Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hey guys. ive been keeping venomous for 3 years. i have a smattering of gaboons rhino puffs gaboonXrhino crosses eastern diamond backs and proatheris supercilliaris.

i am about to get some cb 02 mottled rocks they eat prekilled and are happy and fat. for 6 months i will keep them in very simple enclosures with just newspaper substrate numerous hides and a small water bowl, they will be seperated from my collection. they will be vetchecked every two months during that period and then after that if i feel satisfied ill move them on in the my snakeroom.

i like natural ( but simple enclosures) what all do i need.

also do they need to be soaked once a week to ensure proper hydration?

do i need to feed them once a week or every two, i dont like to encourage obesity it keeps a snake from wanting to breed it is also very hard on internal organs

tell me everything you guys know

thanks in advnace

Those guys are "super" easy. Especially if you're used to keeping gaboons and such.

You don't have to soak them or "hydrate" them unless they won't poop. Pretty much, just leave a waterbowl in there (they'll find it, unlike a gaboon) and toss 'em a mouse every now and again and they'll be fine.

Congrats, awesome little rattlers

Chris

Captive as well as wild caught lepidus both do very well in captivity. Currently I keep about 60 lepidus and have never had a major problem with them. Two things you can do is this.
keep them seperate they can and will eat each other..
let them bite their meals even if the mice are prekilled..
other than that there is not much to it.

one more thing they can be very spastic at times and zip out of a hide area straight for your hand so keep distances and use tools.

robert

lepidus pic site

Why would you put the snakes through the stress of more than one vet check? The only reason I could see would be if you had a recurring parasite or disease, and though I don’t think it will really harm the snakes, I just don’t see it doing all that much good.

If you keep each cage separate (you will be keeping them separate I assume) and use proper cleaning techniques, you will be able to separate any problem animals you might have and therefore be able reduce the stress on the other non problematic snakes snakes.

I doubt you will have any problems and I will be rather surprised if you do.

As far as naturalistic vivaria goes, rocks, dirt and rocks.

i like to take my snakes to the vet numerous times when they are added for my own peace of mind and their well being we have a great venomous vet were i live and i will trade a little stress for a healthy snake. remeber 1 vet visit every 2 months for six months that isntr that much stress whe nyou look at it.

thanks for your opinion

Well, I certainly know what peice of mind can be worth

Good luck! Post some pics I never get tired of Lepidus.