Explainer | Want to buy a snake as a pet? Tips on common breeds, food, handling, care and more

Although snakes are seen as easy to look after, there is plenty that ought to be done to take care of them properly, from food to habitat

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Although snakes, such as the ball python pictured, are seen as easy to look after, there is plenty that ought to be done to take care of them properly. Photo: Austin Zhang

Published: 4:15pm, 28 Dec 2024Updated: 5:29pm, 1 Jan 2025

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Snakes are said to be easy to look after but they need just as much attention from their owners as any other pet.

Some may even argue they require more care since, unlike cats, dogs, rabbits and guinea pigs, these reptiles are not fully domesticated animals.

According to World Animal Protection, a US non-profit, snakes are wild animals and should not be kept in a human home. But snakes can be easily bought – and are an increasingly popular pet option – in Hong Kong.

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The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species shows that the city imported more than 5.7 million live reptiles between 2000 and 2022, as well as many other types of animals as pets or for other purposes.

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