Reptile & Amphibian Forums

anyone know where I can find a few pictures of these? I need to see a juvenile.
-----
10 Leopard Geckos 4.6.0**
1 Gimpy Leo 0.1
1 Stub Tailed Leo 0.1*
2 Tokay Geckos 2.0.0*
2 Ball Pythons 2.0.0*
1 Black Kingsnake 0.0.1*
1 Baird's Rat Snake (Thanks Vadoni!) 1.0.0*
2 Gray Ratsnakes 0.0.2
3 Dekay's Snake 0.0.3*
1 Bullsnake 0.0.1*
1.0 Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosum*
1.1 Green Tree Frogs (H. cinerea)*
1.1 Gray Tree Frog (H versicolor)*
Approximately 20 gray treefrog tadpoles (collected)

*indicates possible breeders
**have bred

Beautiful snakes...wish they didn't have to be protected.
Iowa Herpetology - Copperbelly Watersnake

-----
Pierson Hill

Herpetology and Herpetoculture

Suspicion confirmed...definately a Copperbelly. I had no idea they ranged in Iowa. A friend of mine was doing his thesis work on these guys. They are pretty cool snakes.

Does anyone ever keep these? How do you have your setups made? I'm not an inexperinced herp keeper just wondering how it is done by those who keep them. At the fort worth zoo they were kept in an almost dry cage with little water. I dunno how realistic that is. I found this guy in a swamp in the water about 10 feet from a western cottonmouth.

My guess is they would be primarily fish and frog eaters. Can they be switched to mice? Remember he/shr/it is a young'en.

Any insight is appreciated.
-----
10 Leopard Geckos 4.6.0**
1 Gimpy Leo 0.1
1 Stub Tailed Leo 0.1*
2 Tokay Geckos 2.0.0*
2 Ball Pythons 2.0.0*
1 Black Kingsnake 0.0.1*
1 Baird's Rat Snake (Thanks Vadoni!) 1.0.0*
2 Gray Ratsnakes 0.0.2
3 Dekay's Snake 0.0.3*
1 Bullsnake 0.0.1*
1.0 Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosum*
1.1 Green Tree Frogs (H. cinerea)*
1.1 Gray Tree Frog (H versicolor)*
Approximately 20 gray treefrog tadpoles (collected)

*indicates possible breeders
**have bred

...N. e. neglecta isn't legal to keep. It is listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. It is also afforded varying levels of state protection in all the states in which it occurs. If you collected one, and I inferred from your psots that you have, I'd suggest releasing it ASAP in the spot where you found it.

As for care, they can be kept much like any of the other subspecies of erythrogaster. They are one of the most terrestrial of the Nerodia and so can be kept like any other colubrid. They will usually switch to frog or fish-scented mice or rats in captivity.
-----
Pierson Hill

Herpetology and Herpetoculture

I had actually released the neglecta before I read your reply. I think that is interesting how they are extremely protected. I never knew that. They are pretty dirt common around here. The little guy is back where he was found. If tha is one thing I do know is return an animal close to where you go it. It will otherwise die trying to get to where it was (predation, cars). It also will be severely stressed out by being in wrong surroundings.

One of these days if I ever get the the idea to keep a watersnake I'd keep a midland's or something like that.

What kind of set up do you use for your waters? You use a big enclosure?
-----
10 Leopard Geckos 4.6.0**
1 Gimpy Leo 0.1
1 Stub Tailed Leo 0.1*
2 Tokay Geckos 2.0.0*
2 Ball Pythons 2.0.0*
1 Black Kingsnake 0.0.1*
1 Baird's Rat Snake (Thanks Vadoni!) 1.0.0*
2 Gray Ratsnakes 0.0.2
3 Dekay's Snake 0.0.3*
1 Bullsnake 0.0.1*
1.0 Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosum*
1.1 Green Tree Frogs (H. cinerea)*
1.1 Gray Tree Frog (H versicolor)*
Approximately 20 gray treefrog tadpoles (collected)

*indicates possible breeders
**have bred

I keep most of my Nerodia in 20 gallon aqauriums but I don't have that many large adults at the moment. Nerodia don't need extremely spacious enclosures as long as you can provide a decent thermal gradient.
-----
Pierson Hill

Herpetology and Herpetoculture