Snake Lifespan: How Long Do Snakes Live?

While this reptile can earn a bad reputation if it lives in your backyard, snakes remain popular pets to keep in the home to this day. But how long do snakes live, both in wild and domesticated circumstances, and what is their average life cycle like? 

In this article, we will discuss what life is like for many different species of snakes, as well as how their species affects their overall lifespan. The snake life cycle will also be discussed here, as it is a fascinating process. Let’s get started!

How Long Do Snakes Live?

Snakes live an average of 2 to 8 years in the wild, and many live double this amount in captivity. Predation is one of the biggest enemies to a snake’s long and healthy life. This is why captive snakes, like many other animals, live longer than their wild counterparts.

Snakes face many enemies in the wild, such as birds of prey, cats, raccoons, and other carnivorous animals. They also often find themselves in danger if approaching roadways or other populated areas, as humans aren’t very fond of snakes.

Keeping a snake in captivity means that it is more likely to live a long and full life. Many pet snakes live between 15 to 30 years, depending on their quality of care and the species of snake. This means that adopting a pet snake leads to a longer commitment than you may expect. 

Regardless of species or care, most snakes share a very similar life cycle. However, it is important to note that some species of snakes can give birth to live young rather than laying eggs. For the sake of simplicity, let’s discuss the average life cycle of egg-laying snakes.

The Average Snake Life Cycle

From growing inside a soft and leathery egg to eating full-sized prey as an adult, this is what the average snake’s life cycle is like, from beginning to end. 

Egg 

Most female snakes lay an average of five to 20 eggs per breeding season. The breeding season for snakes depends on the weather conditions and species. However, most eggs are laid and then protected by the mother until the snakes are ready to hatch.

The species of snake determines how long the eggs need before they hatch. The process can take as little as a week, and as long as a couple of months. This is a time when many young snakes are consumed by predators, given their inability to protect themselves in their eggs. 

Juvenile Snakes

A young snake hatches from its egg by wriggling around inside it. The eggshell is soft, allowing it to expand as the snake grows during incubation. Once it breaks free from the eggshell using its teeth and body, it is ready to move around and live without much assistance. 

Juvenile snakes, also known as snakelets or neonates, are capable of eating live prey immediately. They feed themselves and shed their skin, molting many times as they grow and change. They remain in the juvenile stage for at least a year. While they are young, snakes will shed their skin much more than adult snakes will. 

Adult Snakes

Snakes are usually considered adults when they reach sexual maturity, which happens anywhere from 18 months to four years of age. This depends broadly on the species of snake and on the level of care that it is receiving, both in the wild and in captivity.

While many snakes can live for over a decade, this is usually only the case for captive snakes. However, many captive snakes can live a significantly long time. Take this ball python for example, which not only lived to be over the age of 60, but also was able to lay eggs without the assistance of a male! 

If you’ve recently adopted a pet snake, there are many things you can do to extend its lifespan. These include keeping your snake at an appropriate temperature, feeding it regularly (with the correct type of prey for the species), and avoiding overfeeding.

Comparing Lifespans of Different Snake Species

Given how many different species of snakes there are, you may be curious to know how this affects their different life spans. Let’s discuss some of the most common snakes and how long they live now, especially when compared to their wild lifespan versus their captive lifespan.

• Ball Python: The ball python is one of the most popular pet snake species in the world. It is capable of living over 30 years in captivity, if not longer. However, in the wild, their lifespan is closer to 5 to 10 years.
• Boa Constrictor: Given their large size and lack of natural predators, boa constrictors live a long life in the wild. They can survive to reach at least 20 years of age. Many boa constrictors live over 40 years in captivity. 
• Rattlesnake: Not very many rattlesnakes are kept in captivity, though this does increase their overall lifespan. A wild rattlesnake likely lives five to 10 years, while a captive one can live closer to 20. 
• Garter Snake: Garter snakes are likely the snakes that you see in your backyard. Their small species leads them to have a shorter life. They live an average of two to four years in the wild. But it would likely live longer if ever kept in captivity. 
• Rat Snake: Another common backyard snake. The rat snake lives for 10 to 15 years in the wild, and more than 20 years in captivity.
• Hognose Snake: Known for their trademark pig nose, hognose snakes are another popular breed of pet snake. They can live almost 20 years in captivity, though their wild lifespan is closer to five years. 
• Corn Snake: A very friendly and popular breed of pet snake. The corn snake lives an average of 12 to 18 years in captivity. It lives closer to seven years in the wild on average.