Reptile & Amphibian Forums

'Glades Herp hatched many Black Racers from eggs harvested from wc females this spring, and I just got some hatchlings last week. Set them up with UV and 6700K daylight bulbs, plus a nice warm basking spot around 97 degrees. After about a week and a half of settling in and shedding their neonatal sheds, they started eating. One took a live pink mouse, one a tiny frog, and the rest newborn garter snakes.

Racers and coachwhips are pretty intelligent, even emotional. Hatchlings are a hoot to watch as they learn things like it's important to close their mouths on their prey when they grab it. Adult racers and coachwhips I've had have demonstrated their elemental reasoning abilities with even wc adults soon learning to ignore the tongs and eat the defrosted mouse. Some accept motionless dead mice laying on the floor of the enclosure. Scientific literature mentions racers and coachwhips being observed feeding on carrion in the wild, even being caught trying to raid rodent traps that held killed rodents.

If all goes well, I'll have some captive raised Black Racers to perhaps breed in the future. Looks like they are off and...dare I say it? Running.

Also picked up a 4 foot Eastern Coachwhip, classic color phase. Same setup--full-spectrum light and a hot spot. He started eating with a live mouse. I'll pair him with a nice mate one day and try my hand at raising Easterns from hatchlings. Tropical fish are for people who can't thrive on stress.

Do you have any pictures!!..especially your Eastern coachwhip??

thanks Paul

....those baby black Racers spend quite a bit of time periscoping from under the edge of their hide bark, and it's too cute. I'm sure if I set up my camera near the cage I'd get a shot of multiple heads spying the surroundings. I've seen wild Striped Whipsnakes periscoping from rock piles--'way neat. The Eastern Coachwhip is black on the front half, shading to tan on the rear--the Doppleganger of the animal in Conant. I'll try for a pic when mine is stronger and has been in captivity for a while--photos can be stressful. Work with me, baby! Yeah! That's it! Oooo yeah--flirt with the camera, sweetie!

Of course, try sweet talking a Coachwhip and see what happens. "Want me to work with the camera, eh?" CHOMP! "That's me working with the camera, meatsack!"

.....
little buggers...

and here's a coachwhip from my area...

:Mark
-----
Surrender Dorothy!

crimsonking.piczo.com/

Really nice pics. Cool! How many easterns do you have?
Robert.

Thanks. I don't have any coachwhips right now. That was a "field shot". They can be very accomodating after a short time of trying to escape.(and bites)
:Mark
-----
Surrender Dorothy!

crimsonking.piczo.com/

Thanks for posting that shot--it's exactly what the little frog killers do. They are wiping out small frogs left and right...of course, the racers don't know left from right...not having any hands for reference....but the frogs find out soon enough. I hope the racers switch to pinky mice soon, as I like frogs and this slaughter prods my conscience. Still, I owe the racers whatever they need to survive, so....

The racers are also getting the hang of hunting and eating. They are quite unafraid of me and will make nice display animals someday.