Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Dusty asked, "Bill, have you had any trouble keeping your wild-caught juvie subocs or getting them to eat? Just curious as to how they cope for you."
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I certainly claim no expertise here, but IMHO:
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WC hatchlings that I’ve experienced have fed fine on F/T or live mouse pinks, but they are more skittish and seem to need the security of a small rock hide. They are less inclined to being watched while they eat.
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WC 1 ½ to 2 year olds are a real joy. Those that I have and have had aggressively sight feed on F/T rat pinks. One comes half way out of the container to get his next meal!
That said, I do have one CB that steadfastly refuses rat pinks and takes only mice fuzzies.
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As you know, taking an animal that’s 3 ½ feet or more from the wild is risky.
Imprinted on Kangaroo Rats, parasite loads, and a general restlessness can make these challenging.
I lucked out on my last one (approx. 4 feet). It was a leap of faith to take her.) She went for F/T rat pups immediately.
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I have two animals (1 WC 1 CB) that I still place a thawed rat pink or pup in a flat bowl in their cage just before dark and the timers shut down the cage lights and leave it. AM it’s gone. I never see them eat!
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I’d be interested in others’ opinions and experiences.
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Disclaimer: To others reading this I still recommend CB from the fine folks you see on this forum.
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Regards, Bill McGighan

Years ago when I lived in suboc range, I used to keep a few. Mostly I would keep the babies, because they did better than adults. Bill is right about the 20"-30" snakes as well. They always take well to captivity.

The trick I figured out was that babies would eat better if I put a few rocks in their hide box. This meant they had to squeeze over and around the rocks to get into the hide box, but that seemed to give them more of a sense of security than just an empty terracotta pot tray (my hideboxes of choice).

I only used it on a couple of babies since most readily took pinks, but its worth a try if you have a stubborn one.
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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

My experiences mimic yours to a tea Bill, the subadults need that rock hide and go right to live pinks and fuzzies, the young adults feed readily on adult mice and my old boy is very picky, very interested, but definitely picky. He will eat a mouse or two offered, go off feed, eat 8 fuzzies or pinkies, snub rats, go off feed, slam 2 young gerbils, go off feed, but if you leave multiple mice in a large open cage, turn out the lights, several if not all are gone in the a.m. He has a drawer that he holes up in, and I see him occasionally sunning in the window sill when I do yard work.
Todd Hughes

Thanks guys! You're all gentlemen and scholars, and there are very few of us left.

Those were all good observations, and I can definitely agree that some of the hardiest animals are often the 20" -30" youngsters that come out of the wild.

Out of all my 35 or so subocs in my house, the most hardy is an LTC from the River Road that I got from Wayne Howell many years ago. He is still alive, is huge, and is the tamest snake I've ever owned. He also appreciate's his "free meals" and eats with gusto, probably because he realizes that food doesn't come easy. He is one of only two WCs that I own. I've never bred him. He's just a pet that I named Pecos Bill, and we call him Pecos for short.

I was mostly curious if there was any scenting that needed to be done to get the juvies to switch from a saurian diet to a rodent diet, but I also know that some juvies in the wild can surprise you by taking bigger-than-you-would-assume rodents.
I wouldnt imagine any scenting would be needed, as they are oppurtunistic feeders and only feed on lizards as babies in the wild out of necessity because of size restraints, rather than choice.

Anyway, I'm just rambling. Take care!

DR