>>Since I lost my Mexican Bairds Ratsnake, and I feel that it was definitely a humidity issue with him, I am concerned about obtaining snakes that come from dryer climates than the swamp land around Washington, DC. This would include the Trans pecos ratsnake, also. Would you say that this snake should not be kept in the more humid areas of the world? I currrently have a hypo emory and a creamsicle, which are both doing great, so am pretty sure that the regular emory is okay with our humidity.

>>

>>Thanks for help on this one.

>>

>>phflame





Ok, I'll try. Not trying to be any world expert though.



Since your emoryi and creamsicle are doing, ok, I don't think you have any worries. All the members of the guttatus complex are very adaptable. I'm just saying the Great Plains ratsnakes are adapted to a drier climate than corn snakes, semi-arid, actually. All these snakes seem to have a pretty wide range of tolerances, however. My GP rats may be a little more tolerant of the dry conditions (20 to 35% humidity) in winter, than the corns. The corns might be a little more tolerant of high humidity (60 to 80%) in summer. All my GP rats did fine under those conditions, however.



I might worry a little more about snakes that come from deserty regions, such as the Trans-Pecos ratsnake and the Baird's ratsnakes. I'm not quite sure about how deserty the habitat is for the Mexican Baird's, but I would assume they would seek out the optimum micro-environment, with moister conditions. Thus they should be tolerant of some humidity, at least. I find it a little hard to believe you lost your Mexican Baird's to a humidity problem. I would think there must have been other complications, maybe, that added to it. I've kept TX Baird's before, in Michigan, that did well with no adjustments. There's some differences there I know.



Anyway, I wouldn't fear any humidity problems for the s. TX ratsnakes (meahllmorum). The only problem I've had, so far, has been their intolerance to cold temps. I definitely wouldn't cool down first year babies below 70*F, according to what I've seen, so far. A little overnight cooling (in winter), is ok, with a raise of temps back up into the high 70's (min. needed for digestion).



Good luck with your projects....TC.








-----
Ratsnake Haven: Calico and albino Chinese stripe-tailed ratsnakes, Mandarin ratsnakes, Chinese twin-spotted ratsnakes, South Korean Dione's ratsnake, Great Plains rats and corn snakes

[ Show Entire Thread ]