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Which colubrid could I get that would easily get over 6ft in length? and could you please list them all...I have been trying to decide want to put in my new cage, its basically suited for a large colibrid and I want to know what to get when I get out of my mom's house, damn mom won't let me get any more while I live here.

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A.J.
1.0.0- Amel Motley Corn- Valentine (R.I.P 5/20/05)
0.1.0- Snow Corn- Artica
1.0.0- Normal Corn- Ember
1.0.0- Ball Python- G.T.

>>Which colubrid could I get that would easily get over 6ft in length? and could you please list them all...

Sorry, you'll have to do some of your own research.
Here's a few to consider...

Beauty Snakes
American Ratsnakes (obsoleta)
Pine/Bull/Gophersnakes
Black Milksnakes
Eastern Kingsnakes
Ptyas
Indigos
Spilotes
Ladder Ratsnakes
coachwhips

There are quite a few more.
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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

Thanks for the list, and I do know that indigo's get over 6ft easily, but I can't find out the info if they are legal to keep here, and I am wanting as large of a colibrid I can get, if there is a daiurnal one that would be preferrable, I guess I should have been more specific, all the research I could locate wasn't helping me, they would just give me the range of length, but not an average, and nothing I found was conclusive as to how often they get over 6ft in length, I have seen various rat snakes over 6ft but none that would be for purchase at anytime soon...I was just hoping to be pointed in the right direction on a larger colubrid
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A.J.
1.0.0- Amel Motley Corn- Valentine (R.I.P 5/20/05)
0.1.0- Snow Corn- Artica
1.0.0- Normal Corn- Ember
1.0.0- Ball Python- G.T.

Malagasy Giant Hognose Snake They can get 7 to 9 ft in length.
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Jenea

1:1 Tricolor Hognose
0:0:2 Florida Redbelly Snakes
0:1 Gulf Coast Box Turtle
1:1 Red-eared Slider
2:0 Cats
1:1 Kids
1:0 Spouse

Why are you limiting your search to colubrids?

I like the long thin look of them, big boas and pythons I don't have the room for, and I also have more interest and knowledge when it comes to colubrids, I would consider a different kind but I would need to know that I could house and take care of it...also colubrids tend to be more on the pleasant tempered side from my experience
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A.J.
1.0.0- Amel Motley Corn- Valentine (R.I.P 5/20/05)
0.1.0- Snow Corn- Artica
1.0.0- Normal Corn- Ember
1.0.0- Ball Python- G.T.

Well, I'll throw in the suggestion of Savu pythons, anyway. It's one of my favorite species (my first snake). It's a thinner, semi-arboreal python that shouldn't grow over 5' long. They are generally very docile and easy to handle.

>>Well, I'll throw in the suggestion of Savu pythons, anyway. It's one of my favorite species (my first snake). It's a thinner, semi-arboreal python that shouldn't grow over 5' long. They are generally very docile and easy to handle.

He was looking for something over 6", but a carpet python would fit that description and also not be a particularly heavy bodied snake.

deg

Sorry, I read that as "under 6'". Yeah, carpets and Macklott's would be good examples of slender pythons.

Larger colubrids are incredible animals. However, should room be of concern, I would suggest you consider one of the smaller pythons of boas instead, as large colubrids tend to be much more active than pythons and boas, requiring larger living quarters.
If you do have the space, Drymarchon spp. (indigos and cribos) are a joy to work with and you should not incur any legality issues regarding black-tail, unicolor, yellow-tail Cribos or Mexican west coast indigos. Also, unless you reside within teh "Lone Star" state, Texas indigos should be okay as well. Just keep in mind, any adult Drymarchon is going to require a minimum enclosure size of 6' x 2' floor space and a larger size would be preferable...

Good luck,

Jeff

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Jeff Snodgres
University of Arkansas
snodgresjeffreys@uams.edu
501.603.1947

I had considered a drymarchon before but getting a cage the size i would want for one is a little on the omg my wallet hurts just thinking about it side of things....also i was told that they tend to be on the messy side...any opinions on that???
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A.J.
1.0.0- Amel Motley Corn- Valentine (R.I.P 5/20/05)
0.1.0- Snow Corn- Artica
1.0.0- Normal Corn- Ember
1.0.0- Ball Python- G.T.

Drys harbor an extremely high metabolism and require more frequent enclosure maintenance than most any other genus, especially when fish and fowl are on the menu! However, most large colubrids harbor a higher metabolism than boas and pythons and most any of the larger colubrids, when adults, should be housed in an enclosure the size I indicated previously.

Best regards,

Jeff
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Jeff Snodgres
University of Arkansas
snodgresjeffreys@uams.edu
501.603.1947

so should i try to stick with a python or boa?
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A.J.
1.0.0- Amel Motley Corn- Valentine (R.I.P 5/20/05)
0.1.0- Snow Corn- Artica
1.0.0- Normal Corn- Ember
1.0.0- Ball Python- G.T.

I believe they're one of the largest colubrids out there.

Steve

If you want a long thin colubrid, a good choice would be a Beauty Snake. They are widely available captive born, not very expensive and they readily get to 7 feet, or more.

There is a picture of a big blue beauty (approaching 9 feet) in a recent discussion on the Ratsnake page about big ratsnakes.

Here is the link
Big Beautysnake...

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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

If I were looking for something that fit your description, I'd get an Eastern Kingsnake. An adult should easily reach six feet in length without being too heavy-bodied. I think they are good eaters and reasonably tame. They shouldn't be too expensive. If you keep yours well and needed to sell it someday, you should find a market for it easily enough.

Bill
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It's not how many snakes you have. It's how happy and healthy you can keep them.

One of my favorite large colubrids is Spilotes pullatus.

How tall is your cage? They are semi-arboreal.

I also really like the beauty snakes. The Cave Dwelling is my favorite.
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

It is currently 18" tall, but i was planning to add onto it if I did get something arboreal, or possibly building one if I really like the snake and use that cage for some other kind of snake
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A.J.
1.0.0- Amel Motley Corn- Valentine (R.I.P 5/20/05)
0.1.0- Snow Corn- Artica
1.0.0- Normal Corn- Ember
1.0.0- Ball Python- G.T.

At 18" tall I would be inclined to stick with the more terrestrial snakes. I really like Drymarchon. There are plenty of Cribos available so you don't need to worry about the legalites of them in your state. Of course the more common cribos don't get as big as an Indigo, which you may not prefer. Yellow Tails get huge but I think they are pretty hard to find.

I used to keep several Coachwhips, mostly westerns. Mine were never aggressive. I don't know if I got lucky or what. I really enjoyed keeping those. I used to love having bigtime breeders of more common stuff come over and hand them 6' of beautiful reddish-pink Coachwhip. Most of them did not even know what is was. They always left impressed.

My favorite pet colubrid, and by that I mean completely placid, calm, and handleable was a Florida Kingsnake. I had one that was a monster. I understand Black Milks are very much the same.
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

I am actually hoping to get an adult that is already at length, so that does limit my possibilities to either WC, which I adamently don't want, or someone that is getting rid of there collection or cutting down...as far as what i would prefer is a daiurnal snake, but nocturnal is ok...and I would like something that isn't going to kill my checkbook to purchase as an adult which seems to be the case, especially for a more than 6" colubrid, I really love the color of coachwhips and would love them, but the adults i see are all WC that are for sale...I really don't mind the color/morph or anything because all snakes are gorgeous to me especially colubrids...the only problem i am facing right now is i had to move home due to not enough savings, so i won't be able to purchase any until at the earliest this winter
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A.J.
1.0.0- Amel Motley Corn- Valentine (R.I.P 5/20/05)
0.1.0- Snow Corn- Artica
1.0.0- Normal Corn- Ember
1.0.0- Ball Python- G.T.

I frequently see adult Pine/Gopher/Bulls for sale. They are not the most profitable snakes so breeders often let adults or holdbacks go, especially when they are still sitting on hatchlings.

Same with adult Kinsnakes.

I think you'll have a lot of choices.
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

in you opinion should I try to get a male or female?? and how detrimental would it be to a female to have been bred before???
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A.J.
1.0.0- Amel Motley Corn- Valentine (R.I.P 5/20/05)
0.1.0- Snow Corn- Artica
1.0.0- Normal Corn- Ember
1.0.0- Ball Python- G.T.

Male, female, proven breeder or not, I don't think it matters.

How big is this cage exactly?
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

its 48x18x18, i have the ability to get a bigger one if necessary to get what i want, but I have this one already was going to use it til i could attain a bigger one
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A.J.
1.0.0- Amel Motley Corn- Valentine (R.I.P 5/20/05)
0.1.0- Snow Corn- Artica
1.0.0- Normal Corn- Ember
1.0.0- Ball Python- G.T.

Somehow I thought it was a bigger cage than that. I do think that limits you a bit. I would not put a Drymarchon in a cage that size.

I would lean towards one of the Pine/Goper/Bulls or one of the larger kingsnakes.
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

would it work for a larger rat, like a beauty?
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A.J.
1.0.0- Amel Motley Corn- Valentine (R.I.P 5/20/05)
0.1.0- Snow Corn- Artica
1.0.0- Normal Corn- Ember
1.0.0- Ball Python- G.T.

I think so, but I'd be inclined to offer them something taller. I'm not really a beaty snake guy, although the species I keep has some similarities. You might ask a more specific question re. caging for beauty snakes over on the ratsnake forum.
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

There really isn't that much of a size variance between the Cribos and Indigos, with he excpetion of the yellow-tail cribos, which are known to reach 11' with a few 12' specimens being reported by credible individuals.
As for availability, I currently have D. corais eggs in incubation, along with D. couperi, D. m erebennus, D. m melanurus and D. m rubidus eggs. I also know of a few others who will be producing D. corais this year and there is currently a specimen available on the KS classifieds right now.

Best regards,

Jeff

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Jeff Snodgres
University of Arkansas
snodgresjeffreys@uams.edu
501.603.1947

Thanks for the info. It seems like I have seen an awful lot of melanurus that were on the small side. Are they more slender perhaps?
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

Size tends to vary a little, from specimen to specimen.
The BT Cribo in the photo, being held by my son, is only three years of age and has just reached the 8’ mark, still growing like a weed too.
It has been my experience; WC specimens tend to be much leaner than their CB cohorts. I have found such can be attributed, in part, to the internal parasite loads most WC specimens arrive with. It normally takes me close to 12 months to get internal parasite levels down to acceptable levels within WC specimens and only then, will they begin putting on adequate weight. On the flip side of this topic, healthy Drys have a propensity for becoming obese in captivity, which severely handicaps fertility and longevity. Also, growing Drys tend to gain a great deal of length, prior to gaining girth.

Best regards,

Jeff
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Jeff Snodgres
University of Arkansas
snodgresjeffreys@uams.edu
501.603.1947

What would be the best size, all 3 dimensions to put a large indigo/cribo in, the 11-12 ft is really appealing to me, I would definately not care about the clean up if i were to acquire such a specimen....
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A.J.
1.0.0- Amel Motley Corn- Valentine (R.I.P 5/20/05)
0.1.0- Snow Corn- Artica
1.0.0- Normal Corn- Ember
1.0.0- Ball Python- G.T.

I keep all of my adult Drymarchon in enclosures measuring 8'x 4'x 4'. The absolute minimum enclosure size I would recommend for an adult YT Cribo would be 6'x4'x4', but I know folks who have successfully produced YT Cribos and maintain their adults in Vision enclosures measuring 6'x 3'x 1.5'...

Best regards,

Jeff

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Jeff Snodgres
University of Arkansas
snodgresjeffreys@uams.edu
501.603.1947

So what should i expect to spend on a baby/juvenile/adult YT Cribo???
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A.J.
1.0.0- Amel Motley Corn- Valentine (R.I.P 5/20/05)
0.1.0- Snow Corn- Artica
1.0.0- Normal Corn- Ember
1.0.0- Ball Python- G.T.

CB babies normally sell for 300.00 - 600.00 depending upon coloration. Generally, the more yellow a specimen harbors the greater the price.

Best regards,

Jeff
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Jeff Snodgres
University of Arkansas
snodgresjeffreys@uams.edu
501.603.1947

That explains it - my friend had all WC melanurus.

Thanks.
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

I understand why you would want a big colubrid vs a boa or python. For one, the heating issue - boas and pythons require higher ambient temps. Alot of the larger colubrids out there can thrive at room temp with a small basking area.

You got good suggestions from the others. I like TransPecos ratsnakes alot. They aren't giants, but they are real friendly, slender, can approach 5ft and don't eat alot. Black ratsnakes are great too, and they get 6ft quite often. Indigos have real high metabolisms. They eat and defecate alot. But oh are they beautiful.

Good luck on your search.

I also saw a white-lipped python, i think it was that had the same iridescent(sp?) look to it, that i thought was cool, but it looked small, and I figured they would be rather expensive in comparison to what i am willing to spend
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A.J.
1.0.0- Amel Motley Corn- Valentine (R.I.P 5/20/05)
0.1.0- Snow Corn- Artica
1.0.0- Normal Corn- Ember
1.0.0- Ball Python- G.T.

We have a pair of Taiwanese Beauty snakes, one is 7ft long, (the female), the male is about a foot shorter. They are very tame, good looking, etc. etc. Here is a pic so you can check them out.