Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have found differing info about the temps and humidity for a childrens. Can someone who keeps them help me out. Also are they as calm as bps? I held a 2.5 ft childs today and he was very docile. any help would be great.

Hello,
I don't have much experience with Children's (Antaresia childreni) specifically, but all four species in the genus Antaresia are very similar, and I have experience with Spotteds (A. maculosa). They can be a bit nippy as neonates (hatchlings) but generally calm down to very docile snakes, though in my experience they are less willing to just sit around like a BP, and tend to cruise around and check things out. For the first two or three monthes, my female was a bit nippy whenever I first got her out, but she would calm down after being out for a little while. Now she hasn't so much as acted aggressively in over two years. I also have an adult male (CB '97) who I got this past August, and he has never been even slightly aggressive since I've had him.
In terms of care, a basking site of about 90-95ºF and a cool side of around 75-80ºF would be good. Humidity shouldn't be too high, I think mine is generally around 50-75%, though 75 is probably higher than it needs to be. If your humidity is on the low end, just make sure the snake's shed are coming off in one piece, if the shed is coming off in little pieces humidity needs to be kicked up a bit. Also, make sure there is a good water dish big enough for the snake to soak in if desired, and give a hide big enough for the snake (but not much bigger) on each the hot side and the cool side (at least two hides total). My favorite substrate is newspaper since its the cheapest and easiest to work with.
Overall these are really great snakes to work with. Hope this helps,
-Eric

>>I have found differing info about the temps and humidity for a childrens. Can someone who keeps them help me out. Also are they as calm as bps? I held a 2.5 ft childs today and he was very docile. any help would be great.

I treat mine like a corn or ratsnake....but with a warmer hot spot by 5 degrees or so.(90) Same humidity....upstate NY so not too damp but not dry. Kept in tubs mine always shed perfect.
Way better feeding response and more curiousity than a Ball and NOT a snake to sit and watch TV with as it will wander off. Mine are see if it is food and ask questions later sorts. Comparable again to a cornsnake. You may get tagged sometimes. Way more fun than a BP.
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Sonya

I'm not mean. You're just a sissy.
Happy Bunny

I am also in Upstate NY and we've got lotsa Childreni.

We keep ours relatively dry - they don't seem to have the same trouble sheds as ball pythons do.

I do provide a 'moist' hide for the 9 yr old adults in the form of a small rubbermaid with a couple holes drilled in the side and damp long fiber sphagnum moss in it.

In the winter I will give them a misting every once and a while but they seem rather content even so just with the large water bowl. Perhaps your enclosure has a lot of air circulating - like a mesh top - and you don't get the benefits of a fully enclosed PVC home. It tends to keep the moisture in.

The younger ones are very into exploring. Our adults are usually very content just to hang out on our neck and look at the world from there. I sit for hours with them that way.

www.tinypythons.com