Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My dad just caught a wild black rat snake (Southwestern Virginia in the Appalachians) for me a couple of days ago. It's my first snake. I have it in a 20 gal tank. The snake is around 2 feet long & I don't know how old it would be. It's not very big in diameter -- possibly 3/4 inch at it's thickest part (maybe slightly smaller). Anybody know approximately about how old this snake might be?

It seems very curious and comes out of its hides pretty often and comes to check out what I'm doing when I have my hands in the tank.

I haven't tried to feed it anything yet, but I do have a blue-tailed skink in another cage that looks like it would be the right size for the snake to eat. Anybody have any experience with feeding these to a black rat? Any suggestions as to how I do it?

I can post a photo when I get home from work. I'm new to all this snake stuff, so thanks much for any help!

David

My guess is that it hatched last year. The oldest it could be is an 06 animal. Have you been able to feed your snake yet? I find that all of mine take f/t mice with no problem. You might start with a large fuzzy or a small hopper mouse for starters. Feed it about every five days this year, and then go to once a week.

Black Rats are wonderful snakes, and make a great starter animal. Since this is an animal from the wild, check it closely for mites, use aspen bedding, always have clean water in the cage, and always make sure the lid is secure. These animals are escape artests.

Good luck!

Elaphefan, thanks so much for the info.

I just put the skink in with it to see if it will eat it. So far, the snake hasn't moved.

I'm using paper towels instead of aspen.

How can I tell if it has mites?

I'm going out of town for a 7 days in two weeks. My family is also going out of town. Will it be okay without me for that long?

The snake will do fine for 7 days -just be sure there is waterin the bowl before you leave, and that thecage is in a spot where thereis no direct sunlight, likea window ledge, which could overheat the snake. Rat snakes are mosr partial to rodents and birds, rather than lizards, although they will eat most anything. Since this sname came frmo the wildit has no experience with deceased prey . . . you might try a live small mouse when you return. Also, make sure the snake has a hide where he can get out of sight -- does wondered for its state of mind.

I made the skink run across the snake a couple of times. The snake struck at it a couple of times and then latched on a gulped it down. Much easier than I thought.

Paper Towels in my opinion is better then aspen as long as you provide an additional hiding area for the snake.

When the paper towels are no longer appropriate (snake gets big and messes them up with feces a lot easier). I would change to using newspaper as a substrate, although less appealing to the eye, it readily absorbs any fecal and urates and can be easily changed and is cheap to obtain. Free actually if you go about it correctly.

First off- I have never seen a wild caught US snake that had mites that has not first come through some facility like a wholesaler establishment first. They do have them I would imagine, but I have caught hundreds (easily) that have not!!!

Most freshly caught snakes from the United States have internal parasites that you may in the future want to have taken care of by a veterinarian if the snake has problems gaining weight.

As for the mites if they exist on this snake, you will easily notice them since you are using white paper towels as a substrate, aspen has the disadvantage of helping them burrow out of your sight; making them tougher to notice.

If you are going away for seven days make sure the snake has water (I would also line the tank with newspaper instead of paper towels to avoid coming back to a hump of water logged paper towels). I would make sure his/her enclosure is in the coolest part of the house to ensure the snake does not die from heat exhaustion.

I am also going to provide you with some great links to snake mites and their treatments. This is a MUST reading material weather your new acquisition has mites or not, just something every herper should read in my opinion!

Oh that is an excellent looking specimen your dad has captured for you, it will be an exceptionally black as an adult!!! Great find and a GREAT snake...not just for beginners either, but a great snake to start with regardless!!!

Here are a few links for you to look at...

The Life History of Snake Mites

NOTHING IS FOOLPROOF! MITE TREATMENTS USE CHEMICALS
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Roberts Realm Of Reptile Research
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Thanks,

I opened my mouth and out flowed a melody black.

Here are the pictures I promised:

He or She is going to be an outstanding adult!!!!

>>Here are the pictures I promised:
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Roberts Realm Of Reptile Research
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Thanks,

I opened my mouth and out flowed a melody black.