i need a bit of help please!

[wrr276]

Hey ive been thinkin about buying an asian vine snake i do not know the proper term for this snake. but were would i be able to buy one, any worries about the snake,what they eat, and how to breed like temperatures and any threats?
thx for the help

[infernalis]

http://www.thamfriends.com/mat.jpg

[Freebody]

welcome to the forum :)

[Will0W783]

Hello and welcome. Since I see that you are also here in the US, they are not too hard to find. They pop up on Fauna classifieds.com and kingsnake.com and sometimes show up at pet stores. That Pet Place in Lancaster, PA has one.

The problem is, they are all wild caught (don't know of anyone that has had success breeding them) so if you get one, treat it with Panacure (fenbendazole) for worms. A google search on Panacure for snakes will tell you the proper dosage. I think it is something like 2.5mg/kg, but look to be sure. It's been a while since I had to use it.

Keeping them once you have one is not too hard. They like mid-80s temperatures, with high humidity. You will need a vertically oriented cage (ZooMed and Exoterra both make some nice glass ones) that opens in the front (never approach an arboreal snake from above- great way to get bitten), and a fogger to keep the humidity up. Most of the ones I've seen for sale eat geckos and anoles, hence why I don't have one- too expensive to feed. Occasionally you can find one that has been switches to rodents, but they are few and far between, so prepare for having to scent rodents or provide lizards for food.

While they are rear-fanged venomous, they are generally considered harmless to humans, as they have a poor venom delivery system. However, if you are allergic to components in the venom, a bite can be bad. They are generally flightly, nervous and quick, but most can be calmed with a bit of gentle regular handling. Once accustomed to handling, they are curious, delicate and beautiful snakes.

Best of luck finding one, just keep trolling the online forums and craigslist and you'll find one before too long.

[wrr276]

@will0w thx for the info it really helps but how much would a vertical tank cost and how big??

[Will0W783]

I would recommend going with the 24" tall x 18" wide x 18" deep. That one will run you $120-150 depending on where you get it. They need very high humidity so I would not recommend using a wood-based cage. The Exoterras are great for a single arboreal snake. There are also numerous vendors on Fauna and Google that make PVC or ABS plastic arboreal cages. You can get a nice big one from them, but it will cost you more. Considering an Asian vine snake is almost always less than $50, your major expense will be the housing setup.

[Jennet]

There is a guy on and english forum (RFUK) called Wildlifewarrior that breeds them and has sucessfully kept them for 4 years now. He says that you need to feed lots of spiders (one of his tips for why he keeps them alive and a lot of folks die on them after a year or so).

Bladeblaster on here knows him, so you may want to ask him.... cheers.. J

[wrr276]

i just ordered my first asian vine snake today thanks!

[Freebody]

Grats! i cant wait for you to post some pics :)