors contribute to whether the snake can be easily tamed and become a good pet or not: nature and nurture. Regarding nature, some snake breeds are more tameable than others. Common pet snakes include boa constrictors, pythons, corn snakes, and milksnakes.

The second factor is nurture or whether the snake was caught in the wild or bred in captivity.

• Wild-caught snakes are taken directly from the wild. It is not advisable to go snake-hunting on your own since you might lack the right equipment or knowledge to pick up a friendly breed. Wild-caught snakes tend to be highly stressed and aggressive.
• Captive Bred snakes were born and raised in captivity and are used to being handled by people. They are much tamer and healthier than their wild-caught counterparts. It has been shown that every generation bred in captivity can lose a little more of its wild instincts. 

Final Thoughts

Taming a snake is a never-ending process. You can tame captive-bred snakes, but it’s never a good idea to try and tame a wild snake. To remain in the safe zone, you should strive to fulfill all your pet snake’s needs for a comfortable shelter, a regular feeding schedule, and respectful handling.