PIC - Taiwan Beauty Snake

[Invictus]

Here's the male Taiwan Beauty snake I got from Ryan and Sheila (Scales Zoo). He's VERY active, but otherwise very tame and sweet. He is a bit small for his age, but in his last feeding he pounded down 4 fuzzy mice and was looking for more. Time for adult mice, methinks. His name is Boromir.

http://www.invictusart.com/images/Boromir02.jpg

[Big Mike]

Nice looking snake & great name.

[lolaophidia]

Pretty Taiwan! They're such great snakes. I had mine out the other night prior to doing a cage cleaning and he's just huge. Easily 7.5' by now. He's about as big around as a soda can at his thickest point. They eat like there's no tomorrow- tongs are definitely recommended! Good luck with yours!

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/509/2138Taiwan_Beauty_9-med.JPG

[Simon]

Nice looking
and I am not too much of a beauty fan~~

[Katt]

Awww, that's the little guy we had here for a while (~3mos). We got his brother and sister! Yeah, he was smaller than the other two. His sis and bro are on 30-60gram rats now. His parents are beautiful, and he's got nice high white sides.

Cool on getting him.

As a side note, we witnessed my blue beauties breeding!!!

[Scales Zoo]

Just saw the one my mother has, and it is growing like a little weed and starting to get real pretty too.

I just saw Kens yesterday just a short while before his post, I think... it is growing well and It's gonna look just like the mother I'm thinking.

Ryan

[sapphire_moon]

beautiful. I want one, but I keep hearing how aggressive they are.
How aggressive are they generally?How big do they get (length/girth)?

Again, beautiful!

[Janiman]

Since we're talking about litter-mates, the female I got last summer from Ryan and Sheila is now just past 5 feet (actual measurement, not an easy task) and 880grams. hard to believe that she was only about 24" and 90 grams when I got her last August. She's taking 4-5 large mice every 7-10 days and obviously packing it all into growth. I'm almost AFRAID of this girls potential size. Her half brother from '99 is just under 7' and about 3 Kg. Funny that he's only taking 3-4 large mice per week. I wish I were more tech-savy so I could get some pictures on here.

[Scales Zoo]

Yes Francis, I really would like to see a picture of that female.

Her mother is just under 8', and I'm gonna weigh her right away. Angus from Hong Kong did not think she was a real beauty snake of any kind, as he had never seen one close to her length or girth ever before.

Ryan

[Katt]

The first taiwans we ever saw was in Portland, WA. Both were 8' and seriously huge!! It is amazing how large these snakes can get! They both had beautiful orange-olive colouration so much so, they looked like chinese beauties, but the chinese don't get nearly as long.

Janiman, that snake is growing ridiculously!!!

[Invictus]

What is even more impressive than their overall length is their STRENGTH! I absolutely cannot believe how strong a full grown beauty snake is. I'd say their strength has to rival some boids. When I was working with Ryan & Sheila at the fall show (ah, good times), I'd take Jewel (the 8' female we're talking about here for onlookers) out once in a while, and even the strength she showed just holding on was SO impressive. This is a species I certainly don't regret getting attached to.

Sapphire - Taiwans are probably the calmest of the beauty snakes. They certainly prefer to be left alone, but they are very reluctant to bite. A blue beauty, on the other hand, will take your face off. :)

[Katt]

Awww blue's aren't bad at all. I handle my bro/sis pair with no problems. It's learning how to handle them. I'm not afraid of being bit, so I just go in and do it. Not to say, I like being bit, but once the snake and I have come to an agreement, I avoid tags.

I have found to avoid aggression is to take the snakes out fast, just go in and out, don't touch the body and grab, just grab, open your hand wide. If they are coiled up, just grab the whole darn coil!

My white lips were probably the hardest snakes to do that with, as they were faster than me, but in time, I could handle even them without being tagged, as long as I respected their limits.

The blues are pretty fiesty snakes, but they can be tamed, just not to the extend of taiwans, thing of the diff between kings and corns. Somewhat like that.

[Janiman]

Katt - Believe me, I can't believe it myself. I had her on a 5 day schedule for the first few months but cut her back when she reached a year. From my records, she was 527 grams on Dec. 06/03 and after consuming only 38 mice in 3 months she's at her 880 gram weight and a full foot longer. I put her on an extended feeding schedule at a year old because I was afraid I was "power feeding" but since the new year I've averaged about 9 days between feedings and she's still growing exponentially.

And by the way, she's a PUPPY. I let my 9 and 12 year old boys handle her frequently and she'll just go back and forth between them like they're trees in a forest. Man, I love having herp-kids!

[sketchy4]

he is a beauty isnt he.

[KingFfaj]

Well done Ken, since reading this post im seriously thinking about getting one sumday,
I suppose they like to climb a little right?

[jwsporty]

Ken, your Taiwan is looking great, mine are growing like weeds and to date have never refused a meal. I know what you mean by the disproportionate amount of strength in these guys relative to their body size. It is amazing how well they consume their food and just how strong they really are. I can't wait til mine are full size. But for the excitement my VBB wins hands down. Never a dull moment taking him/her out of the enclosure.

Cheers
Jim

[Invictus]

Originally posted by KingFfaj
Well done Ken, since reading this post im seriously thinking about getting one sumday,
I suppose they like to climb a little right?

Mine hasn't left his hide box. In fact, to get a pic of him I just put the camera right in the entrance of his hide, and let the flash take care of the lighting. :D Once they get older and more confident though, WOW do they love to climb. I have every intention of making this guy an arboreal cage, probably 4x4x2, and loading it with climbing branches, dowells, and shelves.