Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Anyone ever try keeping these snakes? Always been a favorite of mine looks wise, but i was wondering how it was keeping one. I'd guess feeding wouldn't be too hard seeing as how they eat mostly insects. Any info at all will be helpful.

I don't have any experience with Chionactis but I do have experience with Chilomeniscus. The Chilomeniscus are pretty easy to keep. I keep mine in a 10-gallon aquarium with about half an inch of dry cypress mulch on the bottom and an local hot spot of 85 F. A small hide box provides a moist retreat (but has been unused to date). I feed the snakes 2-3 times a week on 14 day old crickets (small crickets) or when ever the snakes start to cruise the surface of the tank for food. I'm going to cycle them this year and hopefully be able to get eggs next summer. If you have any other questions please feel free to let me know.
Ed

I've kept shovel-nosed snakes (Chinoactis) off and on for years. Wildcaught ones can go either way. In my experience, they can be real easy captives, eating appropriate-sized crickets and other small terrestrial inverts right from the start or they may refuse feeding. If you catch/get one that eats, it should generally do well if kept appropriately (i.e., in sand, warm enough, and fed well). If you end up with an individual that refuses to eat, I recommend taking it back to exactly where you cuaght it and releasing it asap (that is if you have not introduced it to any other herps or pathogens) or you could feed it to your coral snake. Good luck.

SSSammy