Pet snakes are often kept in inadequate conditions because their welfare needs are poorly understood, leading to chronic stress and shortened lifespans.
Snakes require thermal gradients that allow thermoregulation, appropriate humidity, hiding places, and secure enclosures large enough to stretch out fully. Many keepers house snakes in enclosures that are too small, too cold, and lack adequate humidity. Feeding live prey can cause injury to the snake; feeding dead prey requires training. Respiratory infections, mouth rot, and scale rot from poor husbandry are common presentations in veterinary practice.