Re: Elaphe moellendorffi (Red-headed or hundred-flower rat snake

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Posted by jack deryke on June 18, 2001 at 11:00:13:

In Reply to: Elaphe moellendorffi (Red-headed or hundred-flower rat snake posted by Chad on June 16, 2001 at 12:51:46:

snip....
: I have desperately been trying to acquire an adult breeding trio of red-headed rat snakes over the past few years to no avail.
: Chad

Chad, I picked up a half grown Moelendorf's from Zoo-otics in Plantation, FL about 8 months ago. He is a beautiful, healthy (after a couple of purges) well colored 1-lb animal that is handle-able but won't eat on his own, and I've tried everything I know to tempt him. He gets a hopper twice a week (simply because I don't like stretching his body too much force-feeding) and it stresses me more than him to stuff him. Couple of points: the exotic ratsnake breeder lloyd Lemke (now deceased) once told me the drill on these guys: you import 25 wild-caughts. 23 die of disease, parasites or won't eat. The 2 that survive and finally eat are the same sex, or won't breed for some reason. So you repeat the exercise, and after a few years, you have a pair that 1)- survive the capture/shipping dehydration/unfamiliar foods/ mandatory doctor's treatments, and finally breed. Then the babies all die.... Second point: not all Moelendorfs have red heads & tails. Some look like bullsnakes & have no red colors- with wild caught imports, there's no guarantee that you'll get what you expect... I would recommend calling Prairieland Herp in Illinois- the only current breeder of Moelendorf's that I know of. Skip the whole wild cauught thing & start fresh. My 2 cents.

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: snip.... : : I have desperately been trying to acquire an adult breeding trio of red-headed rat snakes over the past few years to no avail. : : Chad : Chad, I picked up a half grown Moelendorf's from Zoo-otics in Plantation, FL about 8 months ago. He is a beautiful, healthy (after a couple of purges) well colored 1-lb animal that is handle-able but won't eat on his own, and I've tried everything I know to tempt him. He gets a hopper twice a week (simply because I don't like stretching his body too much force-feeding) and it stresses me more than him to stuff him. Couple of points: the exotic ratsnake breeder lloyd Lemke (now deceased) once told me the drill on these guys: you import 25 wild-caughts. 23 die of disease, parasites or won't eat. The 2 that survive and finally eat are the same sex, or won't breed for some reason. So you repeat the exercise, and after a few years, you have a pair that 1)- survive the capture/shipping dehydration/unfamiliar foods/ mandatory doctor's treatments, and finally breed. Then the babies all die.... Second point: not all Moelendorfs have red heads & tails. Some look like bullsnakes & have no red colors- with wild caught imports, there's no guarantee that you'll get what you expect... I would recommend calling Prairieland Herp in Illinois- the only current breeder of Moelendorf's that I know of. Skip the whole wild cauught thing & start fresh. My 2 cents.

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