I've been actively looking for a Mud Snake, after researching, studying, more researching, more discussing with keepers, and basically soaking in information on them their care, husbandry (which differs from keeper to keeper), feeding, behavior, water chemistry needs, feeders, places to buy different feeders, setting up ideal enclosures, nutrition, and anything and everything I can possibly think of to prepare for to get one of these amazing snakes. Well I've finally felt as ready as one can be with out firsthand experience, and FINALLY found and attained one this Friday October, 12, 2012. Much to my heartache and chagrin, woke up 8ish hours maybe after I got him comfy, I'd hoped, in his home, and went to bed, and in that 12-16 hours after I received him and had one of the most joyous moments in my life, woke and went immediately to check on him, only to find him gone, and I mean GONE. I've been searching and am setting up places to lure him to, and have searched until I literally sat down Saturday to rest and passed out, emotionally and physically drained. My heart is broken. I haven't given up hope, but I am going to try and acquire another while I keep searching for my tiny hatchling I just got. Basically, if anyone knows of ANY sources, to attain one of which I'm willing to pay decent money for a healthy preferably the younger the better, and preferably male specimen, please contact me.(Although any offer contact me small, male, or not.) I'm also interested in Black Swamp Snakes very much so if any info or sources can be found on them, too. Essentially, though, I want to hear how you, or someone or more than one person has kept them successfully husbandry, feeding, and otherwise. I have a pretty ideal setup I'm working on I think that I've based off of many many firsthand recommendations, research, and some slight adjustments I think based on my reading and discussions that may help too. Though I want to hear how others have personally had success. I would like to attain a hatchling ideally like mentioned above, to be able to convert it to captivity, more attainable feeders, and everything else that will differ from the wild environment more easily. The one I had so very briefly was eating well on tadpoles, and I was told could probably be switched to feeder fish such as guppies or shiners, etc. pretty easily, perhaps with scenting required at first. Did you convert yours from siren/amphiuma? If so, how so, and to what? I find it important to keep an bit of variety in the diet and to keep it also as aquatically based as possible, because mammal eaters nutritional needs are going to vary from those of a semi-aquatic snake such as a Mud/Swamp Snake. Though I would like to get the snake off of the siren and amphiuma alone because they are pricey, hard to attain where I am, etc. Fish, some frogs, tadpoles, no problem. I've also heard they can live and thrive on a diet high in eel that is untreated, unseasoned, and unpreserved from even grocery stores, such as some of their relative species live off of a diet high in eel too.....any truth or luck with this? I've read some about it, but would like more info on this option before jumping into it. Anyways any info, sources, leads, etc, would be greatly appreciated indeed. (other than search engine links and info from them, of which I've read them all haha) Thanks --Brandi

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