Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Just thought I'd share some pictures with you from my trip yesterday. Didn't post ringneck snake pics bc I didn't feel like bringin 'em home.

I just love these guys. It's so rewarding to peel the bark back and find one of these gems.

Black racers, I don't know why I bother, oh yeah, cobra food.

n/p

I've never seen these before and I don't personally know anyone who's found one. The only aor snake of the day.

n/p

n/p

Difficult to catch though

this guy is by far the biggest I've seen

I found a lil unkown garter snake, 2 ringnecks, and a dekays snake but since I had to haul them all the way home to use the camera i decided against keeping them. Hope you enjoyed!-Cole

By the way, those crayfish snakes are very abundant after a hurricane or tropical storm. I believe the rain water does something to their skin or they are just simply soaked to the bone but it seems that dozens are sunning themselves in the midday or afternoons on sunny days following long periods of rain in the spring and summer and late fall. What is also interesting is that their prey, the crayfish as also crawling about after these heavy rains, although I belive the snakes are drying out rather than searching for their food.

I hope you can get him to eat:

I tried feeder goldfish,bait shrimp,and even bought some crawfish in an aquaruim store,over about 10 days without luck

Let him go where I found him.....
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Lloyd Heilbrunn

Palm Beach Gardens, Fl.

Those will eat small crayfish but its the approach that determines if one will eat or not. You need to fill ten gallon tank about 3/4 the length of the tank with about 2 inches of spagnum moss and put a rock to hold back the spagnum and have water about 2 inches deep on the 1/4 quarter of the other side of the tank. The moss needs to be wet and under about 1/2 inch of water. And a basking rock can be added or even a plastic hide box in the moss is also beneficial. After the crayfish snake settles for about TWO WEEKS with NO HANDLING OF THE SNAKE AT ALL, put the crayfish in. The crayfish snake will eat them from time to time, but they are not big eaters. They will prefer to eat when the crayfish crawl into the moss so they can find them with touching their bodies against the crayfish. They are shy feeders but do eat with some waiting involved. However, they need to be kept at room temp and warm temps lead to blisters and a heat lamp is good to permit them to dry out but only put it on a few hours a day and take temps of the water to make sure your not boiling the snake. Anything above 90 degrees is risky. Baby crawfish snakes love grass shrimp this way.

Thanks,I'll try this if I ever catch another.Does the water have to be filtered so it does not get too dirty??
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Lloyd Heilbrunn

Palm Beach Gardens, Fl.

It is somwehat difficult to filter the water because the moss usually ends up getting clogged in the filter, but you can give it a whirl but have to stack some good rocks or create a barrier to keep the moss on one side and daily reach in and take some moss off the filter. If you could add a good screen to the pump that would help. An air pump is a good option to keep the water from standing, but run it only a few hours each day as the vibration usually bothers the snakes unless its a small pump. I would just plan on changing the moss every month or when it is looking bad. Also, the crayfish prey do not fair well too long in the moss, so if you buy three and throw them in there and they are not eaten within a few days, take them out and place them in something like a bucket with a pump because I think the moss makes the water a bit difficult for them in the long-term.

"Also, the crayfish prey do not fair well too long in the moss, so if you buy three and throw them in there and they are not eaten within a few days, take them out and place them in something like a bucket with a pump because I think the moss makes the water a bit difficult for them in the long-term."

I have 2, now really big, crawfish in my freshwater aquarium, from my unsuccessful attempt a few months back!
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Lloyd Heilbrunn

Palm Beach Gardens, Fl.

Yep, they seem to not want to eat the big crayfish. I will email you a pic of a gravid mom that dropped over 25 babies this summer.

Sounds like a great day! How much was roadherping and how much woodswandering?

Been slow down here,my favorite road has been dead,and the only thing I've seen in the woods are Gophers.

I do need to find some good woods though,I have not found any proven paces yet, so I'm a bit in the dark as to whether I'm even in good locales....
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Lloyd Heilbrunn

Palm Beach Gardens, Fl.

You know I've had trouble finding good places to herp because as you know, people are as protective of their herping spots as fisherman are of their fishing holes. One of the racers and the crayfish snake were found on the road, everything else was found on foot. I'm not really sure were you are located, is it south or central fl?

"I'm not really sure were you are located, is it south or central fl?"

Northeast Palm Beach County.
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Lloyd Heilbrunn

Palm Beach Gardens, Fl.

Hey Cole .Good pics.That Crayfish is as big a they get.Nice one.The S.King is a sweetie too.Just if You can in the future,try not to rip too much bark off.We have all been a little guilty of it too some degree,but, it does destroy the microhabitat for those little jewels amongst other inhabitants..Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing the pics.Keep us informed of any other findings down there while we are up here freezing.....Chip

I usually peel it back just enough to glance inside. The only bark I really peeled off was the bark that was about to fall off the next time a big wind came through. But yes, I do keep in mind to try to leave things as untouched as possible. I'm going back friday to release the lil guy and see if I can't find an adult. I have no problems catching anoles but the effort I would have to go through to feed that little guy wouldn't be worth it. Oh, and out of curiousity, are crayfish snakes worth anything?

Hey Cole.The crayfish snakes are priceless as far as uniqueness,but they do as poorly as a mudsnake would as a captive so You wont see them on the market.Im not sure what the price value would be...Good luck and keep us posted..Chip...

I'm returning to the area Friday in hopes of finding an adult scarlet king. I plan to release the lil guy because I know it will be hard to feed. Thanks for all the help and I'll let you know how it goes. By the way Chip, where are you from?

NY

Yeah that is cold. I feel sorry for you. I'm sittin around makin plans for the weekend you are up there freezing to death.