Reptile & Amphibian Forums

NO question in mind, but i just wanted to say how happy i am that my WC Racer ate a mouse today. I read reports on how incredibly hard they are to feed, and others was they are simple and take mice readily.

It's funny how they take their food though. I've gotten so used to my python's constriction to kill their prey. ALl i saw in the Racers cage was a quick strike, and the mouse was gone into his hide. How do racers kill their prey? Did he constrict the mouse in the hide?

I must ask... what kind of habitat did you find it in? Here in WA I have only seen one once I think, but people say they are common here.

Any advice?

Well, i found it by accident really. We were out by my local ice cream shop, and a snake was spotted by the drive through bush. So, i grabbed him after 20 minutes of searching. lol, put up a good show for the people inside too =)

But i live in Southern California; Orange County to be exact. I never knew we even had Racers around here, but i guess he came down from the hill sides.

BTW, do Racers go for crickets also? I placed a bag of crickets next to the Racer's cage to feed my Alligator Lizard. Then, he seemed to dash out and tried to lunge at the moving insects. Did he just do this because he saw motion? Just curious, since i've never seems something so curious before. Thanks again.

haha, I have had a few pure luck finds myself. kudos to you.

-I do not know if they can eat them, I remember my friends racer once ate a butterfly or moth. Try it.

Your racer is what i would like to call an "active hunter", in the wild racers will chase down their food-think the opposite of a sit and wait predator like the gaboon viper. Think of a racer like being the cheetah of the snakes.

Also good job with feeding your racer-what subspecies is it? Up here in south dakota we have the eastern yellow bellied racer. I found a young one today-quite amazing the color shift they go through from young to adult.

Just thought I would add this since you asked about feeding your racer crickets.

I have an eastern yellow bellied racer, and have found that he eats quite a variety of things, basically, if it fits in his mouth, he will eat it.

He seems to truly enjoy crickets though. So I am guessing yours might too. The variety certainly seems to keep him happy.