Re: feeding moellendorffi's....

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Posted by Terry Cox on December 18, 2001 at 16:51:14:

In Reply to: Re: feeding moellendorffi's.... posted by Jim Hodnett on December 18, 2001 at 06:34:16:

Hi Jim,

Sounds like you're on the road to enjoying the company of red-headed rats. They're pretty neat once you feel you're getting the handle on them. They might cause you some concern at first, because they behave a little different than regular ratsnakes, but they are fairly easy once you get them going.

When you take them out of brumation, gradually warm them to where the temp range is about 70 to 80*F. I keep high temps in the high 70's for at least a few hours, as many days as I can, and let it get down to about 68-72*, at night. During the summer season, it's usually about 75-82 temp range. They should start on small pink mice, thawed. But if they don't, you can try live, or brained. I prefer to feed mine live pinks for convenience.

Red-headed rats usually come out in the early morning, 'til about noon, but when they are very comfortable with surroundings, they might come out at any time. They are usually very secretive and somewhat nervous. They can be tamed to be handled though. I haven't been bitten in the last two years.

One pair of mine are four yrs. old and adults, but the male is much larger than the female. I could breed them in the spring, but I'll probably wait another year, hoping the female will catch up to the male somewhat.

My two males both seem to eat more often than the females. You don't need to feed them very often. They probably will eat around three times between sheds, and they don't have to be as warm as corns to be able to digest. One reason I prefer live mice is because I can leave them in the cage for several days. The snakes don't always come out right away. Also, they won't eat as much during the summer. They feed much better in the fall, all the way up to December.

Good luck. Let us know how they do.

Terry

: Hello Terry,
: Thanks for the insite on these guys.
: As for the humidity, I think I'm pretty good on that end, I'm in NY (it does not get to dry here). But I try to mist them a few times a week as well. Also, I give them a "wet spot" in there cage.
: I do have a few follow up questions for you..if you don't mind.
: After you cooled them for a few months, what were you able to feed them? Did they go for live pinks?
: What temperture did/do you keep them at, after you cooled them? I heard they should be kept around 77-80.
: It sounds like you have adults now, did you have any luck breeding them?

: Thanks again for all the help. It sounds like to are putting me on the direction with these guy. I will try to get some photos of them later this week.

: Jim

:
: : Jim,

: : The experts would be the breeders, but they don't seem to be telling. I think most of us that have CH moellendorffi are just starting to gain the experience we need. I personally thought the first pair I got, although hatched in captivity, were from w/c parents. They were very difficult to start. I fooled with them for a couple months with no success, then decided to cool them. After a couple more months at about 55-60*F, I took them out, and within a couple weeks they were eating. The second pair I raised weren't quite as difficult, but I had to cool them also for a couple months.

: : After they started the first year, I didn't have any more problems with them. I just cooled them 6-8 weeks the second winter. When they come out of brumation, you should have fairly good humidity in the room, or you might have to do some tricks like misting the cage, or providing a moist hide. I recommend you brumate the adults for about three months at 50-60*F, before trying to breed, although I have no evidence they can't breed w/o it. I just know they prefer to sleep through the winter period.

: : Of course, there may be variables which could change the formula for you. I don't know where you live, or what the conditions are. Also, I keep mine a little different. Good luck,

: : TMC

: : PS:) They eat pink mice when they start. I'd avoid the larger food.

:
: : : I was lucky enought to pick up 2.2 CH moellendorffi last month.
: : : They are about 6 weeks old. I have them housed in small plastic shoe boxes with pine shaving.
: : : The temp goes from 74 at one end and about 81 at the other. I try to misted them ever day or so.
: : : The problem is that I can not get them to eat. I have tried live pinkies, F/T pinkies, F/T fuzzies, spit heads and live rat pinkies.
: : : Has anyone out there start out with babies? Any other ideas to get them going? I would love to hear some.

: : : Thanks for your time and help.
: : : Jim

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: Hi Jim, : Sounds like you're on the road to enjoying the company of red-headed rats. They're pretty neat once you feel you're getting the handle on them. They might cause you some concern at first, because they behave a little different than regular ratsnakes, but they are fairly easy once you get them going. : When you take them out of brumation, gradually warm them to where the temp range is about 70 to 80*F. I keep high temps in the high 70's for at least a few hours, as many days as I can, and let it get down to about 68-72*, at night. During the summer season, it's usually about 75-82 temp range. They should start on small pink mice, thawed. But if they don't, you can try live, or brained. I prefer to feed mine live pinks for convenience. : Red-headed rats usually come out in the early morning, 'til about noon, but when they are very comfortable with surroundings, they might come out at any time. They are usually very secretive and somewhat nervous. They can be tamed to be handled though. I haven't been bitten in the last two years. : One pair of mine are four yrs. old and adults, but the male is much larger than the female. I could breed them in the spring, but I'll probably wait another year, hoping the female will catch up to the male somewhat. : My two males both seem to eat more often than the females. You don't need to feed them very often. They probably will eat around three times between sheds, and they don't have to be as warm as corns to be able to digest. One reason I prefer live mice is because I can leave them in the cage for several days. The snakes don't always come out right away. Also, they won't eat as much during the summer. They feed much better in the fall, all the way up to December. : Good luck. Let us know how they do. : Terry : : Hello Terry, : : Thanks for the insite on these guys. : : As for the humidity, I think I'm pretty good on that end, I'm in NY (it does not get to dry here). But I try to mist them a few times a week as well. Also, I give them a "wet spot" in there cage. : : I do have a few follow up questions for you..if you don't mind. : : After you cooled them for a few months, what were you able to feed them? Did they go for live pinks? : : What temperture did/do you keep them at, after you cooled them? I heard they should be kept around 77-80. : : It sounds like you have adults now, did you have any luck breeding them? : : Thanks again for all the help. It sounds like to are putting me on the direction with these guy. I will try to get some photos of them later this week. : : Jim : : : : : : Jim, : : : The experts would be the breeders, but they don't seem to be telling. I think most of us that have CH moellendorffi are just starting to gain the experience we need. I personally thought the first pair I got, although hatched in captivity, were from w/c parents. They were very difficult to start. I fooled with them for a couple months with no success, then decided to cool them. After a couple more months at about 55-60*F, I took them out, and within a couple weeks they were eating. The second pair I raised weren't quite as difficult, but I had to cool them also for a couple months. : : : After they started the first year, I didn't have any more problems with them. I just cooled them 6-8 weeks the second winter. When they come out of brumation, you should have fairly good humidity in the room, or you might have to do some tricks like misting the cage, or providing a moist hide. I recommend you brumate the adults for about three months at 50-60*F, before trying to breed, although I have no evidence they can't breed w/o it. I just know they prefer to sleep through the winter period. : : : Of course, there may be variables which could change the formula for you. I don't know where you live, or what the conditions are. Also, I keep mine a little different. Good luck, : : : TMC : : : PS:) They eat pink mice when they start. I'd avoid the larger food. : : : : : : I was lucky enought to pick up 2.2 CH moellendorffi last month. : : : : They are about 6 weeks old. I have them housed in small plastic shoe boxes with pine shaving. : : : : The temp goes from 74 at one end and about 81 at the other. I try to misted them ever day or so. : : : : The problem is that I can not get them to eat. I have tried live pinkies, F/T pinkies, F/T fuzzies, spit heads and live rat pinkies. : : : : Has anyone out there start out with babies? Any other ideas to get them going? I would love to hear some. : : : : Thanks for your time and help. : : : : Jim

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