Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello everyone,

I am sending out a money order today for my very first scarlet snake. Ever since I saw one of these beautiful little snakes in a neighborhood pet store last summer, I have viewed them as a symbol of wild Florida. The look in their eyes gives me the energized feel you get from lifting up a board and finding the two wriggly little DeKay's underneath, or seing that black rat snake on the side of the tree, quiet as midnight.
I do not need to ask anything about feeding, but as far as setup is concerned, so far, I have a 5-gallon glass aquarium, with about 3 iches of dry beach sand mixed with dry soil on the bottom, and I am using a heavy, antique ashtray as a water basin. I was wondering if scarlet snakes need a hiding spot, such as a simulated rock den, or if I could simply let it burrow in the sand / soil, like my Kenyan sand boa.
This is a beautiful species, and is at the top of my list for snakes I want to someday encounter in the wild, including the rare Kirtland's snake and blue racer.

Thanks for all of your help!
-----
DAVE

All specimens marked with an asterisk indicate a species being bred. Single specimens are rare species that are kept for behavioral and natural history studies.

1.0 Western green toad
1.1 green treefrogs *
1.0 Florida blue garter snake
1.0 Mediterranean gecko
1.1 Oriental fire-bellied toads *
1.0 American bullfrog
0.1 Spanish ribbed newt
0.0.1 Eastern ribbon snake
1.1 red-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 *
1.2 fire salamanders*
1.1 scarlet kingsnakes*
0.0.1 scarlet snake
0.0.1 Argentine horned frog
1.1 Southern ringneck snakes *
0.0.1 night snake
0.0.1 Florida brown snake
0.1 Pine woods snake
1.0 rough earth snake
2 (all of them are female!) Brahminy blind snakes *
0.1 Northern brown snake (GRAVID!)

Personally I would have found an easier to keep symbol of "wild" Florida (lol).

I have kept several through the years including the 27" female I have at present.

Scarlett Snakes are burrowers, so what you want is a habitat that allows for this very secretive snake to stay hidden. I prefer either Peat moss or Cypress mulch for bottom media. large pieces of bark would work very well for surface hideouts.

I am not to crazy about sand as it can get into everything.

Frank
-----
"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

Hi,

The scarlet snake was shipped today via USPS. I am not sure if a burrower like a scarlet snake would use it, but just for the heck of it, I have added a hidebox stuffed with warm, humid Spanish moss. I am also expecting a female SK for the SK habitat.
-----
DAVE

All specimens marked with an asterisk indicate a species being bred. Single specimens are rare species that are kept for behavioral and natural history studies.

1.0 Western green toad
1.1 green treefrogs *
1.0 Florida blue garter snake
1.1 Oriental fire-bellied toads *
1.0 American bullfrog
0.1 Spanish ribbed newt
0.0.1 Eastern ribbon snake
1.1 red-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 *
1.2 fire salamanders*
1.1 scarlet kingsnakes*
0.0.1 scarlet snake
0.0.1 Argentine horned frog
1.1 Southern ringneck snakes *
0.0.1 night snake
0.0.1 Florida brown snake
0.1 Pine woods snake
1.0 rough earth snake
2 (all of them are female!) Brahminy blind snakes *
0.1 Northern brown snake (GRAVID!)