Caresheets North American Ratsnake Care

NORTH AMERICAN RAT SNAKES Elaphe guttata and obsoleta spp. Includes: Cornsnake, Great plains Ratsnake, Black, Grey, Yellow, Bairds, Texas and Everglades Ratsnake.

A GOOD CHOICE OF SNAKE FOR THE BEGINNER.

Grows to a maximum length of 256cm (8.5ft).

DISTRIBUTION: Most of USA and Northern Mexico. They are found in a wide variety of habitats.

HOUSING: North American Ratsnakes may be housed in a vivarium approximately 100x50x50cm. Substrate can be bark chippings, woodshavings or newspaper. The provision of a hidebox is useful this can be as simple as a empty cereal box. The vivarium should be heated to 25-30 C in summer and lower in winter if breeding intended. Humidity should be minimal. Artificial and UV light is not required.

DIET: Pre killed rodents of the appropriate size. The snakes should always be fed separately due to their voracious tendencies. A bowl of fresh water should be provided at all times. The bowl should be heavy to stop the snake tipping it over.

BREEDING: Many Ratsnakes will not breed unless a cooling period is provided. The snakes should be cooled to 8-10 degrees Centigrade for 2-3 months usually November or December. This temperature should be reached gradually to reduce thermal shock.

Only healthy snakes should be used for breeding. They should be feed intensively during late summer to provide a fat reserve for hibernation and calcium and protein for egg production. Before cooling, the snake should be fasted for up to one month to allow the passage of food through the snakes body.

In the spring, usually late February or March the temperature of the snakes should gradually be raised and feeding can commence. After several good feeds the snakes can be paired. Mating is more successful if the female has just sloughed. Copulation can take place from 10 minutes to several hours and may be repeated several times. It is a good idea to supervise the mating. If you have not observed the animals mating then part them and try again after a few days.

If mating has been successful, the female will stop eating a couple of weeks after mating. From mating to egg laying takes around 60 days. At between 10 - 15 days prior to laying the female will under go a pre-laying slough. At this point a nest box should be placed in the vivarium. A plastic container such as a ice cream tub lined with sphagnum moss is most suitable. The female can spend several days in the box prior to laying. Once the eggs have been laid they should be removed as soon as possible to a plastic box with 100% humidity with a substrate of vermiculite and kept somewhere at a constant temperature of 20-30C, such as an incubator or airing cupboard. The average number of eggs laid is 10, they are about 42-50mm long and 20- 22mm diameter.

There is no need to separate the eggs, and unlike birds eggs they must not be turned. The eggs are normally ivory white do not worry if they discolour slightly, however if they appear to collapse and go mouldy they should if possible be removed to avoid infecting the other eggs.

When the juveniles arrive they should be placed into separate containers. The will slough after about 7 days and will accept food. Sometimes pinks are refused for the first few feeds. It may be necessary to force feed with mouse tails. Sexual maturity can be reached at 2.5 years.

AUTHOR J. HOLLINGSWORTH

(05/02/94)

REFERENCES: E.Zimmermann(1986) Breeding Terrarium Animals

R. Allen (1990) ASRA Captive Care Sheet Common Kingsnake.

PRAS care sheet number 2