Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Can anyone suggest a good book or care sheet for these beautiful (but frustrating, or so I have heard) rat snakes?

-Cat
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My collection and herp photography

www.lowergroundreptiles.net

I have not been able to find caresheets for them either. I've had my pair for 7 months and have found them to be easy captives. I keep them like my corns.

Jeff

>>I have not been able to find caresheets for them either. I've had my pair for 7 months and have found them to be easy captives. I keep them like my corns.
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>>Jeff

All the tidbits of information I can find on them says to keep them like corns, but with slightly cooler temps and larger cages. Its too bad there isn't more information on them available!

-Cat
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My collection and herp photography

www.lowergroundreptiles.net

Although all Kunishiri Island ratsnakes are E. climacophora, not all climacophora are Kunishiris. Kunishiri Island is the northern-most location for climacs in Japan, and as such, has a cold climate. True Kunishiri Island rats have a long hibernation and is the main reason they're problematical. Otherwise they are easy snakes and don't take up too much room. I kept mine in ten gal. tanks. They can be kept at room temps with no additional heat.
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Ratsnake Haven: Elaphe dione, bimaculata, mandarina, conspicillata, porphyracea coxi, t. taeniura, situla, emoryi; Lampropeltis zonata, and mexicana.

Thanks for the info. I'll have to drop my temps a bit.

Jeff

While my experience is limited to only one Kunashiri, I can tell you this: He thrives at room temps(70-82). I have found no need for heat tape with this guy. He prefers his meals slightly smaller than an equivalent size N. American rat snake. He will stop feeding like clockwork at the end of Sept. It doesn't really seem to matter what the temps are. My snake room gets natural sunlight, so my guess is these guys are dialed in to the shorter days of sunlight as fall approaches. He has always been most active in his cage in the early morning. His appetite has always returned with a vengeance come March of the year. All in all, fairly easy to keep. When he was younger, he would occasionally vibrate his tail in the manner of a racer or coachwhip, where the whole tail is flailing. While I've always kept mine in a rack system, I'd bet they would do very well and thoroughly enjoy an arboreal set-up with a high shelf to hang out on. Let us know how your new one does.

>>While my experience is limited to only one Kunashiri, I can tell you this: He thrives at room temps(70-82). I have found no need for heat tape with this guy. He prefers his meals slightly smaller than an equivalent size N. American rat snake. He will stop feeding like clockwork at the end of Sept. It doesn't really seem to matter what the temps are. My snake room gets natural sunlight, so my guess is these guys are dialed in to the shorter days of sunlight as fall approaches. He has always been most active in his cage in the early morning. His appetite has always returned with a vengeance come March of the year. All in all, fairly easy to keep. When he was younger, he would occasionally vibrate his tail in the manner of a racer or coachwhip, where the whole tail is flailing. While I've always kept mine in a rack system, I'd bet they would do very well and thoroughly enjoy an arboreal set-up with a high shelf to hang out on. Let us know how your new one does.

Thanks for the information!

-C
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My collection and herp photography

www.lowergroundreptiles.net