Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have tried to feed my tx coral thamnophis as advised from a earlier post. It will not except them.I am having trouble finding its usual snake prey. Will rough green snakes work? snake is from travis county.

The ones found here will usually not feed on Thamnophis. If they feed at all it will be on Sonora, Leptotyphlyops, and Elaphe. You could also try Scincella. Chances are good you will end up releasing it.
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Tim Cole
www.Designeratrox.com/
www.AustinReptileService.net
www.AustinReptileExpo.com/
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Conservation through Education

I've had similar experience with south Florida corals. They go crazy for Diadophis, some will tale Elaphe. I've never seen one show any interest in Thamnophis or even Storeria.

Texas corals certainly could have different preferences.

I went ahead and fed it a rat tail with rep cal calcium on the end of it. I started the tail in its mouth and it finished it on its own. Do you think that will keep weight on it until I can get the snakes I need to feed it?

That should keep it going for a while. I'm also only familiar with the easterns. I have had some that would not eat, some that were very picky..some would take only Ophisaurus, others only Eumeces, but I have had a few that would eat dang near anything that hit the cage floor, including other corals, small Thamnophis & Coluber included.

Set the snake up in an enclosure that is about 3 times bigger than what you think it needs, give it plenty of substrate, moisten the substrate at the water bowl (large) end of the cage & grade the moisture down to dry at the other end.

~~Greg~~

How long did you leave it completely in the dark and undisturbed before trying to feed it?

...id suggest any smooth scaled colubrid dead or alive, glass lizards & juvenile racerunners likely will be accepted too.
Of course the prey should be left in 24 hrs...ya think texicans are tuff...try getting sonorans to eat...but once started...theyre not too bad... :/

...amazing these coralsnakes are so efficient...this specimen has eaten 3x [~ 15 g in total] since its collection last June & finally accepted a f/t DoR leafnose this weekend...if it werent for their colors...theyd be better used as fish bait!...hopefully a new 'tude will be shown henceforth....

Micruroides display the most fantastic colors...so exotic. You've had some success...seems like most folk just give up. I've only seen a sad DOR myself. Have you tried Xantusia?

that is a spectacular animal!