Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I keep and breed Candoia carainata paulsoni and live in the U.K.
from looking at the posts it appears that most people on the forum are in North America so here are a few observations from this side of the pond.
1. Candoia are great.
2. Coming from an area of huge climatic and seasonal variations these snakes are sporadic not occasional feeders, as food supplies in the wild follow an all or nothing pattern these snakes tend, when feeding well to take three or even four feeds in one month.
3. Young snakes need humidity and when feeding will feed from a branch as well as from a hide.
4. Non feeding new-born snakes can be tube fed a mixture of A&D with egg yolk, the reasin being we don't have access to anoles, skinks, tree frogs, etc. A&D is a tinned food for older cats and dogs available from a vet.
I will post some pictures of the babies when I remember how to do it.
P.S. take a look at the pretty picture at the top of the forum.

Welcome! It's always great to meet new people in the hobby.

1. Candoia are great.
You'll get no arguments here on that!

2. Coming from an area of huge climatic and seasonal variations these snakes are sporadic not occasional feeders, as food supplies in the wild follow an all or nothing pattern these snakes tend, when feeding well to take three or even four feeds in one month.
While I agree that they can do well with regular feeding versus the feast or famine of wild animals, the Solomon Island ground boas do exibit a slower metabolism than other boids I keep. I won't comment on other Candoia as I have no personal experience with them, my comments apply only to the Solomon Island ground boas. From my own personal experience with these snakes, more frequent feeding only results in obese snakes, not more growth, which I think most of us would agree is unhealthy.

3. Young snakes need humidity and when feeding will feed from a branch as well as from a hide.
I will agree with this as well. I have seen my SIGB's eat from both hides and branches though only my neonates eat from branches. My older animals don't seem to care to climb near as much as my small ones do. Another thing I've noticed with mine is that they do not like to eat while being watched. Most of mine will not eat if I stand nearby or am moving around the cages while they eat - they prefer stillness and quiet.

4. Non feeding new-born snakes can be tube fed a mixture of A&D with egg yolk, the reasin being we don't have access to anoles, skinks, tree frogs, etc. A&D is a tinned food for older cats and dogs available from a vet.
Another option for difficult feeders is scenting rodents with a product by T-Rex called Lizard Maker. I found the product to be helpful with my wc male in getting him to eat rodents early on. Another new product on the market that looks promising is Ectotherm Carnivore Yummies (http://www.ectotherm.com/) - silly name but seems to be a good product. I was speaking with a vendor at the last reptile show I went to who uses this product with his non-feeders (he keeps and breeds reptiles). It has a gel-like consistency and is actually formulated for reptiles. He was telling me it is easy to puree in a food processor with a little water to make a thin paste and use for tube feeding or feeding with a pinky pump without having to add any extra supplements or additives. A very promising product IMO.

Sorry, I should have made clearer in point two that periods of intense feeding are often followed in the wild by periods of poor or no feeding. It is this that the snakes metab is adapted to. Young snakes being born in the wild at a time of plenty will ideally feed well over the first month or two of their lives.
On feeding neonates A&D, the purpose is to stop their need to feed on lizard & frogs in their first months,while still allowing them to attain a size to take pinkies.
Thanks very much for the advice on alternative feed, however my wife says she will kill me if I put anything like that in the food processor and she means it.
At the moment I'm feeding 14 neonates born at the end of January, only one voluntarily fed on a pinkie.
One final point, the term 'Santa Isabella', although used to describe a black and white SIGB cannot be confined only to that island, the male snake at the top of the forum is a good example, his parents came from Port Moresby, lowland New Guinea. Nice to talk to another candoia enthusiast.stephenl.

Sorry, I should have made clearer in point two that periods of intense feeding are often followed in the wild by periods of poor or no feeding. It is this that the snakes metab is adapted to. Young snakes being born in the wild at a time of plenty will ideally feed well over the first month or two of their lives.
Ah, okay. I think we're on the same page now. I took it as they should be fed more heavily than what is usually described.

On feeding neonates A&D, the purpose is to stop their need to feed on lizard & frogs in their first months,while still allowing them to attain a size to take pinkies.
That's pretty much the same reason most people use the Lizard Maker product rather than feeding actual lizards. It doesn't completely mask the smell of rodent, but makes it smell more lizard like, and therefore palatable, for the neonates.

Thanks very much for the advice on alternative feed, however my wife says she will kill me if I put anything like that in the food processor and she means it.
LOL. Well, I guess that's out then. My other half has been very understanding of having a girlfriend who is passionately into her snakes. He never even blinks an eye any more when he sees rats next to the steaks in the freezer or thawing in the sink, nor does it bother him that I vacuum seal my rats (which come in bulk) with the same vacuum sealer I use for our own meats (after all, the sealer does not actually touch the rats in any way, air just passes through it, but my brother won't eat anything from a package I've vacuum sealed lol).

One final point, the term 'Santa Isabella', although used to describe a black and white SIGB cannot be confined only to that island
Here in the US, the term Santa Isabel generally refers to the white phase of the Candoia paulsoni paulsoni, whether it is white with black, red or brown striping...just so long as the background color is white. Though to be fair, I think many of us thought they WERE limited to Santa Isabel for that phase. Realistically, with so many uninhabited islands in the general area, there are probably many more colors and varieties of the Candoia than what we currently recognize.

Great talking with you, too. I'm hoping that the more forums/boards that talk about these great little snakes and the more people who keep them, the better we will understand them both in captivity and the wild. They are truly underappreciated as pets, and though neonates are difficult to start, they're still very rewarding pets IMO.

Have a good weekend everyone! I'm off for a couple of days.
Raven