Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello, Any ideas how big this racer will get? I had a feeling something was wrong (thought it was a corn), it doesn't constrict.

I saw you post over on the corn forum. That is indeed a juvenile Black Racer(Coluber c. constrictor). Those are extremely common in Florida. They will gradually become a solid blackish grey as they mature, and will generally average about 4 feet long.

You should go ahead and humanely kill the lizard, then put it in front of the snake with a long set of thin tongs so it doesn't have to chase the lizard around getting mouthfulls of cage substrate in it's mouth.

Also, anole's can harbor parasites that the Racer will get as well, so if you plan on keeping it, you should try to scent small fuzzy mice with anole lizards if it will not accept plain un-scented fuzzies.

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -serpentinespecialties.webs.com

Thanks for getting back to me. I'm going to let this one go. I don't need 4' of snake. I had a Ringneck a while back, I'm going to go turnover some rocks..

That's a good idea actually, many racer's don't make the greatest captives anyway.

Nice ringneck pic!

~Doug
-----
"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -serpentinespecialties.webs.com

The Racer is always hiding and very nervous. The Ringneck I had was great to show the Neighborhood kids and change the misconception that is associated with snakes. Thanks for your help...

Yeah, the general public's irrational fear of snakes is something that will never go away, but it is good you used the ringneck to at least show a few neighborhood kids that there are MANY totally harmless snakes, and they should never be killed.

you're welcome!, and it was a better thing to let the young racer go again as you did.

~Doug
-----
"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -serpentinespecialties.webs.com

racers dont make really good captives. ring necks do if you can get them to eat, how did you get it to eat? i had a racer and its cool to watch them eat lizards, I did get it on pinkies but I thought it would be happier outside so i let it go.

Thanks for the reply.

I let the racer go. I could see it had a nervous disposition.

All it did was hide and eat for the 3 months I had it.

The Ringneck had no problems eating, worms or Anole's

I got careless with the top, so I'd like to get another one.

Later...