Considering African House Snakes for First Breeding Project

[RedTailRutiodon]

It's not something I'd be able to do until my living arrangement changes in the next year or so, but breeding African House Snakes sounded like a really interesting project and there were some questions I'd like some input on before starting.

There's a real stew of common names and binomials floating around here, since it seems that they've been reclassified a few times recently, some breeders use older binomial names, and species are frequently just labeled "African house snakes". The one's I've seen most often are both originally Laprophis species but are now Boaedon, namely B. capensis and B. fuliginosus, but finding specimens for sale that are consistently labeled one or the other instead of just "African House Snake" is a little tricky. Does anyone know of any (preferably US) breeders of B. capensis?

Kind of tying into the first question, but assuming I find something labelled just "African House Snake" at an expo, what distinguished B. capensis from other species? Things like body proportions, scale count, etc. As a pet I probably wouldn't care too much, but for breeding, it's something I'm very concerned with.

Thirdly, has anyone here had any experience keeping them in the past? They seem like really charming, hardy little animals that are kept surprisingly rarely. The care seems very straightforward.

[toddnbecka]

There are a number of different species of "African house snakes", and apparently they can't or won't interbreed, so you do need to make sure you have a pair of the same species. Best bet there would be to get them from a reliable breeder, at the very least ask the seller plenty of questions.
Aside from that ethey seem pretty simple from what I've gathered. Adults can be kept in shoeboxes. I've never kept them myself though, I generally prefer more colorful species.

[TRD]

Problem is likely not to breed them, the problem starts after that - what will you do with all the kids?

[RedTailRutiodon]

Problem is likely not to breed them, the problem starts after that - what will you do with all the kids?

The idea was to have a rack suitable for a clutch (or two, just in case) worth of adults (fortunately they're little guys) and try to sell them off. Not as a business idea, really just for the fun of it. Kind of a "hope for the best, prepare for the worst", which still wouldn't really be a bad situation. I've read that they are very prolific breeders so I really planned on keeping contact between a pair pretty minimal.

Any of these plans are likely about a year off at the earliest anyway, but it's not something I want to rush into underinformed or underprepared.

[Aaron_S]

Problem is likely not to breed them, the problem starts after that - what will you do with all the kids?

There's a real quiet following of African House snakes. They are pretty popular in the colubrid world so I don't think there would be an issue selling the babies.

Here in Canada they are fairly rare to find. I'd like some albinos but again I need a reliable source as they won't produce eggs from subspecies breeding!

[Skipper7]

I think it would be an interesting project. I actually looked into them as my first snake, but can't seem to find many breeders.

[Magdalen]

I have a house snake coming this weds actually :) Talking to breeders they've said the babies can be tricky to start feeding but once they get going they are good about eating. Not that I'm trying to breed or anything.

[Aaron_S]

I have missed mine for awhile so yesterday I decided to buy 4.

1.1 adult het for ablino capes
1.1 albino baby capes (just waiting for them to hatch! haha)

[Andy_G]

I have missed mine for awhile so yesterday I decided to buy 4.

1.1 adult het for ablino capes
1.1 albino baby capes (just waiting for them to hatch! haha)

Thank me with some albino babies... ;)

[Aaron_S]

Thank me with some albino babies... ;)

$799 each! (You got it though sir)

This is EXACTLY what I predicted. Your wife won't like me eventually... it'll be all...

Andy's wife: "Why do you have more snakes?!"
Andy: " I only got 2 females! Aaron got the 2 males. I ONLY bought half as many as I needed. Really you should be thanking me for not bringing home 4."
Andy's wife: *Rolls eyes and shakes fist at Aaron*

[Skipper7]

Did you say $7.99? I'll take a few at that price :rolleyes:

[Aaron_S]

Did you say $7.99? I'll take a few at that price :rolleyes:

Pffft... you wish. $799 for Andy!

You can have them for $200 a pair CDN.

[Andy_G]

Pffft... you wish. $799 for Andy!

You can have them for $200 a pair CDN.

Ha! Joke's on you, i'll take 2...

[Skipper7]

I'll take two as well... and a $1400 savings over Andy's price ;)

[Charis]

Something of an old thread but Capes are very hardy, cool little snakes. They also breed any time, any place, which is both good and bad. (as long as they are the same species) You want to be careful letting a male and female around each other, as they become sexually mature very fast and female Capes will breed themselves to death. So you want your female in very good shape before pairing her up and need to give her lots of TLC between clutches. Be prepared for multiple clutches as well, up to 5 clutches, every 40 days, from just one lockup is possible, though 2 to 3 is more typical.

Babies can also be rather hard to get started eating but most generally do start eating, and eating very well, once they are 2 to 4 months old. You may very well have to force feed them in those first 4 months before it clicks in their little heads that food is a good thing.