Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

keiron · Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2006 8:43 pm Post subject: experience with leopard rats?

i'm thinking of getting some leopard ratsnakes in the near future but i have heard good things and bad things about them concerning their captive care, just wondering if anyone has any personal experience with them and if so, what are they like to keep?!

many thanks, keiron

peaches · Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2006 8:48 pm Post subject:

What are your main concerns regarding keeping them?

keiron · Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2006 8:58 pm Post subject:

not really concerns as such, i've just heard they can be difficult feeders and generally delicate snakes i was just wondering, if this is the case, what sort of conditions to provide them with in captivity?

there have been captive breedings so its obviously not impossible i'm just confused as some people say they are a nightmare while others claim them to be trouble free!

keiron

peaches · Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2006 9:31 pm Post subject:

I've had mine for just over a year now with no real problems. she did revert to smaller food items for a while but that's no real issue. She is a great feeder now.

She's kept the same as most ratsnake species, She's in a 2x2x2 viv with heatmat on stat. But they do prefer to be kept cooler, hopeless at remembering temps I'm afraid. I can not speak personally about hibernating them, this will be the first year, because she was relatively new to me last year so I did not hibernate her.

Climbing branches are a good idea, very agile little snakes.

She can be quite flighty and quick to strike but does calm relatively quickly - but this is just an expeience with one snake.

Dan · Captivebred Communist Joined: 08 Sep 2005 Posts: 1306

Small snakes, will sleep for half the year if you let them.
Fed mine on mice/rat pups. No problems feeding once they were awake.
We kept our colony of 15 animals in 1 foot cubes.

No real hassle at all really.
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keiron · Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2006 10:34 pm Post subject:

thats great thank you both for the info. Very Happy

only asking all this as i saw some in hamm and now i'm kicking myself that i didn't get any so hopefully there will still be some about in december.

keiron

Morbid · Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2006 6:05 am Post subject:

One might think of the as "European Lampropeltis"..
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Elaphe Fan · I've settled in... Joined: 27 Jun 2004 Posts: 20

Temperature is quite important though .... 80F is about right and provide lots of hiding places and cover. They also need brumating.

Love it... Just did a spell check and the suggestion for brumating was cremating Shocked

Scott W · Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2006 10:01 am Post subject:

Elaphe Fan · I've settled in... Joined: 27 Jun 2004 Posts: 20

First time I have been here for over a year I think Scott .... Looking good mate.