Re: Elaphe f. flavirufa

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Posted by Ronda on March 12, 2002 at 14:32:05:

In Reply to: Elaphe f. flavirufa posted by John Cherry/Cherryville Farms on March 12, 2002 at 13:46:26:

Hi John,

I currently keep mine in regular sweater boxes (28 quart), but I think taller is better. My flavirufa regularly curl up on top of their cave, on top of their water bowls... I bet this is one species that would love a branch or two. I intend to move mine to taller sweater boxes next month. The only other quirks mine have is a definite preference for freshly thumped mice. My male won't eat frozen at all, and the female only occasionally. I used to have two pair of flavs, and the pair that I sold was much better about eating frozen.

As for temps, I'm curious what others have to say too. I raised mine up with a warm spot of 84 degrees (ambient temp 74). The first year I bred them, all of the eggs went bad but one. That might have been attributed to higher than preferred incubation temps (84). The second year, I didn't get any eggs at all. This year, I've lowered the hot spot temp to 80, with an ambient temp of 74. We'll see if that makes a difference. I've heard two schools of thought... this is a Mexican species so keep them hot, and this is a montane species so keep them cool. I've never worried about humidity. I live in Seattle, so there is humidity aplenty. They've never had a difficult shed.

As for personality, they are a little flightly, but never strike, hiss, rattle, etc.

Take care,
Ronda

: I am thinking of purchasing a few of these guys and after reading the info. I could find on the web etc. about them still had a couple of questions.

: 1. What temps are you folks keeping them at.
: 2. Any quirks you have found about them, humidity etc.
: 3. How are you housing them, are rack systems going to work for them.

: TIA

: John Cherry
: Cherryville Farms

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: Hi John, : I currently keep mine in regular sweater boxes (28 quart), but I think taller is better. My flavirufa regularly curl up on top of their cave, on top of their water bowls... I bet this is one species that would love a branch or two. I intend to move mine to taller sweater boxes next month. The only other quirks mine have is a definite preference for freshly thumped mice. My male won't eat frozen at all, and the female only occasionally. I used to have two pair of flavs, and the pair that I sold was much better about eating frozen. : As for temps, I'm curious what others have to say too. I raised mine up with a warm spot of 84 degrees (ambient temp 74). The first year I bred them, all of the eggs went bad but one. That might have been attributed to higher than preferred incubation temps (84). The second year, I didn't get any eggs at all. This year, I've lowered the hot spot temp to 80, with an ambient temp of 74. We'll see if that makes a difference. I've heard two schools of thought... this is a Mexican species so keep them hot, and this is a montane species so keep them cool. I've never worried about humidity. I live in Seattle, so there is humidity aplenty. They've never had a difficult shed. : As for personality, they are a little flightly, but never strike, hiss, rattle, etc. : Take care, : Ronda : : : I am thinking of purchasing a few of these guys and after reading the info. I could find on the web etc. about them still had a couple of questions. : : 1. What temps are you folks keeping them at. : : 2. Any quirks you have found about them, humidity etc. : : 3. How are you housing them, are rack systems going to work for them. : : TIA : : John Cherry : : Cherryville Farms

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