TBA starter herp list.
keeping with the theme of last night's youtube, here's a wishlist of a different sort. i have a goal to start keeping snakes again by the end of this year and into the spring of next. i really miss herpetology and the hard, rewarding work that comes from keeping these animals. i want to do it right this time though, with species i'm genuinely interested in. the snakes i got from tanya and the ones i took as rescues from working at petco were all beautiful and i loved them in the time i had them before they were rehomed, but they were still 'rescues' and nothing i would've chosen to start from the ground up in the hobby with. so this time i want to go the legit route--no glass terrariums, no pet store hand overs or makeshift just-to-get-it-done husbandry.
my wish list to be started in late 2010-early 2011 as species are available from breeders. included are photos and all my husbandry/basics notes i've made. they're ordered from ease of care, size/space required for them, overall expense, and accessibility. i tried to keep this as realistic as possible as far as species/morphs and what sort of custom enclosure i'll have to look into for each adult snake.
anerythristic kenyan sand boa
ENCLOSURE 20"long x 10"wide x 12"high or approx. 10gal for single adult male
TEMPS 90-95f high, 70'sf low
LIGHTING no specific light required, diurnal 12hr white/red incandescent lighting may be used
HUMIDITY low, 30-40%
DECOR/OTHER only small water dish required, provide suitable burrowing substrate, humidity box w/ sphagnum moss for easier sheds, potted succulents to remove water, low hides including plexiglass w/ rounded corners for viewing
western hognose snake
ENCLOSURE 30"long x 12"wide x 12"high or approx. 20gal for single adult male
TEMPS 82-85f high, high 70'sf low, nighttime high 60'sf
HUMIDITY low, 20-40%
LIGHTING no specific light required, diurnal 12hr white/red incandescent lighting may be used, may benefit from full spectrum lighting
DECOR/OTHER require suitable substrate depth for burrowing, small, low hides, humidity box for easier sheds, rear-fanged, venom not toxic to humans
amber corn snake
ENCLOSURES 30"long x 12"wide x 18"high; 36"long x 12"wide x 18"high or approx. 30-40gal for each single adult
TEMPS 80-85f ambient with basking spaces
HUMIDITY normal, 40% with mistings
LIGHTING no specific lighting required, diurnal 12hr white/red incandescent light may be used
(lol this one is so halfassed but i could house corns in my sleep)
lavender corn snake
see above
mexican black kingsnake
ENCLOSURE 36"long x 12"wide x 18"high or approx. 30-40gal for single adult
TEMPS 82f high, high 70'sf low
LIGHTING no specific light requirements, nocturnal
HUMIDITY low, 30-40%
DECOR/OTHER only small drinking dish required, provide rocky, creviced basking area w/ high temps
brazilian rainbow boa
ENCLOSURE 4' x 2' x 2' optimal for single adult
TEMPS night time low of 70-80f, day time high of 90f, ambient day time 83-85f
HUMIDITY IMPORTANT 75-80%, daily mistings, water on both sides of cage, humid hide
LIGHTING diurnal 12/12hr, incandescent for basking, white for day and red for night, red low wattage, may benefit from full spectrum or fluorescent lighting
albino red tail boa
ENCLOSURE 4' x 2' x 2' minimum, 6' x 2' x 2' optimal for single adult
TEMPS 80-90f spectrum, 82f ambient, basking low 90f
HUMIDITY 50-60%, daily mistings required, humid hide
LIGHTING diurnal 12/12hr, incandescent for basking, white for day and red for night, red low wattage, may benefit from full spectrum lighting
DECOR/OTHER require water tubs for drinking, full body soaking, 3/4 sq ft of enclosure per foot of snake
LINKS
http://newreptilecages.com/ (local)
http://www.anapsid.org/resources/tanksize.html
(note to anyone who plans on owning snakes! this is a personal list so what might be 'inexpensive' or easy to care for for me might not be the same for anyone else. i've had a lot of experience with reptiles, fish, amphibians, and invertebrates so these basic notes i've written are from the standpoint of someone who already knows all the other intense aspects of herpetology and care for these animals.)
my wish list to be started in late 2010-early 2011 as species are available from breeders. included are photos and all my husbandry/basics notes i've made. they're ordered from ease of care, size/space required for them, overall expense, and accessibility. i tried to keep this as realistic as possible as far as species/morphs and what sort of custom enclosure i'll have to look into for each adult snake.
anerythristic kenyan sand boa
ENCLOSURE 20"long x 10"wide x 12"high or approx. 10gal for single adult male
TEMPS 90-95f high, 70'sf low
LIGHTING no specific light required, diurnal 12hr white/red incandescent lighting may be used
HUMIDITY low, 30-40%
DECOR/OTHER only small water dish required, provide suitable burrowing substrate, humidity box w/ sphagnum moss for easier sheds, potted succulents to remove water, low hides including plexiglass w/ rounded corners for viewing
western hognose snake
ENCLOSURE 30"long x 12"wide x 12"high or approx. 20gal for single adult male
TEMPS 82-85f high, high 70'sf low, nighttime high 60'sf
HUMIDITY low, 20-40%
LIGHTING no specific light required, diurnal 12hr white/red incandescent lighting may be used, may benefit from full spectrum lighting
DECOR/OTHER require suitable substrate depth for burrowing, small, low hides, humidity box for easier sheds, rear-fanged, venom not toxic to humans
amber corn snake
ENCLOSURES 30"long x 12"wide x 18"high; 36"long x 12"wide x 18"high or approx. 30-40gal for each single adult
TEMPS 80-85f ambient with basking spaces
HUMIDITY normal, 40% with mistings
LIGHTING no specific lighting required, diurnal 12hr white/red incandescent light may be used
(lol this one is so halfassed but i could house corns in my sleep)
lavender corn snake
see above
mexican black kingsnake
ENCLOSURE 36"long x 12"wide x 18"high or approx. 30-40gal for single adult
TEMPS 82f high, high 70'sf low
LIGHTING no specific light requirements, nocturnal
HUMIDITY low, 30-40%
DECOR/OTHER only small drinking dish required, provide rocky, creviced basking area w/ high temps
brazilian rainbow boa
ENCLOSURE 4' x 2' x 2' optimal for single adult
TEMPS night time low of 70-80f, day time high of 90f, ambient day time 83-85f
HUMIDITY IMPORTANT 75-80%, daily mistings, water on both sides of cage, humid hide
LIGHTING diurnal 12/12hr, incandescent for basking, white for day and red for night, red low wattage, may benefit from full spectrum or fluorescent lighting
albino red tail boa
ENCLOSURE 4' x 2' x 2' minimum, 6' x 2' x 2' optimal for single adult
TEMPS 80-90f spectrum, 82f ambient, basking low 90f
HUMIDITY 50-60%, daily mistings required, humid hide
LIGHTING diurnal 12/12hr, incandescent for basking, white for day and red for night, red low wattage, may benefit from full spectrum lighting
DECOR/OTHER require water tubs for drinking, full body soaking, 3/4 sq ft of enclosure per foot of snake
LINKS
http://newreptilecages.com/ (local)
http://www.anapsid.org/resources/tanksize.html
(note to anyone who plans on owning snakes! this is a personal list so what might be 'inexpensive' or easy to care for for me might not be the same for anyone else. i've had a lot of experience with reptiles, fish, amphibians, and invertebrates so these basic notes i've written are from the standpoint of someone who already knows all the other intense aspects of herpetology and care for these animals.)