Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Anyone ever kept one of these? I know it's technically a rear fanged snake and probably belongs on the rear fanged forum, but damned if these don't remind me of a little masticophis. Just curious if anyone's ever kept one.

Kevin

Yeah they are pretty cool snakes. I have 5 at the moment. A little thicker bodied than a coachwhip when they get big, quite fiesty. The sound awesome, they hiss like

Mike

How powerfull is there venom? Are the imports that are for sale all babies because none of them look like those but those are some of the most beautiful animals ive ever see!

I'm pretty sure the young are much more patterned, with going one colour approaching adulthood.

There are currently 5 here. 2 are patterned but smaller, one is slightly bigger but appears to have lost some markings whilst its been here. The other two are pretty large and as you can see one basic colour.

this is one of the smaller ones, not sure which one.

Mike

Kev,

They are pretty good captives. You have to make sure they are treated. Mine ate mice pretty good and then up and died? They were fresh imports(Stress).
William

so how venomous? and do they get dark like the one in the picture?

I caught several of them in Spain.
They are rearfanged and their fangs are quit large (As in al Psommophinae)
I kept some of them for a few days and they did well.

In morocco snakecharmers use them and they can become calm.

I would love to own them, but they are hard to get overhere

Gilian

they have a really interesting look to them. are they particularly fast moving?

They are great snakes!!...very noisey too!!..anyone who likes coachwhips is sure to be impressed by malpolon!

I've read that bites are very nasty,causing severe pain and swelling,NOT likely to cause death....but then again known killers like ALLERGY AND SHOCK can present themselves with most venoms.

Paul

I've lifted this lovely photo from the internet of one in the wild!!...I hope to keep a Montpellier one day

So there a snake to keep on a hook? Are the ones that are for sale babies ? Do they get like the ones in the pictures above? Thank

Blake Molone

Oops question was anserd above.

I would handle them with a hook.
They can be quit biting and fast. Allthough I find Masticophis even faster.

Two pics of a specimen I cought.

There are two subspecies which look quit different. Also males and females look different.

Ya masticphis are lighning! I talied on that was full of evil and was five foot eight inches it was so fun lol

Hello,

I'm sorry for my very bad english! I've only a litle practice....
I maintained Malpolon monspessulanus m. and Malpolon m. insignitus (from east europe) for about 5 year. Somes were wild (2 big adults males) but i've 12 CP baby from a friend. I've got a lot of babies from theses specimens. There were 4 males and 8 fem.
I'had 2 pairs M. m. insignitus. These sub-spec is more difficult to queep, more agressive. The nominative spec tame quite esaly, became a realy tame and friendly snake, with, in my sense, a incredible rich panel of behaviors for a snake.
This sun loving snake can be housing like Coluber or Masticophis.
The feeding is very simple because it's a opportiunist. Is poison is very potent for small animals (include mamals) of max 2000g. So an adult rat will be kill, a rabbit even more esaly, but not a cat or a smal dog! Adult mouse can die in a minute by poison only, but in many case the snake will bite AND contric (very powerfull) in the same time.
Reptiles are particulary sensitive to these venom. A big lizard will die in a very short time (like other snakes, Malpolon is a opportunistic ophiophagus).
The breeding is simple if the snakes are in good conditions, with lot of space en ligth (HQI and 5.0 or TREX uv heat). The breding time is extremely interresting! The males "fitgh" but without injuring eacht others. The male "escort" the femelle and even give her some mices when she's pregnent!
Somes males are very ophiophagus, somes others not. In my exp. youngs that are ophiophagus will be for ever. A young M. not ophhiophagus will rarely became one. You can "test" your snakes with Corn Snake for ex. before mating.
The 2 subspecies NOT realy hibernate. Only a relatively short "semi-hibernation" will do. You have to control t° around 10-12°c for the 2 cooler month (december and january). In south of France (the norther part of the distribution) specimens have normal activity in the firts weeks of february. These specis is "a nord african one lost in europe".
I hope this infos will help someone.
And sorry for these horryble english!