Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have recently caught an eastern mudsnake. I have a large water dish for him/her to lay in but i ws told to put shavings in there as well(aspen). Would this be fine or do i need to get some thing else that would hold moistture. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Unfortunately, although it is a beautiful snake, Mud Snakes are generally not good candidates for captivity. Babies will sometimes take tadpoles and small plethodontid salamanders, but the adults will usually only take amphiumas or sirens. It is difficult to keep a steady supply of these items for food. I did, however, know one person years ago that kept one for years and fed it (of all things) hot dogs. This was something unique about that particular snake, and I've never seen another one take anything other than amphiumas and sirens. Mud Snakes spend most of their time buried in mud or in the water, and probably will not do well in captivity unless provided mud and water and a dry place to come out at night and prowl (they are largely noctournal animals), as well as their natural food.

I think your best bet is to photograph it, release it where you found it, and find something a little easier to care for.

Good news, I got my mud snake to take spring frogs, something that is easy for me to find in my area. I have a large aquarium coming on Monday that is 3 1/2 feet long. Just making sure that i understand what he needs. A little bit of standing water, mud and a dry spot right. Does he need a hide box since he burrows alot, and what temperature range should I keep the guy in to keep him healthy.

A hide box should not be necessary if he can burrow. As for temps, I would suggest going to the area he came from and checking ambient temps there, as well as the temps of the water near the edge and the mud 6 inches or so deep. You will need a probe type thermometer for this.

One of the problems you will run into with his guy is parasites. He is going to require frequent substrate and water changes, because the food items he preys upon will carry heavy loads of parasites. Many of these will be direct life-cycle parasites and will be able to re-infect him because they don't require an intermediate host. This will include many nematodes and protozoans. In the wild this isn't as big a problem, but due to the necessarily small living space he will have in captivity, he will be in frequent contact with his own fecal matter and the Oocysts, ova, and larvae of the parasites that he eliminates in his feces, which will disburse in the mud and water substrate.

I would almost suggest getting the mud snake on to mice. Farancia has a few reports of switching over, and from what I have read and heard, some live to a ripe old age (not to mention size...they get fiarly large!). Try scenting with frogs if he takes them regularly. That would cut back on parasites. Andy
-----
Andy Maddox
Houston Herp Key
The Reptizone

Who are you who can say it's ok to live through me? Alice In Chains

That's possible. I've never heard of F.abacura eating mice, but that surely doesn't mean it can't be done...as I said earlier I have known one that lived in captivity for years on a diet of hot dogs. F. erytrogramma has been switched to other food items in captivity besides their normal eels, but supplying eels until you get them switched could be as difficult as suplying amphiumas for F. abacura.

Mice would definitely help in reducing parasites, but a wild-caught snake is going to probably need to be treated and existing parasites eliminated, also.