Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I like this forum alot and wanted to share a few pictures of my new snake. It is a WC Southern Black Racer probably a 04 , its still rather small. About 3 - 3 1/2 feet.

I found the little beaut(lol) the other day. I have been wanting one for study. They are very facinating to watch.

Well here are some pictures of Smokey.

The last picture is how i found Smokey

P.S if any of you have Racers, post some pictures. Thanks

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Cameron

I have read very active but also very nervous snakes , some dont adapt to captivity but those that do interesting to watch as dont hide much.
Do you find this to be true?

Posted by: Luis at Tue Mar 7 20:11:09 2006 [ Report Abuse ] [ Email Message ]

I have read very active but also very nervous snakes , some dont adapt to captivity but those that do interesting to watch as dont hide much.
Do you find this to be true?

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Yes i do agree with that, this is my second Racer, but my first adult.

When i had a newborn for study is was the most mean and nervous snake i had ever came across. I kept him for about a week and he never took any food just snapped at them, i finally let him go and never came across a adult for study.

The other day i found this one under some insulation in a cleared field in Southern Florida a few blocks from my house, he didnt snap or get into the striking position at all when i first caught him. He didnt for the rest of the day either. I was very shocked to see his calmness. Well yesterday and today he has been a little more nervous just because alot of kids have been running around my house and i guess some were teasing it. I told them today it was wrong and now they know not to do that. Well after a bad days of herping today and not finding anything i decided to try to feed Smokey(black racer), which i normally wouldnt do with a new snake as i wait a week to ten days before i feed. Well today i through in a Small Cuban Tree frog in a feeding container with Smokey and no less than 2 seconds he struck at it and relized it was food and then starting to eat it. I was very surprized by this, that it took food so soon as if it never had been caught and stressed.

About them being interesting to watch, i think they are the most facinating snakes to watch out of all snakes. There behavior is so much different than many other snakes, they are very aware and like to watch what you are doing. I have noted several times racers following and then backing away to see what i was doing. For instance i had been at work one day and i noticed a 5 foot adult in front of me, as i was busy i had only time to stare at him for a second. Well as i walked away i hear the brush moving he had came closer to me and right when i turned around and stoped he backed away. This went on for 2 minutes. It was a very amazing thing to watch.

Black Racers with out a doubt are some of the most unique snakes there are today.

A couple of pictures of Smokey

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Cameron

I have a book on native snakes and it says that they can be great interesting captives in a large set up with logs, slabs of wood,etc things to climb,explore but it says some never adapt rub their noses non stop and wont eat.
It also says they are lizard like in so far as they do enjoy basking in the wild. Thats great you got yours to eat right away. Living in Florida I imagine you have your pick of Cuban treefrogs as the greens seem to be sadly dwindling .
I have never kept one but thinking of it in a 55 gallon with logs,etc.

Feed it as many of those immigrant frogs as possible.
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Mike
KingPin Reptiles Inc.
www.freewebs.com/mikesnake
Updated 3/2/06

Lol those frogs are all over Miami . I see them at night on my grandmothers porch light catching bugs except ofcourse when the Tokay comes around lol lots non natives herps in Florida now.