I've posted this message here on the suggestion of my part-time boss Rob Carmichael as he suggested some of the Indigo forum participants might be interested in this snake species. I am expecting within the week some Lesser Indian Ratsnakes [Ptyas korros - a.k.a. Indo-Chinese Ratsnake, Dhaman/Dharman Ratsnake]. For those of you who don't know Ptyas, check out this url for photos: http://www.calacademy.org/research/herpetology/myanmar/GetImagesByName.asp?Genus=Ptyas&Species=korros
I'm supposed to be receiving 2.3 of these. Once I've gotten them acclimated and treated for parasites I'm hoping to get them settled in and breed them next year. I'm currently working on getting translations of two articles written in Vietnamese on their captive care and breeding. Needless to say it's pretty exciting to be getting to work with a snake that is practically unheard-of in the trade. A search of www.isis.org also shows that currently only one zoo in the world [at least only one zoo that reports data to isis], houses Ptyas korros. I will of course post photos once they have arrived.
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Matt Campbell
Animal Keeper, Small Mammal/Reptile House
Lincoln Park Zoo Chicago, Illinois
Assistant Curator
Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, Illinois
