'Glades Herp hatched many Black Racers from eggs harvested from wc females this spring, and I just got some hatchlings last week. Set them up with UV and 6700K daylight bulbs, plus a nice warm basking spot around 97 degrees. After about a week and a half of settling in and shedding their neonatal sheds, they started eating. One took a live pink mouse, one a tiny frog, and the rest newborn garter snakes.

Racers and coachwhips are pretty intelligent, even emotional. Hatchlings are a hoot to watch as they learn things like it's important to close their mouths on their prey when they grab it. Adult racers and coachwhips I've had have demonstrated their elemental reasoning abilities with even wc adults soon learning to ignore the tongs and eat the defrosted mouse. Some accept motionless dead mice laying on the floor of the enclosure. Scientific literature mentions racers and coachwhips being observed feeding on carrion in the wild, even being caught trying to raid rodent traps that held killed rodents.

If all goes well, I'll have some captive raised Black Racers to perhaps breed in the future. Looks like they are off and...dare I say it? Running.

Also picked up a 4 foot Eastern Coachwhip, classic color phase. Same setup--full-spectrum light and a hot spot. He started eating with a live mouse. I'll pair him with a nice mate one day and try my hand at raising Easterns from hatchlings. Tropical fish are for people who can't thrive on stress.

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