Just some tips and tricks that we use for Subocs

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Posted by Nat @ Snake Productions on November 28, 2000 at 19:09:13:

In Reply to: I'm also interested in good books or care sheets for these guys. posted by sue on November 26, 2000 at 09:50:15:

: I bought one yesterday at the Lancaster, PA show after wanting one for quite some time. I did some reading in the Rat snake book, but it doesn't give the depth that I would like. I currently have cornsnakes and a red milk snake, and I know that the care is similar. What about the feeding problems that I have read about? Are they common in CB trans-pecos snakes? And why are they not labeled as elaphes? I understand that they were renamed at some point, but why?
: Thanks for any help.
: sue

Hello Skip and Sure. Here at Snake Productions we keep and mantain a fairly large group of Trans Pecos Rat Snakes including Silver, Blondes, and the normal phase. Through many years of keeping them, we have found a few good tips on breeding and keeping them, they are below. These may not work for everyone, but we have had success with them.

1.) Never push Trans Pecos Rat Snakes in feeding. All of our Subocs have had growing complications, refuse food and water, and many more things if feed two to three times a week. Just feed once or so a week and dont push their breeding age.

2.) We always breed our snakes as TDMac said, 40 inches about for females. But we always wait for the males to hit AT LEAST 30 inches before breeding them.

3.) We always feed our Subocs frozen mice. Sure you may buy a Suboc that only feeds on live, but it is worth the shot to get them on frozen thawed. We have had the worst luck with feeding Subocs live. Everything from refusal of eating, and injuired to the snake.

4.)Trans Pecos Rat Snakes are very shy and secrective snakes in captivity it seems. We suggest keeping your Subocs in say a pull out draw (rubbermaid in rack) or a covered cage while feeding. They always seem to do better with a little privacy.

5.) Our Trans Pecos Rat Snakes are very picky when it comes to the temperature, as with most snakes. If the temp is not right, they may not feed, they may not drink, heck, they may not even move until the temp is right. We suggest heating the cage or room to at least 80 degrees.

6.) We currently have Trans Pecos Rat Snakes brumating right now. They normally seem to breed better with higher brumating temps for some odd reason. We had better luck for two years in a row when we brumated them at 62 degrees average. Most recommend around 55-58, which is still very efficiant.

As for the reason they are not named elaphae, you got us there. We have questioned this also. But it doeesnt mind us, Trans Pecos Rat Snakes and Baja Rat Snakes will always remain our favorites.

Hope this helped, and good luck fellow herpers!

Nat
Snake Productions
11/28/00

Click Here for Snake Productions

Follow Ups:

I found this info out from a book.... sue 11/30/00 (0)
A follow-up about feeding. TDMac 11/28/00 (0)

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: : I bought one yesterday at the Lancaster, PA show after wanting one for quite some time. I did some reading in the Rat snake book, but it doesn't give the depth that I would like. I currently have cornsnakes and a red milk snake, and I know that the care is similar. What about the feeding problems that I have read about? Are they common in CB trans-pecos snakes? And why are they not labeled as elaphes? I understand that they were renamed at some point, but why? : : Thanks for any help. : : sue : Hello Skip and Sure. Here at Snake Productions we keep and mantain a fairly large group of Trans Pecos Rat Snakes including Silver, Blondes, and the normal phase. Through many years of keeping them, we have found a few good tips on breeding and keeping them, they are below. These may not work for everyone, but we have had success with them. : 1.) Never push Trans Pecos Rat Snakes in feeding. All of our Subocs have had growing complications, refuse food and water, and many more things if feed two to three times a week. Just feed once or so a week and dont push their breeding age. : 2.) We always breed our snakes as TDMac said, 40 inches about for females. But we always wait for the males to hit AT LEAST 30 inches before breeding them. : 3.) We always feed our Subocs frozen mice. Sure you may buy a Suboc that only feeds on live, but it is worth the shot to get them on frozen thawed. We have had the worst luck with feeding Subocs live. Everything from refusal of eating, and injuired to the snake. : 4.)Trans Pecos Rat Snakes are very shy and secrective snakes in captivity it seems. We suggest keeping your Subocs in say a pull out draw (rubbermaid in rack) or a covered cage while feeding. They always seem to do better with a little privacy. : 5.) Our Trans Pecos Rat Snakes are very picky when it comes to the temperature, as with most snakes. If the temp is not right, they may not feed, they may not drink, heck, they may not even move until the temp is right. We suggest heating the cage or room to at least 80 degrees. : 6.) We currently have Trans Pecos Rat Snakes brumating right now. They normally seem to breed better with higher brumating temps for some odd reason. We had better luck for two years in a row when we brumated them at 62 degrees average. Most recommend around 55-58, which is still very efficiant. : As for the reason they are not named elaphae, you got us there. We have questioned this also. But it doeesnt mind us, Trans Pecos Rat Snakes and Baja Rat Snakes will always remain our favorites. : Hope this helped, and good luck fellow herpers! : Nat : Snake Productions : 11/28/00

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