Well....There are as many answers to your questions as there are species of snakes! Also, it depends on your definition of a small snake!

Most snakes commonly kept in captivity are fairly easy to maintain, but of course research is a must just to make sure.

Some eat crickets, some eat fish, some eat mice, etc.

Bug eaters need to eat most frequently, fish eaters less frequently, and rodent eaters even less frequently than that. Most rodent eaters eat every 7-10 days. (kingsnakes have a very high metabolism and like to eat more at first)

My first snake was a rough green snake named Fluffy. He looked like this:

They are arboreal snakes that eat crickets and other soft-bodied insects. They get about three feet long and as big around as a pencil. They're s bit skittish at first, but they don't bite. They can be a bit harder to maintain, and unless marked captive-bred should be de-wormed as soon as you get them home. They're also very inexpensive. (Around $30 in my area)

Another good one is the Rosy Boa:

They stay small, 1 1/2 to 3 feet on average. They're very friendly and very hardy. These are rodent eaters. I recommend them at work to people with kids.

The Kenyan Sand Boa is one of the easiest snakes to take care of. They're about the same size as the rosy, also very friendly, also rodent eaters. All they need is a ten gallon plus tank with a few inches of sand (and a heatpad underneath). They hide under the sand most of the time, but most snakes spend the majority of their time hiding so I don't see this as a problem.


Garter and ribbon snakes vary in size, but most are very slender and under three feet. I don't *personally* care for them as beginner pets because they're fish eaters, and fish can sometimes get a little....fragrant coming out the other side. Their moist environment can also be a bit of a challenge to maintain. They are, however, very friendly and often liked because they eat fish.


And of course, I'm a little biased, but I LOVE Hognose snakes! They're 2-3 feet, very hardy, and friendly bluffers. This means that they often get excited and put on a "tough guy" show when you reach for them, but they don't bite and as soon as you pick them up they're calm and happy. They have a reputation for being hard to get eating, but it's unfair...the eastern species is tough to get on rodents but the Westerns aren't usually a problem.