Reptile & Amphibian Forums

John, Mike,
Just is case you wish comparative information on Ringneck Snake eggs from the population of the species from northwestern Oregon, here is a repeat of the input on the first female plus information I took from the last two females that produced three eggs each on July 27th and 28th.

Female #1 Captured on 6/7/05 laid 3 eggs on 7/20/05

egg #1 1.9 grams 9 X 34 mm
egg #2 1.7 grams 8 X 34 mm
egg #3 2.0 grams 9 X 33 mm
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Female #2 Captured on 6/13/05, laid 3 eggs on 7/27/05

egg #1 2.8 grams 10 X 36 mm
egg #2 2.8 grams 10 X 36 mm
egg #3 2.6 grams 10 X 36 mm
==============================

Female #3 Captured on 6/13/05 laid 3 eggs on 7/28/05

egg #1 2.4 grams 9 X 37 mm
egg #2 2.5 grams 9 X 39 mm
egg #3 2.4 grams 8 X 43 mm

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I weighed and measured each specimen at time of capture and took some periodic weights thereafter along with the female's weight after producing their eggs. I can provide that information if you wish. Each female took one meal of a juvenile Northwestern Gartersnake during confinement.

Richard F. Hoyer

You actually got them to feed... while gravid... on snakes? That perplexes me to a good extent. Those adults I got a while back, basically failed as good captives... The females would take juvenile snakes... atleast a few times they ate. The males would not eat.

I offered them baby brown snakes(all they took), baby garter snakes(common garters/shorthead garters), water snakes, kingsnakes, worms, fish, salamanders, frogs(leopard frogs), and offered everything in every possible manner. ie - f/t, pre-killed, live. No takes on anything but the smallest of brown snakes.

Dan had success with his eating green tree frogs... and since I had none and mine would not take anything I had to offer, I sent my pairs to Dan. Well, mine would not eat frogs voluntarily, and were force fed legs and such to be kept alive. Only 3 of mine are still alive. I'm not sure where I went wrong with them... under the conditions the living, they should have thrived like the many ringnecks in my collection before them...

But that's some interesting data you provide, seems 3 eggs is the average for this sub-species..

Could you post the lengths and weights of the specimens..

Thanks..
Mike

Michael's Place

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Michael's Place has updated, better caresheets
KingPin Reptiles Inc.
Helmz777@aol.com
www.freewebs.com/mikesnake

....megadittoes...thnx Richard, as you can see below 31-33 mm x 15-18 mm is a fairly typical regalis ova at birth. This is the 2nd clutch Ive produced in captivity. Pity the flash was set too hi [or was it merely my setting!],... I was using my cheap camera....
I feel your pain w/ those NW Diadophis Mike, theyre so pretty & so tough to keep! I suspect skinks, sharptails & slender sallies are requirements for them to be happy???

& heres the big grl that produced em....

Well I tried salamanders... and I've never had a sub-species that was hellbent on 1 specific species of salamander. None of the adults ate the snakes on a routine feeding, I would put them in one day, and the ringneck would just hang out with them, and then another day, attempt to eat them.

I tried skinks as well. Small live ground skinks, adult live five lined skinks, and f/t adult five lined skinks. No takes.

My regalis on the other hand... not picky. Ate a 6" neonate shorthead garter yesterday... The venom was not working at all, assuming because she used it a few days prior on another snake. After about 10 minutes of struggling, the garter was still alive.. bit mid-section to tail, but obvious signs of the venom degrading scale tissue.

Mike

Michael's Place

-----
Michael's Place has updated, better caresheets
KingPin Reptiles Inc.
Helmz777@aol.com
www.freewebs.com/mikesnake

Female #1 captured 6/7/05
19.5 grams total length: 542 mm tail length:92 mm
7/2 shed
7/4 18.1 grams
7/7 ate juv. NWGS
1/12 19.9 grams
7/20 produced 3 eggs female wt.= 14.9 grams
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Female #2 captured 6/13/05
23.5 grams total length: 561 mm tail length: 93 mm
6/17 ate juv. NWGS wt. after meal = 30.1 grams
6/26 ate juv. NWGS
7/4 25.6 grams
7/8 shed
7/12 24.3 grams
7/21 24.4 grams
7/27 laid 3 eggs female wt.= 15.7 grams
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Female #3 captured 6/13/05
24.3 grams total length: 567 mm tail length: 94 mm
6/17 ate juv. RSGS wt. after meal = 27.3 grams
6/25 ate juv. NWGS
7/2 shed
7/4 23.5 grams
7/12 23.1 grams
7/21 23.1 grams
7/28 laid 3 eggs female wt.= 14.9 grams
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NWGS = Northwestern Garter Snake
RSGS = Red-spotted Garter Snake (Common GS)

No attempt was made to monitor temperature conditions. Snakes were in a narrow 2 foot long aquaria with screen lid with one end place on top of a large cage housing gravid female boas and where on end of the Ringneck aquaria was near the 60 watt light bulb used as a heat source in the boa cage.

Substrate was 1 inch deep coarse Douglas fir sawdust on one half of the cage lengthwise and 1 inch of composted soil. The substrate was overlaid with 1/2 inch of native moss and on top of the moss was small, slightly curved pieces of bark as hides.

At the end of the aquaria nearest the light bulb was kept moist and dry at the other end. When I noticed that the snakes were seeking the cooler end, I moved the aquaria away from being directly over the light bulb. When I found the snake occupying the heated end, I knew I had the correct conditions as far as warmth is concerned. Real fancy setup!

My set up with the 5 Sharp-tailed Snake females was similar except they were in a larger aquaria with an overhead lamp at one end. All five Contia produce their eggs as well.

In the mid 1990's I maintained a few gravid Ringneck females to obtain eggs in order to perform feeding trials with the Rubber Boa. I don't think I kept track of female wts. etc. but recall the first year I did not get any eggs and had difficulty with having females take prey. The next year in which had success getting eggs, I threw every kind of prey I could think of. I know this species take our Long-toed Salamander with gusto but the salamander is not available on the surface during the day once it becomes warm and dryer. I recall putting in juvenile garter snakes, worms, slugs, perhaps insect larvae, large termites, small lizards, and Pacific Tree Frog tadpoles and newly metamorphed juvenile frogs. I did not keep track of which female ate what prey but did notice a few female eating the pollywogs and small frogs.

Richard F. Hoyer