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Matt_K
10-26-03, 12:38 PM
I was just sitting at the computer browsing the forums and heard a noise behind my comp.. I didnt think much of it and went about my business.. A couple seconds later, i noticed something moving back there and at first glance, thought it was one of my Tarantula's legs, so i figured it had found its way out. So i moved the computer tower closer to me and to my suprise, there wasnt a T there, it was a snake.. It wasn't one of my snakes, thats for sure, none of them are this small. The little thing is about the length of a Golf Pencil and thinner then your average shoelace.. So, i picked it up and placed in the first thing i could find, which happened to be a dirty critter keeper. lol.. Here's a pic of the little thing..

Nothern Ringneck?? Looks like it to me.
http://ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/473noidea.jpg

Now my problem is this, i could just up and let it go, but i doubt it will survive, the temps are sitting around 2ºC here right now and we have snow in the forecast, what do you all think i should do? Keep it until spring or let it go and hope for the best?? Thanks..

Matt

Lisa
10-26-03, 12:42 PM
Interesting find... not many times you can go herping in your bedroom. Maybe brumate it for the winter? After keeping it for 6 months I don't know about releasing it to the wild, it's potential to contaminate native populations is there after being kept with your collection.

Matt_K
10-26-03, 12:45 PM
Originally posted by Lisa
After keeping it for 6 months I don't know about releasing it to the wild, it's potential to contaminate native populations is there after being kept with your collection.

Are you saying there's something wrong with my animals?? :confused:

Clownfishie
10-26-03, 12:48 PM
Guess he wanted to get in out of the cold! :) He's very cute... I'd have a tough time deciding what to do with him too -- in general releasing him would be the best thing, but with the weather being so cold I would feel bad about putting him back out there... Tough choice.

Lisa
10-26-03, 12:52 PM
Originally posted by Matt_K
Are you saying there's something wrong with my animals?? :confused:

No, but for the same reason you wouldn't keep boa's and pythons together I wouldn't release a snake that has been in captivity for any period of time.

BrandonVeenstra
10-26-03, 12:55 PM
Well.. if you keep him till spring and dont need him... I'm sure someone *wink *wink* would take him/her off your hands

enso
10-26-03, 12:59 PM
Northern Ringneck is correct. Either release now and hope for the best or keep him for life. I'd say keep him, it was meant to be. :)

Linds
10-26-03, 01:02 PM
Originally posted by Lisa
No, but for the same reason you wouldn't keep boa's and pythons together I wouldn't release a snake that has been in captivity for any period of time.

Not at all the same as mixing species. This snake is obviously not going to be thrown in to a setup with any other animals to be able to pick up any foreign bacteria. What if Matt never found the snake and it stayed for the winter, then found its way out again? Would it be unsuitableto live in the wild and contaminate anything... nope!

Neo
10-26-03, 01:02 PM
if its a baby and u keep it over the winter wouldnt it get accustomed to captive feedings? so when u release it it wouldnt remember how to hunt.. dunno if snakes are like that..

Linds
10-26-03, 01:11 PM
Neo,
Snakes do not lose their feeding instincts in captivity. Even snakes that do not constrict their prey, and haven't for 10 years, drop a live on in front of them and you will see an almighty chokefest! They never forget how to locate their prey or anything, even though we plop it in front of them. Only thing is that they may get more accustomed to people.

JD@reptiles
10-26-03, 09:36 PM
its not a ring neck snake... that is a very common mistake when it comes to baby brown snakes and baby red bellies. it looks more like a baby red belly to me. the best thing to do would ask Jeff Hathaway

chas*e
10-26-03, 10:05 PM
I found that the ringnecks/brown are hard to find food that they would take(red wrigglers-I found work best)) so I would release it ...by the way I wouldn't tell to many people about it..it is an indigenous species to Ontario and the "you know who" might not like you keeping it...

Edwin
10-26-03, 10:10 PM
Keep it till spring. It probably came into your home seeking warmth and shelter (and maybe get its pic taken and posted on ssnakess). Not too sure about the legal aspect of this though..

Jeff_Favelle
10-26-03, 11:06 PM
What's even weirder is that thing found the home of a herp LOVER!?? What a coincidence!!

Matt_K
10-26-03, 11:20 PM
must've been the heat man.. either that or it knew it would be in good hands.. lol.. Im still baffled as to how it came in.. And even more suprised that i actually found the little bugger.. The thing is really cool looking, im still not sure what im going to do yet.. I'll wait and see what the weather is like tomorrow, if its a nice day, i'll being out near the pond tomorrow and let it go..

Solid Snake
10-27-03, 12:06 AM
keep it! today i found a dead gardener snake, it got him on the tail and died since it was so cold.

its a coincodence that you found it. If it haddent been u or another house, it'll be dead anyway. I think it was planing on finding a small rodent den or something to hibernate.

I say keep it till spring, that little thing is cold and hungry, u dont want it to, do you!? u can ship him to me, i'll take care of it till then :)

JD@reptiles
10-27-03, 01:41 PM
whats a gardener snake?

Turtle Matt
10-27-03, 02:30 PM
I'd let him go for sure...I've tried to keep these snakes before, but they only eat snails and slugs as far as I know which will be very dificult to obtain during the winter months...Wait until a slightly armer day and release him.
Matt

JD@reptiles
10-27-03, 03:22 PM
its a red belly, they can eat a little better than ring necks... they are still hard though

Dozer
10-27-03, 08:23 PM
He obviosuly meant Garter...

crossley
10-28-03, 12:27 AM
hi that appears to be a juvenile red bellied snake . The juveniles have a neck ring that they usually lose as they get bigger. regards Grant

V.hb
10-28-03, 10:58 AM
I think port credit sells earth worms, feed him and wait for spring..

JonD
10-28-03, 11:01 AM
Originally posted by V.hb
I think port credit sells earth worms, feed him and wait for spring.. So do most bait shops;)

sapphire_moon
10-28-03, 09:41 PM
Cute! Personally I would keep him and try to get him on f/t pinks....:) lol but do what ever you think is right.

Matt_K
10-29-03, 12:34 AM
get him on F/T pinks?? LMAO, a pink would eat this thing, i dont think you can honestly tell how small it is.. I'll try and get a couple pics for a size comparison..

Temps are supposed to go up to 18 by Thursday, the little guy will be let go provided we get up that high or close to it :)

EDIT:
As promised, a size comparison pic

With a Canadian Dime
http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/473sizecomparison-med.jpg

Here's a couple more pics that turned out pretty good.
http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/473redbelly-med.jpg

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/473redbelly2-med.jpg

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/473redbelly3-med.jpg