Exotic pet medicine I. Snakes.

Of the 6,000 extant species of reptiles, approximately 2500 are snakes. Several dozen species of snakes have become popular in the pet trade, and to meet the increased demand, more and more species are being bred in captivity. Along with this popularity comes the need for more sound veterinary expertise. Although much biomedical information on snakes exists in the literature and can be found in texts on reptile medicine, few reviews have tried to consolidate the literature on this subject. The purpose of this article is to bring together information on the most pertinent aspects of snake medicine and disease.