OK, you have your cage, heating equipment, and lighting, now what about decorations? There are many ways to make the interior of the snakes new home suitable for the snake and pleasing for you to observe it in. Here are a few ideas, as well as some MUST haves.
PLANTS:
Plastic plants are best for snakes as they are likely to go routing them up. They are good for small snake and babies of some of the medium to large snakes. After a certain size they will just be items in the snakes way and it will always be knocking them over and tearing them either up or down depending on where in the cage you have them. So you have a small snake like a garter snake or a brown snake, you can use Aspen shavings or cypress mulch as a substrate and put in some nice plastic plants along the back wall and sides of the cage leaving the middle and front open for viewing your snake. Remember, when changing the substrate, it is a good idea to take out the plants and clean them as well. If using a paper as a substrate you will need to get plants tht are anchored on the a rock or piece of slate. These can be found in any local pet store. Do not over crowd the cage or you will not be albe to view your snake.
HIDE BOX:
It is important to provide yuor snake with a spot in the cage where it can get away from any distractions outside the cage and feel safe. A "hide" box is used for just this purpose. It is generally a small box that can be anything from an old cereal box to a plastic container with a hole cut in the side for a doorway. Snakes generally like to be in close quarters when "hiding", so the box should be small enough for just the snake to get in and coil. They like to feel the sides of the hide against themsleves. It gives them a sense of security, givng you a less stressed, healthy snake. with some "giant" snakes it is difficult to make a hide box big enough inside the enclosure. To solve this problem, you might try to section off part of the enclosure with black paper over the window or door so the snake cannot see what is outside the cage.
ROCKS:
Having a rock formation in your snakes cage is great. They can cimb over, under, through, and around them giving them plenty of exercise. For small snakes it is alright to have rock formations, just be sure they are secured together with a epoxy or silicone so they will not tumble over and crush the snake. Most pet stores now sell plastic rock formations with suction cups to attach them to the side of the cage. These are a nice alternative to real rock. Rocks in cages of medium to large size snakes really serve no purpose other than being visually pleasing to you and can often just get moved around and displaced. If using real rock, the only rock I would recommend staying away from is Quartz rock. These tend to shed peices and it is my opinion that this is not good. The pieces could get on the snake, transferred to the water and then get into the snake when it drinks the water. They could also get under the belly scales causing irritation that can lead to infection.
BRANCHES:
There is nothing like seeing a boa climb up into the branches set in its cage. While good for most small snakes and some medium snakes, branches should not be used for large snakes. They are just to big and bulky for climbing and a fall could cause internal injuries not noticed when the fall happens.
Now to the branches. If you plan on puting in some branches in the snakes enclosure, be sure the secure them firmly in place. A little epoxy or silicone will hold a branch against the side of the enclosure as long as the other end is resting on the floor. Do not try to secure two end of a branch to either end of an enclosure using epoxy or silicone. I fusing more than one branch together, carefully screw them together making sure the screw head and tips are not exposed. Cover the screw head with a dab of silicone to prevent the metal from rusting.
Now to treating any branches that you want to use from outside. If small enough, put them into the over for 30 minutes at 200 degrees. This will kill of any insects and their larvae that may reside in the wood. Strip off any loose bark and any shoots coming off the branch. Some pet stores stock real wood branches that have been treated for insects as well as their plastic aternatives.
Picture credit:
http://www.cagesbydesign.com (beautiful cages!)
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