My opinion, from a vine snake keeper........long and helpful

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Posted by JustinM. on December 10, 2002 at 22:05:34:

In Reply to: will i be supporting importation?? pls read and give opinion posted by kristin on December 10, 2002 at 10:06:08:

Kristin,

I, like you, was fascinated by these snakes and never got to see them up close and personal until around a year ago. Last January, I started a job at a zoo that takes in unwanted exotic animals. One of my co-workers showed me his "long-nosed vine snake"(A. nasuta) that he rescued from a pet store who had no idea what species it was or how to take care of it. I was so amazed by its characteristics that I began a long quest for information on the Genus Ahaetulla.
I searched every archived post about vine snakes on this forum, I went to the Ahaetulla Vinyard website: http://www.geocities.com/ahaetullavineyard/frames.htm ., I checked out all the species descriptions from the Higher Reptile Taxa website: http://www.embl-heidelberg.de/%7Euetz/LivingReptiles.html . and I also bought a book to cross reference the species from the Higher Reptile Taxa website. The book is titled "A Phtographic Guide to SNAKES and other reptiles of peninsular Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand". I bought the book from www.herpsupplies.com.
Not only did I do reference research, but I also contacted The East Bay Vivarium and spoke to at least 2 employess about their experiences with vine snakes and they answered all of my questions. The staff at East Bay Vivarium is small, so they are very friendly and passionate about their buisness.
I specifically requested the healthiest male specimen of the imported lot and they gave me a spectacular parasite-free 3' male.
After acquiring my snake, he ate within 3 days and I have never had any problems with him thus far. It wasn't until research after I acquired my snake, that I found out he is actually A. mycterizans and not A. prasina. I contacted the East Bay Vivarium inquiring about where they import their snakes from and if they knew any locale information. They sent me an email back telling me they impot their specimens from Indonesia and that was all they could tell me. Even more, they told me to contact the herpetology department at the Steinhart Aquarium (http://216.33.240.250/cgi-bin/linkrd?_lang=EN&lah=55daf5eed70846b15533ebd108810b68&lat=1039579251&hm___action=http%3a%2f%2fwww%2ecalacademy%2eorg%2faquarium%2f) because they ordered 13 vine snakes from the same shipment that my snake came from. The Aquarium currently has an exhibit dedicated to vine snakes and they thought the herpetology department might be able to help me pinpoint what species I have.
Sure enough, my assumptions were right and my snake is A. mycterizans and not A. prasina.
Anyways, I too only BUY C.B. herps and I also take in unwanted exotic animals. I thoroughly reasearched what I was getting into and set up my tank prior to buying my snake. I even have a 20 gallon tank for feeder anoles and I order them in bulk from various retailors.
Imported animals can be alot of work, but if you are patient enough to wait and acquire a specimen you FEEL and SEE as healthy and can care for in captivity. Then, you may not have any headaches or heartbreaks at all:)

I hope I gave you some more reference point to check out and another point of view. I wish you luck and success.

P.S. My snake is the coolest F'n animal I've
ever had. They are truelly RADD! LOL:)

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