Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This guy ate 4 mice and shut down for the rest of the year. He would kill the mice but not eat them. I waited two more weeks and tried a fat female gerbil and he NAILED her. I hope I can count on his feeding response to kick in. I would have hated to spend my time trapping locale mice, cliff swallows and bats, lol!
Todd Hughes

What locality is that big brute Todd? Langtry? Alpine? Good idea on the gerbil...they seem a little closer to kangaroo rats than Mus musculus. Have you tried scenting with a gerbil? I would try that or maybe scenting with a Uta stansburiana or a Mediterranean gecko.
I have a big River Road male that also nailed one of those Hemidactylus geckos. He was eating mice fine, but I had to try it out.
Suboc.com

He's a Langtry animal, and I have a locality female for him but it will be 2008 before she's ready. She slams hoppers two at a time so I think she will be ready. If he continues to accept these gerbils, I will raise them for these two, as they are cheaper and smell less than domestic, but produce a lot less but bigger babies.
Todd Hughes

Impressive animal Todd
Another "try" prey is young quail, if you have a breeder nearby.
The only suboc I ever found in the middle of the day (cold, sunny, south of alpine) ate quail.
Atypically, he also was never docile. I guess you have to have an attitude to crawl on the flats with the Bullsnakes in the daylight!
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Regards, Bill McGighan

LOL, thanks Bill, and yeah this boy is always eyeing you as if looking for the opportunity, but he has never struck me. He does an amazing amount of tongue flicking and comes up and out to explore you but never tries to bolt. I took some flakes of the rocks that had fallen from the cut he was on (never remove intact rock) and incorporated it into his shelter. He seems comfy and hasn't lost any weight. I think it is feast or famine for these guys and they pile it on when the opportunity presents.
Todd Hughes

Todd,
It seems you have told me this before, but how big is that snake? Gregg Feaster has a huge Langtry female and he is looking to put her with another large male from that same area.
He has an idea of breeding subocs for size. And I offered to let him use a huge River Road male of mine, and he was interested...but I think he'd rather go with another Langtry.
If you are interested, I think he might would want to send her your way on a loan. Regardless, it would be cool to say how big those babies would be.
Talk atcha later!
Dusty
Suboc.com

I will have him measured at the vets when we tube him, but he field measured at 68". The fellow at the Oytback Oasis helped me and my son and I got another unoficial measurement of 68" with some play left. I am gonna say he is a solid 70" . I am really trying to get my own line off the ground and I appreciate the offer, but I go west in May and want to see what happens. Not trying to be selfish, just trying to support my habit, lol!
Todd Hughes

That's awesome, Todd. Good luck with that! The going record for a suboc is 66". That is from Werler and Dixon's "Texas Snakes" book (2000)...you may want to report it.
If the vet will confirm that it is over 5.5 feet, PLEASE let me know. We might be able to get your snake some publicity.
Later!
Dusty
Suboc.com