Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a 15' Z.situla (female) and she's very nippy, whenever I approach the tank she strikes, and when I try to handle it she goes berserk, hitting at my hand and so on. It doesn't hurt but it's annoying.

Do z.situla have fangs?

Anyone with similar experiences?

No fangs.
They can be on the nippy side unless held often. I have a few and only hold them when cage cleaning or pairing them up so all mine are on the nippy side. My adults bring blood on a regular basis but no big deal.
If you hold them often they should calm down.
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Randy Whittington

That's normal behaviour for Leopard Ratsnakes, and is not likely to change. It is often suggested that regular handling may turn them around, but based on my own experiences I advice against this. The stress can, and in many cases will, cause food refusal, which is something you can do without as this particular species is not that easy to begin with. Just let them be, take them the way they are. Give them lots of proper hides, this may often work. And buy a pair of leather gloves.

thanks for your inputs.

i'll buy a pair of gloves then

another question re: the situla :-

is a tub better than a glass tank for them? since they are so 'anti-social'? and what substrate is best for them?

thanks

>>I have a 15' Z.situla (female) and she's very nippy, whenever I approach the tank she strikes, and when I try to handle it she goes berserk, hitting at my hand and so on. It doesn't hurt but it's annoying.
>>
>>Do z.situla have fangs?
>>
>>Anyone with similar experiences?

That's too much aggression. Situla is a cool adapted species. Folks tend to keept them too warm. Try a cooler temp. Maybe you should try an easier snake to keep...

TC

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Conserving reptiles by helping to protect habitat...
www.ratsnakehaven.com
www.scenicsantaritas.org

I keep my pair in tubs and use aspen shavings as a substrate. I give them plenty of hides and keep the temp. in the mid to high 70's. Mine never attempt to bite and now they have begun to take FT mice right off my tongs. They are however flighty and don't particularly enjoy being handled, which I don't do very often. I plan on trying my luck at breeding them next year, I it's going to be challenging.
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Matt Kauffman

good luck then