Elaphe carinata information

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Posted by Tribal Prop on December 19, 2002 at 05:29:39:

In Reply to: Elaphe carinata posted by Andy_G on December 18, 2002 at 21:58:04:

Andy, here is some information that we have collected from other keepers and our experiences. Also, there is a post right below this with some nice pictures and information that may be helpful. Good luck!

Common names: Chinese king rat snake, Keeled rat snake, Stinking Goddess, Elaphe carinata carinata

Locality: Widely distributed Asia

Habitat: Mountain areas, dense scrub & vegetated areas.

Longevity: More than 15 years in captivity have been reported.

Temperatures: We keep our in between 78 to 86 degrees, but they can handle much cooler temps.

Size: This species can reach large sizes, some have been seen close to 10 feet with a heavy body.

Caging: Even though this species can obtain large sizes, they do very well in smaller enclosures. We keep ours in a rack system and have found that a hide box is most essential! A large water bowl is recommended, as this species will soak, drink and use it for defecation. We have tried a array of substrates and found news print to be the easiest to work with, however, you are not limited, you could use aspen bedding, untreated woodchips, or natural dirt leave mixture. Care should be taken to house this species separate from any other snake as they are cannibalistic!

Diet: This species has a ravenous appetite and can easily triple it's hatching size (12-16 inches) in a single year! They feed readily on mice or rats of appropriate size. Although they will eat other snakes, this practice should be avoided at all costs to minimize trans communication of parasites!

General information: This species is nothing short of amazing! From their humble beginnings of basic and drab colors, to their transformation into bold and colorful adults, they are just great to work with. This species also has a unique characteristic, they have elliptical pupils similar to venomous snakes. Captive breeding efforts have produced hypos and albinos.

Tribal Propagation
Brian and Laura Hamel
1255 Saratoga Lane
Geneva, FL 32732
407-349-2824
www.tribalpropagation.com

Tribal Propagation

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