Domesticated snakes make great, docile pets that are highly sensitive to their environments. As natural carnivores, they won’t typically feed on plants, but they may be affected by the oils and scents of those around them. If you’d like to keep a densely planted home or garden whilst caring for a few precious reptiles, it would be prudent to select toxin-free plants (e.g. African violets, spider plants, orchids). The jury is still out on dozens of common houseplant species, so ample research is advised.
While there are many that can be safely placed into a snake’s vivarium for natural enrichment, there are some that are harmful and prone to invasiveness. Depending on your relationship with snakes, you’ll want to either avoid or cultivate these. If you have a pest issue and you wish to repel wild snakes, you might consider placing these around your home. Roughly textured plants, such as cacti or stinging nettles, may also work well. They would certainly not be as effective as securing points of entry, however.
Damage or abrasion of the tissues of some common plants can expose mildly toxic compounds, such as phenols and saponins. If these come into contact with a snake’s scaly skin, they can cause irritation. Tongue-flicking behavior and vent absorption may also cause potential irritants to enter a snake’s system and compromise its health. Deliberate ingestion would typically be rare, but do avoid growing the following species in a snake enclosure.
1) Dumb cane (Dieffenbachia spp.)
As many snakes come from tropical areas, it may be tempting to naturalize their enclosures with tropical foliage. Unfortunately, many stunning species contain potentially harmful compounds. Dieffenbachia plants, for example, are extremely popular due to their large, patterned foliage and shade tolerance, but they are known for being dangerous around reptiles.
All Dieffenbachia parts contain raphides, which are sharp, needle-shaped crystals made of calcium oxalate. When the leaves are chewed on or exposed cells are rubbed against the skin, the crystals can cause localized irritation, numbness, or swelling. There are urban myths that tell of deadly dumb canes, but these plants are only mildly toxic. They must be ingested in exceedingly large quantities for lethal symptoms to occur.
Although snakes are very unlikely to nip at Dieffenbachia leaves, they may slither onto exposed cells that are specially equipped to forcibly shoot out their raphides as a result of mechanical injury. Cultivate this plant away from the enclosure to eliminate risk of contact.
2) Azalea (Rhododendron spp.)
Azaleas are stunning ornamental shrubs that bring color and life wherever they are cultivated. With about 10,000 flowering varieties, it’s no mystery why these plants are grown across the globe and are horticultural favorites. However, having a few in your own garden or home must be reconsidered if you own pets! The beauty of these plants hides a surprisingly potent blend of toxins.
Andromedotoxins are secondary metabolites produced in azalea leaves. They are also present in the plant’s nectar. These are a type of neurotoxin, capable of overstimulating the central nervous system and causing symptoms such as vomiting, paresthesia, and loss of consciousness. Commonly termed “mad honey”, the toxin-rich nectar and leaf sap can be lethal for animals. Unless you’d like to witness a distraught reptile, you definitely won’t want your pet snake slithering over crushed azalea flowers.
3) Anemone clematis (Clematis montana)
This delightful member of the Buttercup family (Ranunculaceae) is a vigorous climber. Over time, it can grow to scale a wall and cover it completely. This spreading habit creates a dense web of stems that eventually becomes dotted with a profusion of white or pink flowers. Once you find that anemone clematis has a bloom time of up to 4 weeks, it can be hard to resist acquiring some plants to naturalize the exterior walls of a country home.
While the trailing stems are undeniably pretty, you may have to opt for other types of climbers if you would like to attract reptiles to your garden. The leaves and flowers contain ranunculin, which is an irritant glycoside. If domesticated snakes attempt to browse on the plant or flick their tongues on exposed tissues, they may inadvertently ingest this compound.
This species also contains protoanemonin, which may cause skin irritation upon contact. Gardeners don’t typically use gloves when handling this species, but they are careful to avoid touching surfaces that are damaged or are oozing sap. To stay on the safe side, always use gloves when handling the plant and look for non-toxic alternatives if you have pets.
4) Larkspur (Delphinium spp.)
All Delphinium species are known for being toxic to humans, pets, and livestock. These perennials are well-loved in spite of their toxic profile due to their unique, dolphin-shaped flowers and soft hues. Flower shows just aren’t complete without the presence of a few, lengthy larkspur stalks. Many cultivars are great for adding height and color to pet-free gardens but are definitely to be avoided on farms.
Larkspur is a common culprit for cattle poisoning in the US. If these plants can cause fatalities of large animals, even trace amounts of their toxins can trigger severe symptoms in smaller reptiles. All major plant organs contain methyllycaconitine; one of several, poisonous diterpenoid alkaloids that are present throughout the Delphinium genus. The younger plant tissues are especially dangerous as they contain a higher concentration of this alkaloid.
Methyllycaconite is usually carried into the organ systems of pets and cattle via ingestion. Though a snake won’t typically eat larkspur, it may accidentally consume the loose seeds of the plant or may have to navigate through damaged leaf and stem tissues. A reptile habitat would, unfortunately, always be safer without this highly toxic group of deceptively beautiful plants.
5) Devil’s ivy (Epipremnum aureum)
Although this species naturally hails from a small group of Pacific Islands, it is now widely naturalized across the globe. Also known as pothos, devil’s ivy is one of the most common houseplants. With delicately speckled leaves and trailing shoots, this species looks great just about anywhere and is even known for surviving in virtual darkness for limited amounts of time.
Its tolerance for high humidity and low light levels makes it a fantastic indoor plant in tropical regions, and therefore a tempting addition to terrarium setups. Nonetheless, installing a few accessible pots in an area with pets may be unwise. Like many plants with attractive leaves, devil’s ivy contains insoluble raphides. Both ingestion of and excessive skin contact with the plant can cause a host of unpleasant symptoms.
Ingestion of devil’s ivy is not necessarily considered fatal, as side effects wear off after some time. The resulting burning sensation upon contact with the needle-like raphides would certainly be unpleasant and can even reduce in lost appetite and lethargy. Safer, trailing plant alternatives to this species include hoyas (Hoya spp.) and wandering Jew (Tradescantia zebrina), though the latter may be very mildly toxic when ingested too.
6) Fig (Ficus spp.)
This group of readily available houseplants that can be cultivated as miniature trees is surprisingly toxic to many animals. With highly sought-after species, such as the rubber tree and fiddle leaf fig, many houseplant enthusiasts are no stranger to the ornamental, yet stylishly simple forms of fig leaves. Unfortunately, the leaves and stems contain a sap that may cause irritation to humans and pets upon contact.
Reptiles, including snakes, may experience contact dermatitis if their skin repeatedly rubs against damaged fig trees. Snakes won’t intentionally feed on the leaves or fruits of these trees, but they may tongue at the sap when exploring their surroundings. Accidental ingestion may cause oral irritation, vomiting, and diarrhea as the milky, latex-rich sap contains a variety of mildly toxic compounds.
Interestingly, when used in the right concentrations and when post-processed properly, the sap can serve a wide range of medicinal purposes. It has even shown potential for use in anti-helminthic and anti-cancer drugs.
7) Daffodil (Narcissus spp.)
Popularly known for their bright blooms, daffodils are commonly cultivated as annuals in temperate countries. A late winter or springtime garden can be enriched with a few stands of these herbaceous ornamentals. Most beginner gardeners will purchase bulbs without knowing about their inherently toxic profiles, so this information should ideally be disseminated in garden centers. Daffodils are dangerous to have around curious pets that may dig out the bulbs or burrow into their soil.
Though snakes wouldn’t typically consume Narcissus bulbs, leaves, or flowers, caution should be taken when placing a few pots of these in a naturalized reptile enclosure. All plant parts contain lycorine, a toxic alkaloid that may cause nausea, pain, and diarrhea if ingested. This is most concentrated in the bulb, which also contains considerable concentrations of calcium oxalate crystals.
Contact dermatitis is a frequent side effect of handling the bulbs with bare hands. The resulting irritation is frequently termed by florists as “daffodil itch”. If the plant sap comes into contact with open wounds, the crystals and toxic alkaloids may even enter the bloodstream and disrupt the nervous and cardiovascular systems. Therefore, reptiles with recovering wounds or injuries may be particularly susceptible.
8) Tulips (Tulipa spp.)
Widely cultivated due to their beautiful blooms, tulips have been a global favorite for centuries. These plants make an appearance in just about every Sunday market and park in early spring, signifying renewed warmth and the awakening of wild critters. Their bulbs travel far and wide, looking deceptively harmless. They are for the most part, though they do carry toxins that could be potentially lethal when consumed in considerable amounts.
Toxic alkaloids and glycosides are concentrated in tulip bulbs. When ingested by pets, livestock, or humans, mild symptoms such as vomiting, abdominal pain, and headaches may occur. In the worst case, these can lead to convulsions and possibly even death. Small animals, such as cats and toy dog breeds, are most likely to suffer from extreme cases. Contact dermatitis, termed “tulip itch” (similar to that of daffodils), may also occur when bulbs are handled without gloves.
As long as snakes don’t have access to tulip bulbs, there should be no danger of poisoning. They are unlikely to feed on the leaves or flowers, so the danger lies in their contact with exposed bulb tissues. Yet again, for peace of mind, it is still more advisable to opt for plants that have relatively absent traces of toxins.
9) Wisteria (Wisteria spp.)
Plants under the Wisteria genus are flowering vines with a knack for twining around just about any structures their stems come across. In this sense, they are quite snake-like. While the vegetative parts are fairly safe to have around snakes (which are strictly carnivorous), it’s the reproductive structures that may be dangerous. All plant parts contain compounds called wistarine and lectin, which are toxic glycosides that have been shown to cause severe gastroenteritis in children and domesticated animals.
As snakes use their flickering tongues to gauge their surroundings and get a “taste” of ambient conditions, they may accidentally strike at fallen seeds or seed pods and ingest them. They are unlikely to consume large amounts, but in the event that they do so, they may experience symptoms that are similar to that of vertigo or dizziness afterward. Moreover, the seeds can become attached to the fur or skin of their prey items, resulting in their inadvertent ingestion.
10) Water hemlock (Cicuta spp.)
There are four species of water hemlocks (C. bulbifera, C. virosa, C. maculata, C. douglasii). Every single one of them is considered a highly toxic plant that unfortunately bears resemblance to many edible species! Accidental consumption of any of the vegetative parts may result in lethal symptoms and lead to fatalities.
Cicutoxin, a type of aliphatic alcohol, is primarily concentrated in the roots but is present throughout the shoots, leaves, and flowers as well. It is a toxic compound that overstimulates the nervous system and may cause seizures. Even dermal contact with this substance, from rubbing the plant parts onto skin, has been shown to cause intoxicating effects and has reportedly resulted in the deaths of two children.
Water hemlock definitely has no place in a snake enclosure, wildlife-friendly garden, or, for that matter, any homes with children and pets. The toxic dosages for these four species have yet to be determined, but their dangerous effects are becoming more well-known due to improper use and plant identification errors. If an unsuspecting snake slithers onto damaged and exposed roots, direct contact with the toxins can spell their unfortunate demise.
