Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Well I don't think this species belongs on this forum but the rat snake folks don't seem to know anything about these, so perhaps it might be interesting to some folks here.

I have been keeping pseustes for a while now and wanted to show the colors of the different locales. The large green specimen is from Surinam and the smaller yellow specimen is from Honduras.

What is neat is that the Surinam specimen has a blue hue to it, sorta a green/blue stripe. At closer view, it has blue between its scales. And I recently noticed that another snake species (Chironius), which also ranges in Surinam, also has blue between the scales and a similiar green/blue stripe down its side. However the Honduran Pseustes species lacks this blue color between the scales. In any case, it is all interesting.

Dan

Hi Dan here is my male from Surinam.

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"Life without risk is to merely exist."

Damn beautiful snake!!!

Here is a picture of the female you sent me from Surinam.

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"Life without risk is to merely exist."

Quite interesting because I don't see any blue stripe or blue between the scales in those specimens like that adult Surinam I have here. They are looking good for sure so you must be stuffing them with chicks. I notice the Surinam specimens are docile whereas the honduran specimens want to bite as an introduction.

Dan

Yes I am big on chicks as you know. Pseustes means bluffer or liar but Pseustes has more followthrough than any other snake I know.

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"Life without risk is to merely exist."

Since they eat mainly birds in the wild (I am told), I am interested to check their dental work and determine if they have any special teeth to hang onto birds etc. Have you checked it out at all?

Dan

I use a purly scientific method for teeth. I use the same method Dr Fugita uses for tornados. Catigory one least damage and catagory five 30 foot reticulated python biting your privates! I would rate them about 3.5 They use the Bite and hold method plus the bite and pull back method very effectively. I may get some pics before too long.
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"Life without risk is to merely exist."

They use the Bite and hold method plus the bite and pull back method very effectively. I may get some pics before too long.

Hahahaha Bill! No in you private parts....

Catagory 5! LOL!!!!!

I might be interested in pseutes...Any idead where to get those?
Thank's
Justin

... the rat snake folks don't seem to know anything about these...

They don't care much for the Gonyosoma spp. I keep either. I wish there was an active discussion on oddball colubrids somewhere on Kingsnake. As it is I come here or go to the Rear-Fanged Forum.

Regardless, thanks for the pictures and discussion. Pseustes and Chironius are genera that I have always wanted to work with but never got around to trying. Gonyosoma have kept me busy enough, although my collection is down right now.

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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

Yea, it seems like that with the small snake species. Some many of them are interesting to folks on the small snake forum however they are rear fanged and I usually have to post on both forums so both can see and read about them. I am collecting some neat looking redtail green rats. I have a pair of adults like this and a captive born baby that is olive colored with no red tail so I am watching it grow into something different from the usual redtailed green rat.

Dan

Dan,.

I got in a few specimens that looked just like the specimen you pictured.

If you have the time send me an email so we can chat Gonyosoma. A friend of mine is collecting data for a website on this Genus.

Just add my kingsnake user-name to "at yahoo dot com".

Or just click on my blue highlighted name in this post and email me through Kingsnake's messenger service.

Lastly, here is a picture of a female import I received about three years ago. Just lost her this past winter.

She really was this color when she came in stayed that way for a few sheds. She eventually turned into a gray snake.

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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

>She really was this color when she came in stayed that way for >a few sheds. She eventually turned into a gray snake.

If you read the thread on carotene it might help a yellow import stay yellow. Carotene seems to work on albino too.

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"Life without risk is to merely exist."

Yes, you definately have the wheels turning in my head. I have followed the thread on the ratsnake forum. Not only for this orange specimen, but also to maintain the yellow I see in some of the greens.

Let me get this straight. You feed them chicks or rodents that have been fed Flamingo diet?

You're not putting Flamingo diet directly into a thawed rodent, right?
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

I have three methods of supplying carotene to snakes. The method I use for smaller colubrids is to inject frozen thawed rats and mice with egg yoke from range chickens which I raise (very orange yokes)and fresh squeezed carrot juice 25% carrot 25% egg yoke and 50% water. For my larger snakes I gut load chickens chicks with flamingo chow/calcium mix but the egg yoke mix works very well. Keep in mind I do not know any possable adverse effects. I have had no problems but what I do is expirimental. You are on your own if you decide to use my recipe.
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"Life without risk is to merely exist."

What are you guys feeding these snakes? Are they lizard or bird feeders by nature or do they feed on rodents?

Thanks

They eat mice and rats just fine. Starting hatchlings is like starting Unicolor or Blacktail Cribos (fish scent works well)
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"Life without risk is to merely exist."

Great! I was hoping you'd say something different! LOL
Now I'll be looking for these to keep!

Dan Scolaro is a good source.
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"Life without risk is to merely exist."

Dan, the neat thing is, folks on this forum, though big on "dry" love all kinds of odd ball colubrids like these...I think they are incredible. In fact, this little thread just added a few more to my wish list as many of these would make fantastic exhibit animals at my wildlife center.

Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center
Lake Forest, IL

>>Well I don't think this species belongs on this forum but the rat snake folks don't seem to know anything about these, so perhaps it might be interesting to some folks here.
>>
>>I have been keeping pseustes for a while now and wanted to show the colors of the different locales. The large green specimen is from Surinam and the smaller yellow specimen is from Honduras.
>>
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Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL