Posted by:
Sunherp
at Thu Jan 6 11:06:31 2011 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by Sunherp ]
Dusty, I know you're pretty knowledgeable regarding North American Colubrids, so please don't take the following as condescending!
I have fairly extensive experience with syspila (NA milks in general...) - keeping them together is a big mistake... they're well known for eating one another. In fact, I had one adult female consume another adult female several weeks ago... while they were in brumation at 50*F. That's one mistake I'll never make again. Even the neonates will readily eat one another. They also generally shut down for the winter, regardless of temperature or light cycle. Be prepared to allow your animals 3-5 months of brumation (as in all NA triangulum.
I've heard many rumors of elapsoides having a similar predisposition to eating one another, but I've only got a few of them and have never housed them together.
Male syspila generally despise one another. Placing them together often results in thrashing, biting, and even constriction. Long story short: Don't do it.
I've never kept Cemophora, but I've heard some people have had success with them by syringe feeding them chicken egg with a multi-vitamin added.
Have you considered a small Natricine or Opheodrys? They're both diurnal and active. I've got an ExoTerra in my office, too. While I keep mostly locality milks at home, I've got a pair of Crested Geckos at work. They're visible and easy to feed, since they eat a powdered diet. Just some things to think about.
-Cole
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More info... - Sunherp, Thu Jan 6 11:06:31 2011