Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have two Calabaria reinhardtii they were wild caught two years ago and after worming and some TLC they are now really nice snakes but still are not too keen on being handled. This does not bother me. I am trying to get them breeding and it now appears that I have two males. After some searching I have found one at a local shop unfortunately they will not let me probe it and they don't know how to themselves and say I either buy it or leave it. My main problem is that the Calabaria is being kept all wrong as a desert snake and it looks to be in very poor condition. I have just found out that they had two in for two months and one died recently. I have left them with my phone number and an offer on the snake. I am now concerned for the snakes welfare and I am now thinking of paying the full price for it and just hope it will pull through.
Anyone have any suggestions.
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1:2.. Pituophis catenifer (melanoleucus) sayi (Bull Snake)
0.1.. Boiga Cyanea
1:1.. Gonyosoma oxycephalum (Silver Phase)
1:1.. Lampropeltis getula "goini" (Tangerine Phase)
01.. Eryx miliaris nogaiorum
1:1.. Elaphe o. obsoleta (liquorice stick or white sided rat snakes)
0:1.. Eryx jaculus
1:1.. Lampropeltis pyromelana woodini (Huachuca Mountain Kingsnake)
1:2.. Elaphe bimaculata (Twin-spotted Rat Snake)
0:1.. Elaphe sauromates
1:1.. Candoia carinata paulsoni (Soloman Island ground Boas)
1:1:1.. Natrix tessellata
Lizards
1:0..Tupinambis teguixin ssp. (Golden Tegu)
0:1..Uromastyx acanthinurus
1:1..Pogona henrylawsonii [brevis] (Rankins Dragons)
Arachnid’s
Pterinochilus murinus
Kilimanjaro Sootyback
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Unless I'm wrong, they have never been bred and hatched in captivity. Stay away from the pet shop animal. They appear fairly frequently in the KS classifieds.
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1.1 Blackheaded pythons
1.1 Woma (Juvie female)
2.1 Aussie Olives
1.1 Timors
1.0 Angolan Juvie
1.1 Savu
1.1 Juvie Bloods
1.1 Juvie Balls
1.1 IJ Carpets
1.1 Coastal Carpets
1.2 Macklotts
1.1 Papuan Olives
1.0 Jungle Carpet
2.2 Scrubs (on breeding loan)
0.1 Jungle/Diamond cross
0.1 child, CB
0.1 wife, WC

They have been bred in captivity. I've bred them two generations and know several other people who have bred them also. Almost all you see for sale are imports tho. They are easy to sex without probing. Males have spurs and females don't. Good luck! John Meltzer

John...congrats on breeding them. I had a pair over 20 years ago, thought they were really neat. My take on it was that the eggs were hard to hatch, but I'm sure techniques have improved greatly since then...
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1.1 Blackheaded pythons
1.1 Woma (Juvie female)
2.1 Aussie Olives
1.1 Timors
1.0 Angolan Juvie
1.1 Savu
1.1 Juvie Bloods
1.1 Juvie Balls
1.1 IJ Carpets
1.1 Coastal Carpets
1.2 Macklotts
1.1 Papuan Olives
1.0 Jungle Carpet
2.2 Scrubs (on breeding loan)
0.1 Jungle/Diamond cross
0.1 child, CB
0.1 wife, WC

Thanks for all the advice especially on sexing. I will go after the holidays and see what the one in the shop is.

regards John
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1:2.. Pituophis catenifer (melanoleucus) sayi (Bull Snake)
0.1.. Boiga Cyanea
1:1.. Gonyosoma oxycephalum (Silver Phase)
0:1.. Eryx miliaris nogaiorum
1:1:1. Elaphe o. obsoleta (liquorice stick or white sided rat snakes)
0:1.. Eryx jaculus
1:1.. Lampropeltis pyromelana woodini (Huachuca Mountain Kingsnake)
1:2.. Elaphe bimaculata (Twin-spotted Rat Snake)
0:1.. Elaphe sauromates
2:2.. Candoia carinata paulsoni (Soloman Island ground Boas)
2:0.. Calabaria reinhardtii
Lizards
1:0..Tupinambis teguixin ssp. (Golden Tegu)
0:1..Uromastyx acanthinurus
1:1..Pogona henrylawsonii [brevis] (Rankins Dragons)
Arachnid’s
Pterinochilus murinus
Kilimanjaro Sootyback
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