Sidewinder

Sidewinder

Sidewinder

Sidewinder

• Family: Viperidae
• Adult Size: 20 to 30 inches
• Range: Found from southeastern California barely into Utah and south to southwestern Arizona and northwestern Mexico.
• Habitat: Because of its sidewinding movements, this rattlesnake typically occupies open areas such as flat expanses of loose sand, sand dunes and low hillsides with a mix of sand and gravel. It almost always is found near the burrows of its rodent prey.
• Captive Lifespan: 12 to 20 Years
• Dangerous:
• Care Level: Advanced

 

Overview

Widely known because of the erect scales over its eyes and distinctive sidewinding movement across loose sand, this little rattlesnake can be difficult to adapt to the terrarium. Wild-caught specimens are notorious for heavy parasite loads and must be wormed by a qualified veterinarian and checked for other types of parasites. Additionally, they are subject to blister disease due to humidity in the terrarium. A 20-gallon terrarium with excellent ventilation works well. The substrate should be dry sand or anything similar that will not hold moisture. Give a small bowl of water once every two or three weeks—the snakes get their water from their food and don’t normally drink, but a spill can cause serious problems. The temperature should be maintained between 80 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit, with an undertank heating pad and a basking lamp.

Feeding is often a problem. In nature the sidewinder takes a variety of lizards and small rodents, but in the terrarium it often demands lizards. Mediterranean geckos (Hemidactylus turcicus) have proven acceptable and easy to obtain; they should be fed after being frozen and thawed to reduce infectious parasites. Sidewinders often can be tricked into taking small mice by placing a baby gecko or a gecko tail in the mouth of the mouse.

Though not considered deadly, the bite of this species is dangerous and damaging and it also is a speedy snake, so precautions should be taken at all times.

Sea Snake

Sea Snake

Sea Snake

Sea Snake

• Family: Elapidae
• Adult Size: 3 to 5 feet
• Range: This species has an exceptionally wide range, being found from the Bay of Bengal over the Indonesian and Southeast Asian area to the Solomons and other islands of the South Pacific, with a few records from northern Australia, southern Japan, and even Central America.
• Habitat: Sea kraits are essentially cobras that have become adapted to living in the ocean, returning to land to bask and reproduce. This species lives along ocean shores and is capable of dives lasting over an hour, feeding on reefs and shallow sandy bottoms. It returns to the land to hide during the day and may come ashore by the hundreds in mating groups.
• Captive Lifespan: Not Applicable
• Dangerous:
• Care Level: Advanced

Overview

Few zoos or individuals have had much success keeping sea kraits for long, as they need large pools of warm salt water as well as rocks and other dry areas on which to bask. They are fairly adaptable, however, and some zoos have had moderate success using fresh water with just occasional baths in salt water. Water temperatures should be about 80 degrees Fahrenheit, with land temperatures between 80 and 90 degrees. Basking lights will be used by some individuals.

In nature the sea kraits feed almost exclusively on eels of different species, a diet hard to match in captivity. Some specimens adapt to taking other types of elongated fish, but feeding is almost always a major problem. Attempts to switch sea kraits to rodents generally fail.

Though potentially dangerously venomous, this species has a reputation for being docile, easily handled and producing very little venom. Bites are almost unknown, but this doesn’t mean the species should be underestimated or handled casually.

Scarlet Kingsnake

Scarlet Kingsnake

Scarlet Kingsnake

• Family: Colubridae
• Adult Size: A small, slender milk snake usually 14 to 20 inches in length
• Range: Southeastern U.S. from Virginia to Florida, west to southern Kentucky and eastern Louisiana.
• Habitat: A secretive, nocturnal snake often found near bodies of water and in areas with loose, sandy soil and many hiding places.
• Captive Lifespan: 12 to 20 Years
• Dangerous:
• Care Level: Intermediate

Overview

The scarlet kingsnake is considered a full species, Lampropeltis elapsoides, by many herpetologists.

Considered one of the most challenging kingsnakes to keep because of its small size and the difficulty of finding proper food, scarlet kingsnakes are also notorious escape artists. Provide a 10-gallon terrarium with a locking, very secure lid and a substrate of anything from aspen to indoor-outdoor carpeting. Some keepers suggest that a 20-gallon vertical terrarium with the lid at the top may be necessary to prevent escapes. The terrarium must stay fairly moist, so give water in a wide, shallow bowl. These are nervous snakes that do not like bright lights and need several hiding places in the terrarium. Room temperatures between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit are adequate, with a small drop at night. An undertank heating pad is not necessary, and basking lights may be harmful.

Scarlet kingsnakes are specialist feeders on elongated lizards, especially young anoles and skinks. Many specimens will accept only living lizards as food and will starve rather than switch to pinky or hopper mice or even frozen, thawed lizards. Add food to the terrarium before the lights are turned off for the night. Some specimens can be tricked into accepting mice rubbed with lizard droppings or placed inside the body cavity of a dead lizard to transfer scent. Newly hatched young should be considered only by advanced keepers. This beautiful little snake is seldom bred in captivity.

Savu Python

Savu Python

Savu Python

• Family: Pythonidae
• Adult Size: Females get up to 5 feet
• Range: Sawu Island, Indonesia
• Habitat: Open areas, usually found under stones and other such cover.
• Captive Lifespan: More than 20 Years
• Dangerous: No
• Care Level: Beginner

Overview

The Savu python is rather undemanding and an easy-to-care-for snake.
A 40-gallon terrarium will easily house a pair of adults. Place a heat pad under one end of the enclosure to create a hot spot of about 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The rest of the enclosure can have an ambient temperature of about 80 degrees. Use aspen bedding or bark as a substrate.

Place a water bowl, large enough for all the cage occupants to soak in, at the cooler end of the enclosure. A hide should be located in the cool end of the enclosure, with another placed on the hot spot. Hides can be provided using cork bark, natural wood or any commercial hide that is large enough.
Savus climb very little, but if you provide some grape vine or other sticks and branches, they might use them—plus, such decorations make the terrarium look pretty.

A light is not needed as far as the snake is concerned, but you might want to place a household fluorescent lamp on top of the enclosure so your snake(s) can be more easily viewed.

Savus do very well on a diet of large, pre-killed mice and up to small or medium pre-killed rats. Feed them about once a week.

Right after the Savu python was first discovered in 1993, this species was exploited and exported to all corners of the globe. Wild imports did surprisingly well in captivity and were renowned for being mellow and easy-to-keep subjects. Some did bite, of course, but this was not the norm.
They fetched high prices and were popular. Soon the island was somewhat stripped of the snakes and much like other endemic island species, the pet trade took it’s toll on populations. As of now, exports are very restricted.

However, captive breeding is on the increase and this is what you’ll find to buy. There are no morphs that I’m aware of, but if you search very hard you’re likely to find some nice babies here and there. They sometimes pop up in reptile specialty stores and at reptile shows, and rarely on the Internet.

The Savu Python has the smallest range of any python, living exclusively on Sawu Island.

San Francisco Garter Snake

San Francisco Garter Snake

San Francisco Garter Snake

• Family: Colubridae
• Adult Size: 20 to 30 inches
• Range: Restricted to the San Francisco Peninsula in San Mateo County, western central California. It is not found in the city of San Francisco or in brackish marshes near the city. Similar subspecies occur nearby.
• Habitat: This colorful subspecies is strongly associated with ponds and streams, being found near water in open areas and forest edges.
• Captive Lifespan: Not Applicable
• Dangerous:
• Care Level: Intermediate

Overview

This subspecies is considered endangered and is protected by federal law in the U.S. As such it cannot be legally kept or sold without special permits. It is occasionally available in the European market as captive-bred specimens. The care information applies to all subspecies of Thamnophis sirtalis. For a short while, this subspecies was called T. s. infernalis.

Similar to other garter snakes, San Francisco garter snakes can be housed in 20-gallon terraria with a substrate of shredded aspen, loamy soil or coconut fibers. They need a humidity of at least 60 percent to thrive, so provide a large water bowl that will be used for bathing and often feeding as well; change the water daily. This is a diurnal snake that likes to bask, so provide a basking light in one corner of the terrarium. Typical temperatures should range between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit, with 90 to 95 degrees over an undertank heating pad. The temperature can be allowed to drop a few degrees at night.

In nature, this garter snake feeds heavily on frogs, small fish and tadpoles taken from the water, but like other garter snakes it usually is switched to mice as soon as possible in the terrarium. Many specimens will take pinky and hopper mice without any coaxing. Earthworms are also taken readily and provide a good food for these snakes. Feed mice twice a week or earthworms and tadpoles every other day.

Ruthven's Kingsnake

Ruthven's Kingsnake

Ruthven's Kingsnake

• Family: Colubridae
• Adult Size: Adults have reached lengths of 36 inches.
• Range: Jalisco, Queretero and Michocan, Mexico.
• Habitat: Wooded, rocky uplands across its range.
• Captive Lifespan: 12 to 20 Years
• Dangerous:
• Care Level: Beginner

Overview

Ruthven's kingsnake is an unusual species by itself, with no subspecies.

Cages should be escape proof, complete with water and hiding area. Kingsnakes and milk snakes must be housed separately (except during the breeding season) because they are cannibalistic. Inexpensive enclosures such as plastic shoe or sweater boxes work well if there are ventilation holes drilled in the sides. Aquariums or home-made enclosures also work well if you want to display the snake. A variety of substrates may be used (aspen shavings, corn-cob-type rodent bedding or newspaper) to keep the animals clean, warm and dry.

Kingsnakes will feed on just about anything. They will consume warm-blooded prey such as rodents and birds, as well as cold-blooded prey such as lizards and frogs (in addition to other snakes).

Many species adapt well in captivity if kept between 80 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit, with a nighttime drop of five to 10 degrees. Temperature control is important as it maintains feeding response and digestion.

Rubber Boa

Rubber Boa

Rubber Boa

• Family: Erycinidae
• Adult Size: 20 to 28 inches
• Range: A boa of cool northwestern North America, found from central California north into British Columbia, Canada and east to northern Nevada, Utah and Colorado.
• Habitat: Typically found in moist, cool coniferous forests, rubber boas commonly live near streams or other moist areas, but sometimes can be found in relatively dry grasslands and near abandoned homes. They can survive freezing temperatures.
• Captive Lifespan: More than 20 Years
• Dangerous:
• Care Level: Beginner

Overview

Specimens from scattered populations in Southern California often are considered a full species, the southern rubber boa, Charina umbratica.

Rubber boas do well in a small terrarium of 10 gallons and need little in the way of special conditions. They thrive at low room temperatures (60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit) and become stressed at higher temperatures. Special lighting or heating is not desirable. Keep the terrarium relatively moist and provide a bowl of drinking water. A once-weekly soaking may help prevent dehydration. Aspen or a loose, loamy soil makes a good substrate. The species is less shy when kept in subdued light. It must have one or several hiding places, where it will spend the day in a tight ball until it becomes accustomed to the terrarium. Wild-caught specimens seldom like to be handled and remain shy, but captive-bred specimens are easy to handle.

Adults feed well on small rodents, including pinky to small adult mice, and also take lizards. Wild-caught adults may insist on feeding on lizards or frogs and can be hard to convince to take rodents, even if mice are scented with a dead lizard. Newborns often are difficult to feed and are best left to advanced keepers.

Because it is a native species, rubber boas may require special permits to be kept in several western states, including California.