Snakes from our parent, NERD. Many born and bred right here.

Calm, quiet and easy to live with

A snake is one of the easiest reptiles to keep well. Most species are calm, eat every week or two, and live in a closed enclosure that takes up less floor space than a bookcase.

Snakes suit busy families, apartment living, and anyone who wants a pet that stays quiet and never needs a walk. Many of ours were born and bred by NERD, our parent company.

Zoo Creatures started with NERD, and with snakes

Kevin McCurley bred his first snakes at 14. He went on to found NERD (New England Reptile Distributors), and in 2001 he opened Zoo Creatures.

NERD has the largest collection of captive-bred, hand-reared ball pythons, reticulated pythons, blood and short-tailed pythons, boas and colubrids for sale in the Northeast. Many of them are available right in our store.

Snakes and snake supplies are where this store comes from, and they're still the center of it. NERD is our parent company, so of course we have the most extensive selection of ball pythons and ball python morphs anywhere.

Why snakes make great pets

• Quiet and clean. No barking, no walks, no fur on the couch.
• Most adult snakes eat only every week or two.
• Less space and a lower monthly cost than a dog or cat once the enclosure is set up.
• A long-term companion. Corn snakes often live 15 to 20 years, and ball pythons can live 20 to 30 years or more.
• A weekly routine kids can own: check the temperatures, refresh the water, log each meal and shed.
• The honest part: snakes eat whole rodents (we sell them frozen), and they need steady, controlled heat every day.

A good first pet for kids?

For school-age kids, yes, with a parent in charge of the setup. Corn snakes and ball pythons are calm, sturdy and easy to handle once they settle in.

The CDC says children under 5 shouldn't handle or touch reptiles or amphibians, or anything in their enclosures. These animals can carry Salmonella even when they look healthy. Everyone washes their hands with soap and water after handling the animal or anything in its tank, and an adult watches over younger kids.

Cool snake facts

• Snakes smell with their tongues. Each flick picks up scent and delivers it to a special organ in the roof of the mouth.
• Ball pythons are named for what they do when nervous: curl into a tight ball with the head tucked in the middle.
• Ball pythons have heat-sensing pits along their lips that let them feel the warmth of nearby prey.
• Snakes shed their skin, often in one piece, including the clear scale over each eye. Right before a shed, the eyes turn cloudy blue.

What we carry

Captive-bred snakes from NERD, with new animals coming in often. Our colubrids include corn snakes, kingsnakes and milk snakes. Our boas run from little rosy boas and Kenyan sand boas to red-tailed boas.

• Ball pythons
• Reticulated pythons
• Blood & short-tailed pythons
• Boas
• Colubrids

Setting up at home

We carry all of it: live and frozen prey, several types and styles of enclosures, and all your heating and lighting. Read our ball python and corn snake care sheets before you shop.

• Enclosure: a secure, locking tank or PVC enclosure sized to the adult snake
• Heat: a warm side and a cool side, run by a thermostat
• Hides: one on each side, plus a water bowl big enough to soak in
• Food: frozen-thawed rodents sized to your snake

Ball python care sheet →Corn snake care sheet →

Looking for other species?

Check out NERD for other exotic snake species. Buy online and pick it up in the store.

Come meet them

Come in and see the snakes. We'll help you pick the right one and send you home with a setup that works from day one.