Reptile & Amphibian Forums

If you catch wild snakes do you switch to newspaper or use a more natural substrate? I caught an eastern fox snake, first I've ever seen in my 15 years of herping in my area. And put in on newspaper, will it be more comfortable in a more natural substrate?
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1.0 Normal Corn Snake
1.0 Ball Python
1.0 BCI
0.1 California King

I keep all my snakes on newspaper, including my W/C. As long as they have adequate hides, they will be fine.
Brian

>>If you catch wild snakes do you switch to newspaper or use a more natural substrate? I caught an eastern fox snake, first I've ever seen in my 15 years of herping in my area. And put in on newspaper, will it be more comfortable in a more natural substrate?
>>-----
>>1.0 Normal Corn Snake
>>1.0 Ball Python
>>1.0 BCI
>>0.1 California King
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RATS
1.0 Corn snake "Warpath" (KY locale)
0.0.1 Corn snake (KY locale)
1.0 Black rat snake "Havok" (KY locale)
1.1 Black rat snakes "Reaper and Mystique" (MO locale)
1.0 Albino Black rat snake "Malakai" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Everglades rat snake "Deadpool" (Dwight Good stock)
0.1 Greenish rat snake "Rogue" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Yellow rat snake "Wolverine" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Grey rat snake "Punisher" (White oak phase)(Dwight Good stock)

Good luck and Happy Herping
Brian

Depends on your goals. Do you just want to keep the snake or do you want to creat a habitat for him. Many breeders have too many snakes to keep each one in a natural setup, in that situation, sterile is better. I would guess though that most hobbiest today are like me and strive for natural looking evironments, that employ live plants, soils, and moving water. along with biological filtering systems. I don't disagree with the sterile environments, it's just that anyone can stick a snake in a shoe box with newspaper and a bowl of water, to me that's not much to be proud of. There are correct ways of setting things up though to avoid mites etc.

One snake wouldnt be too bad, but when you have over 20 snakes like I do, then a number of factors come into play. The amount of room required to keep the snakes in natural looking habitat;
The time required to keep such enclosures clean; And the initial cost and money required to keep them clean are all deciding factors. 1 or 2 snakes would be ok, maybe even 3 or 4, but once you get more than that, a rack system is the way to go.

As far as being proud of sticking a snake in a shoebox with newspaper and a water bowl, then if you have more than 10 enclosures with all the natural looking stuff, my hats off to you. Because between working, family, and the honey do list, I will take the easiest, quickest method to keep my snakes. If you think that is lazy, then so be it, just not enough hours in the day, or money in the checking account to do it otherwise.
However, my snakes are healthy and clean, thats what counts. And I think you are the minority when it comes to enclosures. I have alot of friends who keep snakes, and none of them keep their animals is such an enclosure as you have described.

IMHO, for a beginner, it would be best to start off with a sterile environment anyways!! That way it is easier to figure out the snakes quirks, keep it clean, and less work overall for a beginner.
Brian

>>Depends on your goals. Do you just want to keep the snake or do you want to creat a habitat for him. Many breeders have too many snakes to keep each one in a natural setup, in that situation, sterile is better. I would guess though that most hobbiest today are like me and strive for natural looking evironments, that employ live plants, soils, and moving water. along with biological filtering systems. I don't disagree with the sterile environments, it's just that anyone can stick a snake in a shoe box with newspaper and a bowl of water, to me that's not much to be proud of. There are correct ways of setting things up though to avoid mites etc.
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RATS
1.0 Corn snake "Warpath" (KY locale)
0.0.1 Corn snake (KY locale)
1.0 Black rat snake "Havok" (KY locale)
1.1 Black rat snakes "Reaper and Mystique" (MO locale)
1.0 Albino Black rat snake "Malakai" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Everglades rat snake "Deadpool" (Dwight Good stock)
0.1 Greenish rat snake "Rogue" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Yellow rat snake "Wolverine" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Grey rat snake "Punisher" (White oak phase)(Dwight Good stock)

Good luck and Happy Herping
Brian

Each of us has a "number" ... Mine is about a dozen. Actually, I have 13 snakes right now.

But our "number" that I'm talking about is: How many snakes can YOU keep, in the manner that YOU are comfortable with and take care of these animals properly (and truly enjoy them and appreciate them)?

I have many other snakes on my wish list, but I'm probably not going to get them in the near future...Why? 13 snakes is my "number" that I can enjoy, afford and care for and still find time for my family, job, friends and other hobbies.

If I were retired, my "number" would be (and probably WILL be) higher.

I think lots of folks get caught up in the excitement of keeping snakes and suddenly realize that they have too many. I have the brain of a "collector"...I collect lots of stuff...And it would have been real easy for my to suddenly find myself with 50 snakes. But I really don't think I'd be enjoying them as much as I enjoy my 13....It would suddenly be too much like another job. And for some, it DOES turn into another job and that's a whole other topic.

So...What's YOUR "number"?????????????? Duffy

Currently I have 2 Oxeybelis, in a 270 gal setup. I've had many more, but I have had to reduce my collection to make room for my Daughter born 3/25. I was trying to point out that there are several reason to keep snakes each comes with there on demands on husbandry. Those interest in keeping just a few snakes and keeping them well, tend towards natural setups. Those who breed for new color morphs, a rack of shoe boxes tends to be better. I was stating my preference for the natural setup. At the most I had 50 snakes, with three 270 gallon natural setups.

I wasnt saying anything bad about a natural setup. If I had the room downstairs in the living room, I would love to build a large enclosure to put my everglades in for display!!! Just dont have the room currently.

I was just trying to point out how much room natural enclosures take up, and for beginners it probably would be best to keep a first snake in a smaller more sterile habitat.
Brian

>>Currently I have 2 Oxeybelis, in a 270 gal setup. I've had many more, but I have had to reduce my collection to make room for my Daughter born 3/25. I was trying to point out that there are several reason to keep snakes each comes with there on demands on husbandry. Those interest in keeping just a few snakes and keeping them well, tend towards natural setups. Those who breed for new color morphs, a rack of shoe boxes tends to be better. I was stating my preference for the natural setup. At the most I had 50 snakes, with three 270 gallon natural setups.
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RATS
1.0 Corn snake "Warpath" (KY locale)
0.0.1 Corn snake (KY locale)
1.0 Black rat snake "Havok" (KY locale)
1.1 Black rat snakes "Reaper and Mystique" (MO locale)
1.0 Albino Black rat snake "Malakai" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Everglades rat snake "Deadpool" (Dwight Good stock)
0.1 Greenish rat snake "Rogue" (Dwight Good stock)
0.0.1 Great plains rat snake
1.0 Grey rat snake "Punisher" (White oak phase)(Dwight Good stock)

Good luck and Happy Herping
Brian

Yep you hit it right on the head!! I know that I plan on adding only a few more to my list and then Im done. I currently have 22 snakes and it takes roughly 2 hours to clean and feed, which isnt bad at all. I actually like to do it, as it gives me some "wind down" time from work!! Once it starts feeling like it is work, then it will be time to slim down the collection for sure. Whats really cool about keeping this many snakes, is that each of them has their own personality. Im not a big collector, so I dont have a bunch of stuff taking up space, and thats a plus as my snakes have a bedroom dedicated to them!

I plan on adding maybe 4 or 5 more snakes and Im done. 30 is probably my "number", and I can comfortably handle 30 snakes. A rack system makes it sooo much easier to clean and care for the snakes!!
Brian

>>Each of us has a "number" ... Mine is about a dozen. Actually, I have 13 snakes right now.
>>
>>But our "number" that I'm talking about is: How many snakes can YOU keep, in the manner that YOU are comfortable with and take care of these animals properly (and truly enjoy them and appreciate them)?
>>
>>I have many other snakes on my wish list, but I'm probably not going to get them in the near future...Why? 13 snakes is my "number" that I can enjoy, afford and care for and still find time for my family, job, friends and other hobbies.
>>
>>If I were retired, my "number" would be (and probably WILL be) higher.
>>
>>I think lots of folks get caught up in the excitement of keeping snakes and suddenly realize that they have too many. I have the brain of a "collector"...I collect lots of stuff...And it would have been real easy for my to suddenly find myself with 50 snakes. But I really don't think I'd be enjoying them as much as I enjoy my 13....It would suddenly be too much like another job. And for some, it DOES turn into another job and that's a whole other topic.
>>
>>So...What's YOUR "number"?????????????? Duffy
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RATS
1.0 Corn snake "Warpath" (KY locale)
0.0.1 Corn snake (KY locale)
1.0 Black rat snake "Havok" (KY locale)
1.1 Black rat snakes "Reaper and Mystique" (MO locale)
1.0 Albino Black rat snake "Malakai" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Everglades rat snake "Deadpool" (Dwight Good stock)
0.1 Greenish rat snake "Rogue" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Yellow rat snake "Wolverine" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Grey rat snake "Punisher" (White oak phase)(Dwight Good stock)

Good luck and Happy Herping
Brian

Check out your state laws also. The Eastern Fox's range is pretty limited, and it may be considered threatened in some areas. If you are here in Ohio, it is not legal to keep one without the proper permits. Actually, it is not legal to keep any natives. I'm not sure if a wild-caught Eastern Fox is OK at all. Again, check it out if you can. fyi Duffy

I do not believe that there is ANY area within the Eastern Fox Snakes range where it is legal to catch and keep a wild caught animal. They are protected throughout their range which includes Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Southern Ontario, Canada.
If you haven't exposed it to other snakes in your collection (after all it should be in a tight quarantine) you should take some pictures, then put it back. If it has been exposed (even to non-sanitized cage furnishings) you should contact your local DNR and turn the snake over to them.
Re-release of captured wildlife isn't something that should be taken lightly. Ask any researcher working with Desert Tortoises!

With all that said, my first ever pet snake was a 6 foot long female (from near the Ottawa River, an area we used to call "The Lost Penninsula" that my brothers and I caught but I was just a kid.

But that was over 30 years ago!