Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, I've never posted on this forum before, but I couldn't find anyone with any experience with red spotted beaked snakes.

Tomorrow I will be received one in the mail, and I really can't find any husbandry information on the species. What little exists about beaked snakes is about rufous beaked snakes.

One of my major questions is, how big does this species get? I've heard everywhere from 5 feet to 9 feet...

And does anyone have any husbandry tips? Insights into their behavior/temperaments? Anything would be much appreciated!

Thanks!
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0.0.1 jungle carpet python - Hydra
0.0.2 ball pythons - Kurtz and Marlowe
1.0.0 red spotted beaked snake - Beak
1.2.0 corn snakes - Valis, Orlando, and Geislandi

1.0.0 bearded dragon - Shackleton
1.1.0 Chinese tree dragons - Trapezoid and Trapezium
1.0.0 crested gecko - Lampkin
1.0.0 golden gecko - Nosferatu
0.0.1 house gecko - Clubfoot
1.0.0 leopard gecko - Darwin

1.0.0 Southern toad - Lurch

1.1.0 cats - Moony and Lucky
0.2.0 rats - Kara and Tilly

2.3 betta fish
Lake Malawi aquarium - mbuna, peacocks, synodontis multipunctatus
South American aquarium - Bolivian rams, diamond tetras, emerald corydoras

Hello,
I don't want it to seem like you're being ignored, but I can't give you any answers on them. The beaked snakes seem interesting and I agree that there is little to no info out there on them. They will probably be an interesting "niche" snake, not that many keepers but most who have them are really into them. I'm interested in file snakes, not the aquatic ones but Mehelya, the african colubrids. I have a tough time finding info on them, too. Good luck with the snake!

My roommate is picking one up tonight and we'll be sexing it, I'll defiantly be tubing the bugger. I think they fit into the highly venomous, but poor delivery group. Really cool snakes, have the strength of a Mussarana and the speed of a Masticophis. I may fall in love with them and have to pick up more.

Nate

Mehelya require moisture, so humidity boxes with moist cypress bark are essential. A tight, poorly lit, densely planted (plastic plants) setup seems to work very well. All the treatments I use with the Red Beaks (see my last post) are suggested for the Files as well. Temps appear to be 75-85, and possibly a little more heat for part of the season would be fine (I'm still figuring them out). They are nocturnal, and very much snake/lizard eaters. They are not rear fanged, and are not venomous. They can be twitchy to handle, and sometimes very difficult to hold onto, not because they are fast, but just because of the way they move.

Feeding: 5 out of the 7 Files I have do well on 2 normal hopper mice per feeding that have been dipped in snake slurry. I've been using a dead baby boa, or python whipped up in a blender with some water to make snake ice cubes. I that an ice cube, and dip the mice into the juice. My 2 trouble makers have taken anoles, snakes, the occasional lizard scented mice, fence lizards, and skinks. The male of this pair has been off feed for some time, and I'm going to resort to tube feeding with egg. I don't suggest attempting force feeding, as they just freak out, and its very hard to get anything into them. It has been suggested that some Files will take live baby mice, but I have only tried it once, and had no success.

I just got my first eggs yesterday, so hopefully will have a few babies in a couple of months. Gestation appears to be just shy of 2 months, and I assume incubation is about the same.

Freight

I hadn't thought there would be any response to my mention of file snakes, but I'm quite happy there is. I've always wondered what you work with aside from Gonyosoma. Now I need to start saving those pennies and find a way to make room for "just one more pair"!
Thanks,
Andy