Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am new to posting on this forum, but have been silently reading it for some time. Anyway, I got a pair of 08 jani a little over a week ago. Since then the male has eaten a FT mouse fuzzy, a FT mouse pinkie and today a small live ratpup. I know that may be a bit to much for jani in that time, but I wanted to see their feeding habits. The female ate a FT mouse fuzzie the day after she arrived, but since then has refused the FT pinkie and today looked very cautiosly interested in the live ratpup, but finally went back in her hide box. I keep them around room temp.(76-79). I know some snakes are just picky, but does anyone have experience with good feeding regiments for these guy's. thanks.

I will offer my two cents worth and hope it helps. The temp range is good. I would suggest a hot spot in one corner so that your snakes can fine tune their body temps as needed on their own. I would choose a food type (rat or mouse) that is easiest for you to aquire), rarely but on occasion snakes can develope a fidelity towards a particular food type. If this happens it will suite you if it is a food type that is available. They should get big enough to readily eat med to large rats so rat pinks and fuzzies is a good start for consistency.

Feeding these guys a big rat pink once every 6-7 days is fairly standard schedule. P.d. jani lay many eggs and the offspring tend to be a bit smaller than some of the big bulls and pines so don't push them with giant meals. If you feed more you run the risk of taxing their digestive systems and possibly incurring a regurge. Because Pituophis deppei deppei and P.d.jani are generally found in cooler, higher elevation regions of Mexico they differ a bit from some of the other Pituophis. If you keep them too hot you will have problems, if you keep them cool but w/o an opportunity to self adjust their own body temps you may encounter problems.

If you push them too hard you may get regurge which can be a viscous cycle with a potentially poor out come....dead snakes.

These guys are beautiful and bulletproof once they get past the first year or so....enjoy!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks. I will take your advice. I've been keeping/breeding snakes on and off for 15 years now, but from what I've read on this forum you are the authority on Pituophis.

I will post pics of them when they are more settled in.

Matt Kauffman.