Hey again guys. I was out hunting scorpions when I found 2 young ringneck snakes under some bark. I'm still surprised, as the Florida freeze killed just about every smaller snake in my area. I'm still finding dead corals. They were cold to the touch so I took them home and placed them in a spare 10 gallon tank with a low wattage bulb overhead. The tank is around 78, and they already have perked up quite a bit. I've never kept snakes before, but I've always researched about them just for the heck of it. The smaller one is around 6 in, while the other is about 8. I'm still a little confused, as some say the southern subspecies (which is what I have) are very easy to keep. But others say the species in general is very hard to keep captive. I would like to keep these little guys. I don't mind seeing them much either, all I would like to do is feed them every few days and just take a few minutes for myself. I could care less about handling them. I've heard these guys eat worms, inverts, etc. I have plenty of mealworms, earthworms, and other bugs around my yard. What are your opinions on this species?
Ringneck snakes, captive care?
- Thread starter Destroyer551
- Start date
ive captured some wild snakes b4 ive only kept water snakes of the ones ive had
they dont bite and ez to keep they adapted well i feed mine gold fish they ate some
pinkys(baby mice) and a crikets
they dont bite and ez to keep they adapted well i feed mine gold fish they ate some
pinkys(baby mice) and a crikets
Ringnecks are a bit tricky to keep. One important thing is to provide them with a moisture gradient; too wet or too dry conditions encourage infections, non-feeding, etc.
Diet can be tricky too. The dietary range of the species as a whole is huge, but local populations are more specialized. Some will take earthworms, but others will only eat salamanders, or smaller snakes, etc. I have heard southern ringnecks tend to be reptile-eaters, but can also be convinced to eat fish.
There are several experienced ringneck keepers on the kingsnake forums. Try the small terrestrial snake subforum: http://forums.kingsnake.com/forum.php?catid=64#1714055
Diet can be tricky too. The dietary range of the species as a whole is huge, but local populations are more specialized. Some will take earthworms, but others will only eat salamanders, or smaller snakes, etc. I have heard southern ringnecks tend to be reptile-eaters, but can also be convinced to eat fish.
There are several experienced ringneck keepers on the kingsnake forums. Try the small terrestrial snake subforum: http://forums.kingsnake.com/forum.php?catid=64#1714055
So what your saying Noto is that what they eat depends on where they came from? I found them in a slightly wooded area full of roaches, worms, earwigs, spiders...etc. There is a creek nearby, but it's not exactlly close from where I found the snakes. When should I offer food?
Anoles won't be hard to find at all. I find the babies by the hundreds here in FL. I just added 2 baby guppies to their water dish. Maybe they'll learn to hunt them? I hear they like their food slimy...does that mean they won't eat roaches or spiders? I have a uvb lamp overhead, it keeps them at a cozy temp. If I want them to relax, should I just shut the lamp off?
What is the temp in the tank? These guys do not like to be hot. Room temp is usually going to be fine, or you can create a heat gradient with a small heat lamp or UTH at one end of the tank.
I wouldn't expect them to eat roaches or spiders, but they might. I don't know that they have a preference for slimy foods so much, but they do seem to like cylindrical foods.
I wouldn't expect them to eat roaches or spiders, but they might. I don't know that they have a preference for slimy foods so much, but they do seem to like cylindrical foods.
