Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi

We recently had the Hamm expo in Germany (13. september). And i off course bought a few new snakes.

I bought a trio of very nice diones from China

I also was supposed to get a pair of house snakes. They have turned out not to be Lamprophis fuliginosus though, the species is still in question but seems possibly to be Lamprophis inoratus

I also bought a pair of snakes i have wanted for quite some time. The species in question is Oxyrhophus rhombifer. A small lizardeating snake from Paraguay, breed by a hobbyist in Europe. The animals seems to willingly eat parts of mice, when e.g. a tail is placed in their mouth. Later on they should go on eating whole mice by themselves

Appologize for the species not being ratsnakes posted here
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Regards

Jan Grathwohl

Ratsnakes:bairdi, bimaculata, climacophora, dione, longissimus, situla, subocularis, vulpinus gloydi, vulpinus vulpinus
Other Colubrids:Heterodon nasicus, Lampropeltis t. sinaloae, L. p. woodini, Lamprophis cf. inornatus, Oxyrhophus rhombifer
Constrictors:Acrantophis dumerilii, Antaresia maculosa, Epicrates c. maurus, Eryx colubrinus, Lichanura t. myriolepis, roseofusca, saslowi, trivirgata, Python regius.
Lizards:Cyrtodactylus consobrinus, C. papilionoides, C. pulchellus, Egernia cunninghami, Lepidodactylus lugubris, Oedura castelnaui, O. monilis
Frogs:Dendrobates azureus

Hi, Jan.

I just got back from a camping experience. Very nice new snakes you got. I like them all, and don't worry about some not being ratsnakes. What is a ratsnake afterall? I often wonder about the house snakes which seem almost as varied as the Elaphe, but in Africa, and also about some of the constricting colubrids from the New World.

The "inornatus" is awesome. Since I'm into the development of new pet species, I'd say it looks somewhat like a kingsnake. Isn't this sps. supposed to be very water loving?

I've always been interested in Oxyrhopus, too. These are interesting snakes and we don't know much about them the U.S. I'd say they are much like the ratsnakes and several genera seem to me to fit in as ratsnake look-alikes.

Good work. Keep the pics coming and keep us posted on how your new species are doing. Thanks,

TC

Hi Terry

The "inornatus" was bought as fuliginosus, which is by no means is, so the exact species is somewhat of an enigma (but most likely inornatus at the moment). They mate a lot and eat like crazy (mice and small natal rats). At the moment i keep them in a rack, but i'm planing on putting them in a terrarium. They are quite small (approx. 90 cm), but fully mature it seems.

The Oxyrhophus are VERY slender, and at the moment has to have a mousetail og leg put into their mouth before eating. Later on they should start eating small mice by themselves without the extra help. According to the breeder they should be very productive, laying a clutch of 8-12 eggs every 6-7 weeks.
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Regards

Jan Grathwohl

Ratsnakes:bairdi, bimaculata, climacophora, dione, longissimus, situla, subocularis, vulpinus gloydi, vulpinus vulpinus
Other Colubrids:Heterodon nasicus, Lampropeltis t. sinaloae, L. p. woodini, Lamprophis cf. inornatus, Oxyrhophus rhombifer
Constrictors:Acrantophis dumerilii, Antaresia maculosa, Epicrates c. maurus, Eryx colubrinus, Lichanura t. myriolepis, roseofusca, saslowi, trivirgata, Python regius.
Lizards:Cyrtodactylus consobrinus, C. papilionoides, C. pulchellus, Egernia cunninghami, Lepidodactylus lugubris, Oedura castelnaui, O. monilis
Frogs:Dendrobates azureus

Interesting information. Do you happen to have any more pictures of them? I'd especially like to have another look at the "inornatus". Thanks,

TC

Hi Terry

Yes, here's a few more pictures of the "inornatus" (or whatever it might be)

If you know anything about the "species" please let me know (would like to be sure to add the wright name to the cage)
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Regards

Jan Grathwohl

Ratsnakes:bairdi, bimaculata, climacophora, dione, longissimus, situla, subocularis, vulpinus gloydi, vulpinus vulpinus
Other Colubrids:Heterodon nasicus, Lampropeltis t. sinaloae, L. p. woodini, Lamprophis cf. inornatus, Oxyrhophus rhombifer
Constrictors:Acrantophis dumerilii, Antaresia maculosa, Epicrates c. maurus, Eryx colubrinus, Lichanura t. myriolepis, roseofusca, saslowi, trivirgata, Python regius.
Lizards:Cyrtodactylus consobrinus, C. papilionoides, C. pulchellus, Egernia cunninghami, Lepidodactylus lugubris, Oedura castelnaui, O. monilis
Frogs:Dendrobates azureus

Hi again, Jan.
I haven't any experience with "inornatus", except in literature long ago, but I have a friend that has a lot of experience with house snakes. I'll try to find time this weekend to email him about it. It looks a little like a kingsnake, probably having similar life styles. It's interesting that it doesn't have elliptical pupils that I can see. Is this true? It's probably a diurnal snake then. Thanks for the great pics. I'll try to email you this weekend.

Terry

Hi Terry

THANX a lot for any help you can bring on this subject.

My first guess was also Lampropeltis when i saw them, but i haven't seen anything like this before.

I might add that the head is darker than the body, and that they seem to have light speckles down the sides.

The best guess so far from a german expert on african snakes has been inornatus, so thats what i call it untill shown otherwise.

They are quite active (mates a lot) and eat mice like crazy.
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Regards

Jan Grathwohl

Ratsnakes:bairdi, bimaculata, climacophora, dione, longissimus, situla, subocularis, vulpinus gloydi, vulpinus vulpinus
Other Colubrids:Heterodon nasicus, Lampropeltis t. sinaloae, L. p. woodini, Lamprophis cf. inornatus, Oxyrhophus rhombifer
Constrictors:Acrantophis dumerilii, Antaresia maculosa, Epicrates c. maurus, Eryx colubrinus, Lichanura t. myriolepis, roseofusca, saslowi, trivirgata, Python regius.
Lizards:Cyrtodactylus consobrinus, C. papilionoides, C. pulchellus, Egernia cunninghami, Lepidodactylus lugubris, Oedura castelnaui, O. monilis
Frogs:Dendrobates azureus

Wow, wish I could find stuff like that here. I've been hunting down breeders, or importers of different house snake species for a few months now, and my resources are about exhausted! I've got a few e-mail addresses to people who supposidly work with different specimens, however they never reply.....The other little guy is really cool. I saw one here for sale last year sometime, it wasn't cheap...and it was WC. The F. inornatus are the true olive house snakes...the pic you have posted is a lot browner than any specimens I've ever seen of F. inornatus, but I'm not familiar with juvi. of the species either. Well, congrats on the killer finds, and good luck with them! Hope I can wrangle up some odd stuff this year myself.
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Conrad
Too Fast Reptiles
www.toofastreptiles.bravehost.com

Try Dave Powell at coluboids(at)aol.com. He has a lot of house snakes.

TC