| general
|
| description |
A beautiful snake. Leucistic
specimens are often seen in the pet market. |
| appearance |
typically has a dark gray
head with white lips and 25-38 dark brown to black dorsal
blotches, with corresponding smaller lateral blotches.
The ground color may range from a brown or slate color
only slightly lighter than the blotches (particularly
in forest populations) to a yellowish or orangish brown
color that can be quite attractive. The skin between the
scales is usually reddish. The throat and ventral surface
of the neck is white, and the ventral scales are marked
with indistinct gray checkering. |
| a.k.a |
Chicken Snake, Lindheimer,
Lindy |
| distribution |
U.S.A.
(southeastern Louisiana and perhaps extreme southwestern
Missisissippi, west to the vicinity of San Angelo, Texas) |
| adult
size |
42" - 72" ;
largest in record is 86" |
| hatchling
size |
12" - 18" |
| venomousness |
Nonvenomous |
| housing |
| natural
habitats |
Terrestrial; prairies
and hill countries |
| cage
|
It should be large instead
of tall because it does not climb much. (e.g. Wooden
Terrarium, Glass
Terrarium)
Make sure it is escape-proof, easy to disinfect, free
of sharp edges, dry, well ventilated, and hold heat to
ensure proper temperatures. |
| substrate |
wood shavings, barks (e.g.
Repti Bark, Coconut
Bark), gravel, sand (e.g. Repti
sand, Calci-Sand) |
| activity
period |
 Nighttime (nocturnal);
give heat and help monitoring by infrared lamps (e.g. Nightlight
Red Bulb, Infrared
Heat Lamp) where the light is invisible for it but
humans |
| temperature |
31 - 33 ¢XC -- basking
spot (e.g. Basking
Spot Lamp)
27 - 29 ¢XC -- cooler area (e.g. Daylight
Blue Bulb)
23 - 27 ¢XC -- at night (e.g. Nightlight
Red Bulb, Infrared
Heat Lamp, Ceramic
Heat Emitter) |
| humidity |
60 - 80 % |
| water
dish |
a large water dish (e.g.
Rock water dish)
should be available for it to drink or soak in. It would
usually excrete in water. It is specially important for
one that is going to shed its skin. |
| hiding
place |
Essential, a place for
its privacy, security and sleep by day.
Possibllites include caves (e.g. Habbe
Hut, Heat Cave), etc |
| diet |
| wild
diet |
Carnivorous (meat-eating);
Rodents (e.g. mice, rats, squirrels), occasionally bird
and reptile eggs |
| captive
food |
Rodents (e.g. mice, rats) |
| how
often to feed? |
once every 5 - 7 days
for hatchlings to juveniles;
once every 7 - 10 days for adults |
| notes |
1. Feed it in the dark.
2. Do not ever move your hands near when it is feeding.
3. Do not handle it till a day after the feed. |
| reproduction |
| reproduction
|
Oviparous |
