Keep or release?

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Posted by JP on April 10, 2002 at 22:50:03:

I was hoping for some input...Very late last fall I rescued a neonate black rat snake that was caught in someones house. Being late October with night temps routinely in the 40s and 30s, I thought it best to keep it for the winter. I'm a snake guy, and was already keeping several species of captive bred pythons and colubrids. The snake was difficult to start feeding, but now is thriving in captivity. It has, however, never constricted its food. I feed all my snakes pre-killed prey, but I wanted to try to trigger a constriction with live pinkies. Didn't work (they were squeaking from it's belly). Anyway, I had planned on releasing the snake when it was warm enough, but I'm concerned if it will learn how to make a living on its own. Do you think captivity during its "formative months" will somehow hurt its chances at survival? I suppose I'm just looking for an excuse to keep it. I would appreciate your thoughts.......

Follow Ups:

Re: Keep or release? continued... JP 04/11/02 (1)
- deworming reasons James Van Dyke 04/11/02 (0)
Re: Keep or release? Mike Mitstifer 04/11/02 (0)
Re: Keep or release? Shaky 04/11/02 (0)
Things to keep in mind.... James Van Dyke 04/11/02 (0)
I'm having the same dilemma> Pierson 04/10/02 (3)
- Re: I'm having the same dilemma> JP 04/11/02 (0)
- Looks like mine Pierson but yours is much darker Sean 04/11/02 (1)
  - Just north of Charlotte, NC........np Pierson 04/11/02 (0)

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: I was hoping for some input...Very late last fall I rescued a neonate black rat snake that was caught in someones house. Being late October with night temps routinely in the 40s and 30s, I thought it best to keep it for the winter. I'm a snake guy, and was already keeping several species of captive bred pythons and colubrids. The snake was difficult to start feeding, but now is thriving in captivity. It has, however, never constricted its food. I feed all my snakes pre-killed prey, but I wanted to try to trigger a constriction with live pinkies. Didn't work (they were squeaking from it's belly). Anyway, I had planned on releasing the snake when it was warm enough, but I'm concerned if it will learn how to make a living on its own. Do you think captivity during its "formative months" will somehow hurt its chances at survival? I suppose I'm just looking for an excuse to keep it. I would appreciate your thoughts.......

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