Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My newly caught 4.5 foot black racer is vicious. I tried two times since i caught him to pick him up, and after about 5 second of holding, he thrashes about violently and rattles his tail and strikes. If i continue to do this, im afraid he wont eat form the stress. So should i continue to try and tame him, or should i just try to get him started on thawed mice before handling him again?

>>This is just my opinion of course but a black racer isn't worth the trouble. They are very very hard to tame especially when they are as large as the one you caught.
If you are determined to keep it then you should probably give it time to settle in and get it to feed first. With the time it will take to tame it (if it ever will tame) it could starve to death if you waited to feed it.
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Remember, my posts are MY opinion only.
Jimmy (draybar)

By the time you get it to eat you will probably be sick of it all together. If you're lucky it will eat in 1 or 2 months. They are about the hardest snakes to keep that have been caught.

I've seen tame wild caught racers but they were the exception to the rule. Feed it and it might settle down some but they don't call them racers for nothing. They tend to be high strung snakes and need a lot of space to roam. If you want a pet, you might want to buy a captive bred snake that doesn't fear you as much. You also wouldn't have to worry about treating it for parasites, which most wild caught animals carry. You've always got the option of letting it go where you found it if you decide not to spend the money on food and vet bills. Racers can be beautiful snakes but there are plenty of other beautiful snakes out there that won't bite the bejesus out of you.
Good Luck!
Lora

So many positive reactions and good news to look forward to! Buying a snake isnt an option, my only other option would be to let it go and hope to find another big, cool snake like a black rat snake or something, and where i live, i've only seen one of those from the wild in the 4 years i've been looking and it was a 6 footer that my friend caught, hes an awsome pet, never biting, always eating, i just kind wished my racer could become that.

I just can't believe you couldn't buy a snake. You will spend much more money trying to feed and medicate the one you have caught. The purchase is the cheapest part of owning a snake!

It is very hard to acclimate black racers, they tend to be high strung, and do poor in captivity. Your best bet would be to buy one at a local pet shop, or there are many online breeders that will sell you a snake. I have always used gherp.com . If for some reason you decide to keep your racer it will probably develop nose rub from trying to get out, you will probably be bit quite abit, and it will have to be dewormed. I belive vets still use panacur (sp?) to treat for parasites. I know that is what i use to cure birds of prey of some parasites. Then, you will have to get it to eat. They will most likley refuse food, and the only way to keep them alive if they dont eat is to force feed which i do not reccomend to a novice keeper. My suggestion is to let the snake go back where you caught it, and purchase a snake. Thats just my opinion.

Kris
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DON'T TREAD ON ME

its not a matter of the money, i could buy hundreds of snakes, my dad wont let me buy snakes though, they have to be wild caught in order for me to keep them.

I think your dad needs to take a lesson in conservation. Why would you need to keep a wild caught snake that may have worms, when you can buy a ball python in a pet store for like 20 bucks. Honestly if i was your age and my father would not let me buy a snake, but catch one i would not get a snake at all. It takes a bit of skill to get a wc snake to eat, and to know husbandry techniques for. A store bought snake will come with a care sheet. Think about it.

Kris

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DON'T TREAD ON ME

I'd rather keep this guy for a while and at least try then not have a pet at all. I have gotten wild caught milksnakes to eat before, and garters and watersnakes and ratsnakes. A racer might be a challenge but its better than not trying and having nothing at all.