Reptile & Amphibian Forums

African File Snake, Mehelya capensis.

Pictures do not do this puppy justice.

Anyone wish to donate his or her black mamba to feed?

Dan

Nice looking snake, Dan. If you restrict the diet to the mentioned three, feeding may get a little pricey long term. Branch says they include other small vertebrates in their diet, but he does not go into specifics. It may take rodents, though I must admit tossing in a small polylepis would prove entertaining.

~~Greg~~

what your income or Dan's is Greg, but that kind of diet would become VERY expensive for me in the short term, forget about the long term!

I don't know for sure, but I thought puff's were the rabbits of the hot world? Perhaps this would make for a good supply. Any reason why feeding hots? What about corns ect; what do king owners feed?

Very interesting though, I've heard of this snake, but not of it's ophidian diet. Is it actually immune to the venom of such a varied group of snakes?

In the wild, its diet includes snakes but it will eat rodents and that is what I plan to feed it. I was just kidding about wanting a black mamba to feed it.

Dan

I was looking forward to the pictures. Heehee

~~Greg~~

Well once I get him established on rodents, I will throw in a black racer in a big cage so it will bring back memories of chasing black mambas. He perhaps will benefit from the excersize anyway. lol.

Dan

I dont want to feel silly but is this little guy venomous or is he just an eater of such snakes?
he's cute either way

thanks
ashley

>>African File Snake, Mehelya capensis.
>>
>>Pictures do not do this puppy justice.
>>
>>Anyone wish to donate his or her black mamba to feed?
>>
>>Dan
>>
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"I’m scared of those nasty big-eyed grey aliens, too. I think it’s that I don’t understand their motivations. I am confident of my ability to out-think, out-con, or if need be, tire-iron-upside-the-head demonic forces, ghosts and goblins, things that go bump in the night, etc. It’s the notion of something that doesn’t have any desire to talk to me except via anal probe that freaks me out"

In light of recent research, I'd hate to call any snake nonvenomous. Let's say the file snake is a colubrid that was at one time considered non-venomous. How's that for CYA?

~~Greg~~

They have very strong jaws (crushing jaws) and grasp their snake prey and hold it and work their way to its head and eat it. And they have a natural immunity to venom if bitten by venomous snakes it may prey upon. I am not sure if constriction is partly used but will one day see what happens with a racer and report the findings. I suppose it may use its body to hold down a struggling snake like an indigo does vice constricting a snake like a kingsnake does.

Dan

true enough, so how does its venom compaire to other snakes?
are they more or less toxic to a mangrove snake?

thanx
ashley

>>In light of recent research, I'd hate to call any snake nonvenomous. Let's say the file snake is a colubrid that was at one time considered non-venomous. How's that for CYA?
>>
>> ~~Greg~~
-----
"I’m scared of those nasty big-eyed grey aliens, too. I think it’s that I don’t understand their motivations. I am confident of my ability to out-think, out-con, or if need be, tire-iron-upside-the-head demonic forces, ghosts and goblins, things that go bump in the night, etc. It’s the notion of something that doesn’t have any desire to talk to me except via anal probe that freaks me out"

Oh, perhaps I was not clear. They themselves (the file snakes) are not venomous at all, they just have very strong mouths/jaws and hold on to their prey and eat their struggling prey. They (the file snake) are the ones immune to venom from other venomous species.

Dan

>>Oh, perhaps I was not clear. They themselves (the file snakes) are not venomous at all, they just have very strong mouths/jaws and hold on to their prey and eat their struggling prey. They (the file snake) are the ones immune to venom from other venomous species.
>>
>>Dan
-----
"I’m scared of those nasty big-eyed grey aliens, too. I think it’s that I don’t understand their motivations. I am confident of my ability to out-think, out-con, or if need be, tire-iron-upside-the-head demonic forces, ghosts and goblins, things that go bump in the night, etc. It’s the notion of something that doesn’t have any desire to talk to me except via anal probe that freaks me out"