Reptile & Amphibian Forums

The african house snake.

Does anyone know if they are someway resmble lampropeltis (N. American Kingsnakes) being the latin names are so close?

I think this is a good question for Chris Harrison . If he catches wind of this post I have a few questions for him.

I think the guy @ mfezi's name is Don. Talked to him @ the IRBA show in May about them. He didn't mention any similarities to kings. From what little I've read about them they sound more like Africas mini version of Elaphe or Pits --- breed like crazy, range all over the continent (I think w/ the exception being the desert areas) and generalists when it comes to prey, but no mention of tolerance to venoms of the snakes that share their territories.

reako45

There is a book out about west african snakes. Thats where I read they are similar to cal kings.

I think ChrisH has some expeirence with these and has a web site on them. Waiting to hear from him.

Anyone here kept any of these or some of the many different morphs of House snake?

Housesnakes are not related to kingsnakes. Kingsnakes are in the colubrid subfamily Colubrinae while Housesnakes are in the subfamily Booinae (or Homalopsinae, depending on whose taxonomy you like).

There is a reasonably accurate classification of the groups of colubrids at www.embl-heidelberg.de/~uetz/families/Colubridae.html

As for the name, Lampro means shiny.
Lampropeltis means shiny shield or shiny skin, in reference to their iridescence.
Lamprophis means shiny snake, a reference to its iridescence.

So the only thing they have in common is that they are shiny.
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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

So the only thing they have in common is that they are shiny.

what about their husbandry needs? How many different morphs are there? What forum are these discussed on KS?

Usually I see posts about them in the SMALL TERR SNAKES or the WHAT IS IT? forums.

There are two genera used for these, Lamprophis and also the older Boaedon--which refers to the boa-like appearance. Also there are several other species of house snake that I know of.

To me they are more like a dwarf python than anything else. Female Brown House snakes can reach 51".

Their needs mirror your typical ratsnake or small python. They tend to be very prolific--the brown House snake can breed every 60 days. Mine mated so frequently I stopped putting them together.

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

Here is a site right here on kingsnake.com
House snakes

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Big Jack Bronson