I aquired a ringneck early summer being sold as feeder snake.It is housed in a 15 gallon long tank in a room were temp was around 78 to 80.
The ringneck eats lots of earthworms and still going strong. The room temp is now 72 and by mid winter it will be 65 to 68.I dont provide any extra heating but the room gets light from large bay windows.
Should I provide extra heat or let the snake "rest" when the temp drops?
Getting earthworms is no problem for me during winter since petstore carries them. Should i continue to offer food at temps lower than 68?
Thanks.
Malays
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To heat or not to heat(N.Ringneck)
Malays
Oct 11, 2004 05:56 PM
Replies (13)
HerperHelmz
Oct 11, 2004 10:21 PM
My northern ringnecks would readily consume worms once the enclosure temperature hit 60. But if they stay at those low temps. while digesting, you could be risking the snake's life. I say give it it's last meal, and plenty of water around the last week of November. Two weeks after it last ate, set the enclosure somewhere where the temp. stays at a constant 50 to 55 degrees. And leave the tank there until around the end of March.
Michael
Michael's Place
prpipes1
Oct 12, 2004 09:07 AM
Herperhelmz,
I just finished the cool down period for my ringnecks and I then put them in the crisper of my fridge and it has been a week so i checked them yesterday and lo and behold they are all still moving around. I wonder what the temp needed to really put them out would be or are they like wood frogs and can survive a deep freeze?
HerperHelmz
Oct 12, 2004 01:45 PM
Wow, I don't think you are doing it the right way. They need to be kept at temps. around 50, they'll still be active around 30 degrees though. Putting them in a fridge is not good unless the temp. in the fridge is around 50 to 55. They also need about 2 months hibernation time before they will breed.
Michael
Michael's Place
Malays
Oct 12, 2004 11:07 AM
Thanks alot that was a helpful answer. I couldnt find this info in any book. Right now the temp in is 74 so going to continue feeding but when the temp drops below 68 will stop.
I have fed him only earthworms the last several months.
Other than salamanders what else do you feed yours?
Thanks.
Malays
HerperHelmz
Oct 12, 2004 01:42 PM
My northerns all prefer salamanders, and usually only live salamanders, some will take worms. During the summer months my male northern would take neonate shorthead garter snakes, but wouldn't touch them if they were any more than 2 weeks old. I've had my 20 incher eat salamander scented pinky and fuzzy mice. My regal feeds only on other snakes.
They eat just about anything, I've had specimens that ate slugs, ant eggs, fish, frogs, tadpoles, anoles and skinks.
Michael
Michael's Place
Malays
Oct 12, 2004 02:02 PM
okay thanks going to try some tiny ground skink maybe some fish to .
Malays
HerperHelmz
Oct 12, 2004 04:42 PM
I think ou have the snake already eating worms, then there is no use in trying other foods, you should probably try to switch it over to mice if it is at a size where it can take one down. Fish are a food that is rarely accepted by ringnecks. A few specimens have been reported to readily eat them though.
Michael
Michael's Place
Malays
Oct 12, 2004 05:27 PM
Do you think the earthworms are a balanced food? This one so far a bit to small for pinkies.
Malays
HerperHelmz
Oct 13, 2004 02:35 PM
Well I usually have them eat worms or salamander tails until they reach a size when they could take a small salamander. It is easy to switch them over to pinkies if you have them eating salamanders on a regular basis. Some people and books say earthworms are not nutrionally fit for some snakes, but I've raised ringnecks up to 10 inches on worms. They grow faster if fed mice or salamanders.
Michael
Michael's Place
Malays
Oct 13, 2004 02:44 PM
Okay thanks. salamanders I wont use because I keep them and tho nothing wrong with feeding them to a snake,etc its not for me. I dont keep mice tho heehee so as he/she gets bigger will try pinkie.
Right now my snake is around 6 inches or so. I see nothing wrong at all with feeding a snake a snake or salamanders,etc its natures way but since I do keep slimys in a terrarium and thats the only type I have ever found around here rather not.
A woman I know kept a 10 inch ringneck with a baby 8 inch Ca king she didnt know any better. One day only the CA king remained. Which I found suprising would have thought the bigger ringneck would be the last one left.
Malays
HerperHelmz
Oct 13, 2004 02:50 PM
In the wild kings will prey on ringnecks and ringnecks will prey on kings. A 10 inch northern would have no chance against a king, as northerns rarely prey on snakes, to the king the ringneck was just another meal.
But ringnecks will also take kings when offered...
Michael's Place
Malays
Oct 13, 2004 02:55 PM
Great pic. I was suprised that a 2 inch bigger ringneck would be eaten by a king since both are snake eaters. I have never kept a king.
The woman had the ringneck and was told by a chain type petstore "reptile pro" that aslong as ringneck was bigger king wouldnt bother it.
I might have beleived the same thing tho I wouldnt mix snakes.
Malays
HerperHelmz
Oct 13, 2004 03:04 PM
You'd be suprised at how much of a snake could get into a smaller one. I've heard of 17 inch ringnecks eating 23 inch coach whips.
Michael
Michael's Place
