Housing spilotes?

[rwg]

I'm thinking about getting one or a pair of tiger rats, and I was wondering about ideal enclosures...size, orientation heating etc. I know they're arboreal and pretty active, so I'm wondering how much vertical space I will need.

rg

[LdyDrgn]

This is from the caresheet I am working on. It will be posted to our site once the eggs hatch (any day now) and I have hard data. Degrees are in Fahrenheit. Hope this helps!

Being arboreal they need a rather tall and roomy cage with plenty of climbing branches. Being diurnal, you will often see them climbing about. Putting them in a nice display is a great way to show them in your collection. We like to wrap our branches with many lengths of silk vine allowing a few of the loops and ends trail on the ground. Heating is provided from above with covered lamps. Cypress mulch is used as a substrate to help maintain humidity as well as give them a chance to burrow. If the cypress is deep enough you will often see the tunnels they create within it. An adult breeding pair can live comfortably in a 4x2x3 enclosure. If the branches and vines are placed well enough, they will provide the only hide spot the snake(s) will need. As a very territorial snake, care must be taken whenever reaching into their enclosure. It is recommended to use a hook to remove them from the enclosure and they usually calm down once in your hands.

Humidity should be about 60-65% and temps should be 88-90° during the day with a night time drop to about 75°. Good air circulation is also a must. They will drink from water bowls but also like to drink the droplets that run off their heads when sprayed. Water that accumulates in the cupped leaves from the vines on the ground will provide water sources as well. Spraying daily also helps to maintain the humidity.

We keep ours on a 12-14 hour light cycle. UVB and vitamin supplements are not necessary as they get all the nutrients they need from their whole prey items. Spilotes will eat mammals, birds and other reptiles in the wild. In captivity they take rats readily. They seem to prefer multiple small items as opposed to 1 or 2 larger ones. They do well on 2 or 3 smaller items every 7-10 days as adults. Every 5-7 days as hatchlings/juvies. These have been known to be the fastest swallowing snake. Watching them eat is nothing short of incredible.

Spot clean the cage as necessary as these snakes defecate quite often. Clean the entire cage every couple of months, wipe it down, wash the substrate and clean any cage furniture.

[Simon Sansom]

LdyDrgn's sheet pretty much sums it up. However, I'd just like to add that Spilotes do not necessarily require a spacious, arboreal set-up.

My CB, young adult female for example, is extremely high-strung, and does not do well when placed in a large, traditional "Spilotes-style" enclosure. She is much "happier" secluded in a rubbermaid in the rack along with other colubrids. She has a comfortable hide-box, a water-dish, and a small shedding branch - and that's it. She feeds without fail while kept in the tub, but refuses totally if placed in an arboreal set-up. She's just too nervous.

My adult male is fine in a regular arboreal set-up.

Just goes to show that there are exceptions to every rule.

Cheers!

Simon R. Sansom

[LdyDrgn]

Hey Simon, the first clutch should be hatching any day now... the eggs are beginning to sink in (well, the one with what looks like twins is, anyway). The second clutch is coming along nicely, too.

Such a loooong wait.... *sigh*

[Simon Sansom]

I wish you the best of luck with those eggs - they're comin' soon by the sound of it.
How many eggs altogether?

[LdyDrgn]

12 in the first clutch, with one egg that looks as if it is sporting twins (W000T!!) and 7 in the second.