Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi there:

Today I checked on the scarlet. He was really shiny, clean, and alert as ever after his second shed, with gorgeous little eyes. I looked at this beautiful little gem, and I said "all right snake! I think you're so amazing, that I keep you in my house! Show me if you're amazing enough to cooperate with me!'

What did I do next? I went to the store, bought a pinky, and said "Kiss your reluctancy to feed goodbye!" I lifted up that stone, stared at that glowing snake, like a small neon necklace, and put in an unscented pinky. Not brained. Not messed with in any way. Just a pinky. I put it right in there, underneath the rock with the snake, and knew this time I could tackle it's feeding problems.
In only about 5 minutes, I lifted the rock again, to find...

NO PINKY TO BE FOUND, AND A BEAUTIFUL SCARLET KINGSNAKE WITH A BULGING BELLY AND STRETCHED OUT SCALES! AMAZING! ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT IT IS WILD-CAUGHT!

It all pays off. But I couldn't have done it without the help of everyone on this forum. Thank you all so much! Your advice is great. I knew it would work! A large (16 in.), readily feeding, beautiful and nippy scarlet kingsnake. Something I could only dream of owning until now. I doubt a breeding project will follow, as I am already breeding hognoses and red-cheeked mud turtles. However, it is a great snake, that I am honored to simply look at, and I hope it will bring me, and many others, joy for years to come.
Small terrestrial snakes RULE!
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DAVE

1.0 Western green toad
1.1 green treefrogs
1.0 Florida blue garter snake
0.1 Asian long-tailed grass lizard
1.0 Mediterranean gecko
1.1 Oriental fire-bellied toads
1.0 American bullfrog
0.1 Spanish ribbed newt
0.0.1 rough-skinned newt
1.1 Eastern ribbon snakes
1.1red-cheeked mud turtles
0.1 Dubia day gecko
1.0 Sonoran gopher snake
1.1 rough green snakes
1.1 giant African black millipedes
0.0.1 White's treefrog
1.0 Okeetee corn snake
0.1 Albino African clawed frog
1.0 Kenyan sand boa
0.0.1 Argentine flame-bellied toadlet
0.0.1 African bullfrog
1.0 yellow * Everglades rat snake intergrade
1.1 Western hognose snakes
0.1 fire salamander
1.0 scarlet kingsnake
0.0.1 Argentine horned frog

assorted small terrestrial snakes are temporarily kept during the summer

COMING SOON;

1.0 fire salamander to breed with my 0.1.

I'm so glad it finally ate for you!

-Alice

Hi there:

I was feeding my other snakes earlier this evening, and found an extra pinky. Suddenly, I had this absolutely crazy idea that the scarlet was not afraid to eat anymore. I suddenly felt that he had conquered all of his obstacles adjusting to captivity.
I figured, I never saw him eat the first time. He was under a dark rock for a few minutes, out of view. Maybe his feeding problems are a thing of the past. So, I gently moved him out from under his rock, put the pinky in the tongs, just started to lower the tongs into the vivarium and...

WHAM! He had the mouse by the head, raping coil after coil around it, jerking about violently. Ferociously working it down his throat, pressing his head into a rock, he ate the whole pinky, as I watched in awe. He seemed totally unafraid, and is even still out, climbing all around. I refilled his rock water basin with fresh water. I am reconsidering keeping just one...

Although, as a career, I do not wish to keep herptiles in captivity. Fascinating as this aspect of the field of herpetology is, I plan to do field work instead, studying these amazing little creatures in the wild. The feeling must be undescribable to flip over a rotting log and see one of these glowing candy canes in the soil... Ther's no telling for sure where it will go from here. One thing's for sure. I am devoting my life to herptiles, no matter what happens.
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DAVE

1.0 Western green toad
1.1 green treefrogs
1.0 Florida blue garter snake
0.1 Asian long-tailed grass lizard
1.0 Mediterranean gecko
1.1 Oriental fire-bellied toads
1.0 American bullfrog
0.1 Spanish ribbed newt
0.0.1 rough-skinned newt
1.1 Eastern ribbon snakes
1.1red-cheeked mud turtles
0.1 Dubia day gecko
1.0 Sonoran gopher snake
1.1 rough green snakes
1.1 giant African black millipedes
0.0.1 White's treefrog
1.0 Okeetee corn snake
0.1 Albino African clawed frog
1.0 Kenyan sand boa
0.0.1 Argentine flame-bellied toadlet
0.0.1 African bullfrog
1.0 yellow * Everglades rat snake intergrade
1.1 Western hognose snakes
0.1 fire salamander
1.0 scarlet kingsnake
0.0.1 Argentine horned frog

assorted small terrestrial snakes are temporarily kept during the summer

COMING SOON;

1.0 fire salamander to breed with my 0.1.

Does it hide 24/7? I find them very neat colorful snakes but read non stop hiders.
Fleck

Hi there:

He usually only comes out late at night, but it is still really cool to see that neat little striped tail whip under the ground cover. I could see that over and over again and never, ever get bored of it.
-----
DAVE

1.0 Western green toad
1.1 green treefrogs
1.0 Florida blue garter snake
0.1 Asian long-tailed grass lizard
1.0 Mediterranean gecko
1.1 Oriental fire-bellied toads
1.0 American bullfrog
0.1 Spanish ribbed newt
1.1 Eastern ribbon snakes
1.1red-cheeked mud turtles
0.1 Dubia day gecko
1.0 Sonoran gopher snake
1.1 rough green snakes
1.1 giant African black millipedes
1.0 Okeetee corn snake
0.1 Albino African clawed frog
1.0 Kenyan sand boa
0.0.1 Argentine flame-bellied toadlet
0.0.1 African bullfrog
1.0 yellow * Everglades rat snake intergrade
1.1 Western hognose snakes
0.1 fire salamander
1.0 scarlet kingsnake
0.0.1 Argentine horned frog

assorted small terrestrial snakes are temporarily kept during the summer

COMING SOON;

1.0 fire salamander to breed with my 0.1.

Thanks.
Fleck