Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Looks like I'm adding Zamensis persica to my collection but have yet to find a care sheet on them. Can anyone supply me with some info on them, or even compare them to some of the other Asian Rats that I already work with (check signature)? I will keep them like I do all my hatchlings (on papertowel) but I'm also curious about temps and overall disposition.
Thanks in advance,
Ryan
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Geckos and colubrids
Coxi * Laticincta * Mandarina * Rhynchophis

Check with metalpest--he keeps persians. He has a post on the asian and european ratsnake subforum. He recently acquired 1.1 new black persians.

rgds,
althea

I keep the black and pied persians. I keep them just like leopard rats. The only difference I have noticed is that my leopard rats don't use their hide boxes very often and the persians are in them most of the time. I use gladware filled with damp sphagnum. If they don't have an area of high humidity they don't shed well. Also, it hurts when they bite. I'm not being a sissy, I can take it, but my house snakes and the persian rats are the ones I watch out for because it stings. Maybe I'm allergic, or maybe the colubrids really do all have venom.
They are really cool little snakes with fairly diabolical personalities. Mine like to come flying out of the cage right at my face. They also don't like to eat in front of me. Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure they don't like me at all. I have no idea why I keep the things. Just kidding, they don't have to like me, just eat. They are pretty laid back compared to the latacincta so you will find them quite calm and relaxed.
Kayvon

I've recently obtained a nice group of 05 persica. I find them flightly and quick to bite, but contrary to the other post, I find their bites painless. Mine are still young, but they certainly have less of a bite than the milksnakes I hatched out this year.

I keep mine at room temperature. They've been at 78F in the summer and now they are at about 72F but still eating and digesting just fine. Mine come out of their hides often and burrow around in the aspen. I was told humidity is not required for them but after one poor shed I've increased the humidity (I'm in a pretty dry area though). I've also been told to keep them like mandarina. I've been able to handle mine quite a bit and it doesn't seem to stress them to the point where they don't feed (I've heard this for mandarina but I don't have experience with those). They are quite interesting little snakes.

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"I'll be back at 6 if not 7. 8 the very latest but definatly no later than 9...ish...Moscow time."

Thanks for all the replies and info. This is the benefit of forums such as this. I've had a lot of trouble finding a care sheet on the internet...good luck finding an aritcle on them in a book or magazine.
Ryan
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Geckos and colubrids
Coxi * Laticincta * Mandarina * Rhynchophis

There is a great article out there somewhere that was writen in Russia but I can't find it. There are some good info pages in german. www.elaphe.info/art-persi is one of them. Google does a fair job translating it. For the russian artical try searching for pages with situla and longissima as well, the author crossed situla with persica when studying how closely related they are. Also, use the old names. NO Zamensis. Alot of good articles are on the web but the animal is refered to as Elaphe persica. Good luck, I have spent hours reading through roughly translated pages on persian rats.
Kayvon