During the Lunar New Year of the Snake, many snake enthusiasts sparked a "snake-showing" craze on social media—from the serene and elegant black king snake to the colorful and petite corn snake, they were either flaunted by their owners as unique "accessories" or "displayed" in transparent enclosures. Comments such as "How cute!" and "I really want one!" flooded the comments section, revealing the public's strong interest in snake pets.
In recent years, as people's understanding of reptile pets has deepened, snake pets have gradually entered the public eye and won the hearts of more and more people, especially the younger generation. The arrival of the Year of the Snake Spring Festival has brought a surge of interest to the snake pet market.
So why have snakes become pets, overturning the traditional image of pets and becoming the new "traffic stars" in the pet world?
"This year is the Year of the Snake, so buying a small red snake symbolizes good fortune and prosperity." Xiao Qian (pseudonym), the owner of a reptile pet shop in Hangzhou for more than ten years, told reporters that recently many people have come to the shop to visit and buy snake pets.
In Xiaoqian's shop, glass enclosures are neatly arranged, with dozens of pet snakes of various shapes and colors wriggling inside, attracting many children to watch through the glass. Xiaoqian and the shop assistants patiently explain to customers the genetic characteristics and breeding knowledge of snakes.
"Currently, the store mainly sells small to medium-sized snakes, such as king snakes, corn snakes, and hognose snakes, which are more suitable for beginners. The price range is from several hundred yuan to several thousand yuan. Since January, there has been a significant increase in customers coming to the store to learn about snake pets. Red snakes are the most popular among customers. Many people come to the store specifically to 'check in' and experience the snakes, hoping to have good luck in the Year of the Snake." Xiao Qian introduced, stroking the red snake wrapped around her right wrist. This 6-month-old corn snake is priced at around 600 yuan and has already been pre-ordered with full payment.
Xiao Qian first encountered snakes as pets in 2016. At that time, not many people in China accepted snakes as pets. "In people's minds, snakes are aggressive animals and also venomous. This leads to an innate fear of snakes and the fear of being bitten. But in fact, the pet snakes sold on the market now are small in size and have a docile temperament. As long as you take care of them properly, they generally won't bite people." Xiao Qian said that he can sell hundreds of snakes every year.
In less than half an hour, many customers came into Xiao Qian's shop to visit. Some customers who were handling snakes as pets for the first time were encouraged by Xiao Qian's introduction to try "coiling" the snakes. One after another, brightly colored little snakes slithered between their hands.
Ms. Wu, a resident of Hangzhou, said that her child usually likes pets, especially reptiles. Today, when she saw the snake pets in the store, she was particularly interested and wanted to touch each one. At her child's urging, she also tried touching a corn snake and found the texture quite nice. Given that this year is the Year of the Snake, she would be willing to buy one for her child if a suitable snake pet were available.
"Although the sales of pet snakes have increased due to the Year of the Snake, pet snakes have always been loved by many people," said Xiao Ye, a veteran pet snake enthusiast. He added that pet snakes became popular in China around 2020, when prices stabilized, attracting many ordinary enthusiasts to join the hobby.
According to the "2025 China Pet Industry White Paper (Consumer Report)," the number of people keeping exotic pets continued to rise in 2024. Among exotic pets, turtles, snakes, and geckos are the main types of reptiles kept, with snakes accounting for 51.6%.
So why are people increasingly fond of snakes as pets? Xiao Ye points out that both young people and children can now access various exotic pets through the internet, offline exhibitions, and stores. Parents are also more open-minded about their children keeping exotic pets, and more and more children are taking a liking to these animals, even daring to touch them—more daring than their parents. "Snakes are very easy to keep; just feed them once a week and maintain a suitable temperature. Children can easily feed them too."
Zhao Hengjie, deputy secretary-general of the Pet Culture Professional Committee of the China Cultural Management Association, also analyzed the phenomenon of the hot sale of pet snakes. He said that the reason why pet snakes are selling so well is because of the strong festive atmosphere of the Year of the Snake, as well as the low management difficulty and cost of raising pet snakes, which are suitable for a fast-paced lifestyle.
Mr. Yuan keeps several corn snakes at home, and this time he came to choose a red one. For him, these small pet snakes are just for "enjoying." "The snakes I like have smooth lines and bright colors, especially the red one, which gives off a festive feeling. I think they are very beautiful," Mr. Yuan said. He added that most pet snakes are docile and, as long as they are fed regularly and kept warm, they can live for at least ten years.
"For young people who have just graduated from university and have only been working for a few years, keeping snakes or exotic pets is a very cost-effective option. Compared to keeping cats and dogs, exotic pets are relatively less expensive and require less effort. They don't need to be walked; you just need to feed them regularly and pay attention to temperature differences. But they provide just as much companionship as their owners," Xiao Qian said. She added that young people value the uniqueness of pets and the ease of keeping them.
