View Full Version : New Snake~ What is it? lmao
whoaxmary
03-28-11, 05:19 PM
Literally JUST got back from Niagra with a new "pine snake" I picked up. Completlely random. Had a friends mom call me and say she had this snake sitting in her basement for over three months, and asked if I wanted to take it. So of corse I said yes. When I showed up, it was this big angry guy. They weren't sure what sort of snake it was, I believe it is a pine snake of sorts. Just brought it home as is in the tank. Hasn't eaten anything but eggs apperently n months, and hasn't had any heat or light, just a water bowl change here and then. I haven't touched him at all, as he doesn't seem to pleasent. Going to pick up a snake hook Wed for him.
So, do you all agree that he is a pine snake? And, any care tips? Or name ideas? ;D
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/whoaxmary/mry002.jpg
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/whoaxmary/mry003.jpg
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/whoaxmary/mry004.jpg
TeaNinja
03-28-11, 05:42 PM
why don't you let it go into the wild? are you going to snake charm it into loving you ;)
are you going to have a vet trip to check for parasites and stuff?
NennaMeerkat
03-28-11, 05:42 PM
Looks like some type of pine or rat snake for sure...but wouldn't know. Since he is wild caught you have my hopes that he acclimates well to captivity.
whoaxmary
03-28-11, 05:46 PM
Nooooo, he wasn't wild caught. He came from my friends sister, who at one bought of time owned a small reptile store, and he was one of her personals she kept there. But when it shut down, some how he ended up being left in her moms basement, and they've been looking for someone to take it but no luck since he's kinda big. I talked to the sister, and she said he was fine when she had him a few months agoand is a bit of a grump from lack of attention since she had to close down and move.
whoaxmary
03-28-11, 05:49 PM
Wowww. Sorry - bought = point. So, I wouldn't exactly think letting a four foot something snake go, that we don't naturally have here, would be the right choice. =/
Sorry, I can't type worth anything right now. x.x I'm half asleep - been driving all over ontario this weekend home different reasons.
TeaNinja
03-28-11, 05:50 PM
OH hahahah, i thought you meant they just randomly found this snake in the basement and left it for 3 months! xD
well, good luck taming him :D haha
i thought it was both wild and indiginous
NennaMeerkat
03-28-11, 05:54 PM
Oh lordy I thought he was wild caught as well! That someone found this big guy hanging out in their basement. I remember when we lived in Kansas for 2 years we would find snakes quite often that found their way into our basement into the winter...so I thought that it what happened here.
Enough handling and he will be nice again I am sure <3 Good luck!
whoaxmary
03-28-11, 05:56 PM
Nooo, sorry. Lol, I worded it funny. I'm off to get some sleep - I'm a half dead zombie right now. Went to a college open house in kingston, pick up a tank a friend made me as a gift in toronto, then half way home got the call about the snake and turned around to fort erie (which is right at the boarder by niagra) lol.
Thanks for the good luck, In all honesty, I almost didn't take him. But the sister is having issues with work, child, ex husband, etc etc, and the mom absolutely hates snakes and wasn't doing much for it... I felt bad for the damn thing.
NennaMeerkat
03-28-11, 06:02 PM
This is kind of a crazy question...but one I have to ask...
Are you sure this guy isn't venomous? I did a search and considering the head shape it is really reminding me of the "Mulga Snake" which is supposed to be venomous.
http://img1.photographersdirect.com/img/9601/wm/pd2335299.jpg
name idea: call him richard, nick name di*k. ahaha it's perfect
Good luck with the new addition! Sorry can't help with care, info! Hang in there i'm sure that someone will be by to give you the information you need. At least now he will be looked after and not left in a basement.
whoaxmary
03-28-11, 06:10 PM
That's a lil' concerning but Yea, I am, pretty sure atleast. From what I gather apperently he bit someone a child and that' why he ended up being sold to the sister, but the guy who sold it to her thought it was a corn snake - which it clearly isn't. She was pretty sure it was pine snake, but unsure of which sort. I stopped by at 'reptile wranglers' in barrie on the way home and thats what the guy there told me it was to. Just when I showed up at the house the mom was telling me it was a rat snake, the brother was telling me it was milk snake, and the dad telling me something else. x.x so i dont actually know any of them that well so I thought I'd ask you guys
NennaMeerkat
03-28-11, 06:14 PM
Gotcha, well the fact it bit someone and that someone was a child and DIDN'T die makes me move on. I will continue my search. I just though Pine Snakes had more dynamic and rather bold markings while this guy seems a little more...drab overall. Probably some sort of morph or whatever which makes it harder.
whoaxmary
03-28-11, 06:14 PM
! I love that emiliee! someone suggest sphincter to me, as in anal sphincter - as in ***, but I didn't like that at all. Thanks for the encouragement mld. :D He's got a basking light on him now and has curled up ontop of his box - looks pretty happy now actually - besides his lil frowning eyes.
whoaxmary
03-28-11, 06:16 PM
Thats what I noticed to Neena, but there were a few under northern or southern (i dont rememeber sorry) that looked similiar
NennaMeerkat
03-28-11, 06:16 PM
Okay...okay...next "guess"
Southern Pine Snake (since so many said it was a pine of some kind)
http://images.canadianlisted.com/nlarge/southern-pine-snake_5229184.jpg
Kind of looks like this guy!
Florida Pine Snake in Alabama (http://www.outdooralabama.com/watchable-wildlife/what/Reptiles/Snakes/fps.cfm)
whoaxmary
03-28-11, 06:44 PM
They both look really similiar. The way the pattern gets more bold towards the tail end.
They both look really similiar. The way the pattern gets more bold towards the tail end.
That and also the way the head slopes!
whoaxmary
03-28-11, 08:49 PM
more pictures
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/whoaxmary/001.jpg
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/whoaxmary/002.jpg
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/whoaxmary/003-1.jpg
presspirate
03-28-11, 09:05 PM
It does look like some sort of pine snake, And I'd bevery careful with im until you are sure what he is. Best of luck to ya!
whoaxmary
03-28-11, 09:28 PM
I plan on being very careful. :P I have no idea how happy/ grumpy he is yet, but I'm not going to try and find out till the hook and gloves I got orderd for me come in just in case. I don't mind getting bit - but not until I'm 100% possitive, rather besafe than sorry!
i know his tank looks really dirty. its the one he was in when i took him from the basement. there was a nice nasty poop i scooped out and a bunch of shed, i tried to takesome of it out but dont figured it the rest he can deal with tonight. just drove him home in it, put him in a seperate room, and threw a basking light on him to heat him up. luckily i just had a nice big tank built for me as a gift so im going to set up tommorow.
few more pictures. my camera skills suck sorry.
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/whoaxmary/005.jpg
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/whoaxmary/006.jpg
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/whoaxmary/008.jpg
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/whoaxmary/009.jpg
he's actually looking a tadd cute i think in that last one.
NennaMeerkat
03-28-11, 09:30 PM
He has such an "angry" look on his face. Needs a tough sounding Italian name...like he is in the mob LOL
It looks like to me to be a Florida Pine snake
When it gets upset does it flaten out and hiss
whoaxmary
03-28-11, 10:30 PM
Not that I've seen...Too be honest - I personally haven't seen him to upset so I don't know. I mean, he doesn't seem like the happiest guy but I've had my face up to the glass checking him outand he didnt mind , then my dog pushed the door open and was checking him out when I wasn't paying attention and didn't seem to mind when I fianlly noticed.
They just told me he likes to hiss and get pissy etc but that was the snake hating parents. And, like I said he has been in a dirty tank with no heat or light...I wouldn't be too happy after that...
stephanbakir
03-28-11, 10:32 PM
The eyes are a dead give-away that say it isn't venomous
The only north american snake that has round pupils and IS venomous is the coral snake, i cant think of any other venomous snakes offhand who have round pupils
NennaMeerkat
03-28-11, 10:33 PM
I still say a tough sounding Italian name would be perfect for him.
NennaMeerkat
03-28-11, 10:38 PM
The eyes are a dead give-away that say it isn't venomous
The only north american snake that has round pupils and IS venomous is the coral snake, i cant think of any other venomous snakes offhand who have round pupils
In the US there isn't any but the Eastern Brown Snake and the King Brown Snake from overseas (Australia I think) and they have round pupils...and also poisonous.
The full size image of this one below is very large and shows and Eastern Brown Snake.
http://rpmedia.ask.com/ts?u=/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Brown_snake_-_victoria_australia.jpg/120px-Brown_snake_-_victoria_australia.jpg
Eastern brown snake | Ask.com Encyclopedia (http://www.ask.com/wiki/Eastern_brown_snake) <--information
Cobra's also have round pupils.
blindfireak40
03-28-11, 10:45 PM
Yikes, that looks waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too similar for comfort...only small differences, the Brown's head looks a little flatter/wider, and that particular brown has an extra row of "plate" scales right behind the eyes, but other than that they could be twins. Please be careful Mary!
stephanbakir
03-28-11, 11:12 PM
Scary how similar they are, but yeh im pretty sure its a pine snake. The ones i catch close to my house are allot whiter, and visibly flatten themselves out when they get angry, but they are really similar
please say you named him "Richard" oh and if it is venomous please get rid of him
dshin963
03-29-11, 06:59 AM
oh lol uhhh I say no handling until you know what it is ;)
whoaxmary
03-29-11, 07:30 AM
Oh goodness guys. Well, I will be bringing him back to Reptile Wrangers later this week when I go to pick up hooks and gloves. I haven't even been able to have too good of a look at the guy besides when he stretches out - so I might have the professinal pick him up and have a look over for me.
He had another really nasty poop I noticed - I think he took on the way home. (There was also one I scooped out when I went to pick him up, and I don't know how recent that was.. I'm assuming it was after the shed that was sitting in his tank)
It's huge, and disgusting - and looks like blood and guts..which I find odd because I was told all it's eaten for a few months were hard boiled eggs.
I wasn't home on Sunday when I normally feed my other two so I fed them last night right before bed, and decided to drop a small rat in with him. (As we all know I'm not handling him right now so I just used my 'kitty litter snake poop scoop' to move some aspen away and let it drop there. I knnnooooowww I shouldn't be bothering him at all - but he was all over the rat~ was gone with in a minute. Jus slithered up, opened up his jaw, and guuulp. lol. (Big relief for me as apperently when the sister had him she always fed live, and I fed froozen so I didn't know what he'd think of a f/t rat.) Deffienetly think he'll eat a medium rats for me once the small ones I picked up our gone. Thanks for all the advice and opinions guess - you know I'll be keeping you as well updated as I can~
whoaxmary
03-29-11, 07:31 AM
please say you named him "Richard" oh and if it is venomous please get rid of him
Not 100% sure, but it does look like the name will end up being Richard, :P
^ yessss!
hmmm blood and guts eh?
dshin963
03-29-11, 07:34 AM
perhaps save it and also take the fecal matter when you pick up the gloves and have them inspect it... maybe they know whats up
whoaxmary
03-29-11, 07:45 AM
That's what I'm planning on. Ughh - it stinks to high heaven in that room right now, but he's lapying right near where he pooped and I don't want to be reaching my arm in with him to get it right now. I'm not really too sure what to do with him - I've somehow got to wrangle him into a box or pillow so I can clean it all out.
That's what I'm planning on. Ughh - it stinks to high heaven in that room right now, but he's lapying right near where he pooped and I don't want to be reaching my arm in with him to get it right now. I'm not really too sure what to do with him - I've somehow got to wrangle him into a box or pillow so I can clean it all out.
get a ladle or something with a really long handle
dshin963
03-29-11, 08:30 AM
try putting a ft rat in the pillow case and watch him for a little while if he goes in grab the case with tongs and have a box or container ready to put him in
Freebody
03-29-11, 04:23 PM
you can just reach in with a small blanket and cover him for transport if he decides to bite. once hes covered he should mellow down as you pull him out. looks like a sweet looking snake btw :)
percey39
03-30-11, 05:10 AM
Definetely not a mulga snake/king brown as the head scalation and pattern is completely different and the fact that there are next to no, if any aussie king browns (Pseudechis Australis) in private collections over seas. With the pic of the mulga snake you can clearly see that the head shape of the snake you posses is more of a sharp decline to the nose compared to the mulga snake which is flatter and longer. The pattern makes me think it is some sort of rat snake, but the head scalation is hard to determin from the photo's. Im no expert with all the species you guy's can keep ( as we can only keep native species in private collections here in Australia ), but the scalation and pattern to me point to a rat snake. I may be wrong but that is what it looks like to me from your pics.
rat snake is a good thing, haha means you wont die. thumbs up!
Aaron_S
03-30-11, 12:51 PM
It's most likely a southern pine snake.
whoaxmary
03-30-11, 01:12 PM
Mhm, that's the one I'm convinced of aaron. Handled Richard a bit today actually. Got a little bold and stroked him a little, and even picked part of him up a tiny bit, and he didn't seem to mind too much at all. :)
Managed to clean out his tank somewhat, although tommorow I'm still going to scoop him out and clean it completely.
Hopefully all goes well from here.
Yay!!! hopefully he will be nice :)
whoaxmary
03-31-11, 07:32 AM
He already seems to be cheering up somewhat emilie. :)
Touched him some again today and did more cleaning in his aquarium, still haven't taken him out t clean it completely, waiting until I have an extra set of hands around, mostly just because I'm not totally used to handling a snake that large, so I have another reptile-swavvy friend that's coming by just to watch me deal with him and help me out if I need so I can clean it all quickly. I want to move him into the custom tank I just had built since he is only is a 30/40 gallon top right now, but the custom built has no lid yet. >.> So I need to manage one of hose before he gets anymore space.
Aaron_S
03-31-11, 07:48 AM
Quick tip for handling a large snake that can be aggressive. Just it let it slither a lot. Move through your hands and let it "get away". It'll calm down enough to move into another bin for cleaning.
whoaxmary
03-31-11, 07:52 AM
Thanks Aaron. :D
:) I'm sure you and your friend will do fine.
whoaxmary
04-01-11, 03:16 PM
So ~ Richard deffinetly still has some attitude! <3 lol
While doing some handling today he started rattling at me. My corn did this when I first got her to- but it startled the heck out of me this time because it was so loud - actually sounded like he had a rattle on his tail! He turned around fairly quickly- and I was very tempted to jerk my hand away excepting a bite, but managed to stay calm and keep my hand under him and he just slithered into his hide which was nice. Got himout of his tnk long enough to clean it... still need to find a way to cover the bigger tank so I can put him in there. Guy poops like crazy.. pooped twice since bringing him home and feeding him. I wonder if this was because he was being fed hard boiled eggs for the past few months?
aww he wants to be a rattlesnake when he grows up!
hmm don't know....but im sure eggs arnt the best for him so it very well could be.
whoaxmary
04-08-11, 10:50 PM
Update; Richard is doing great. He has been eating small rats (f/t) for me just fine, and I'm planning on picking up medium rats next week sometime. He's been handled a bit more and is still a lil angry seeming but let's me get away with more and more each day.
I NEED to get hi into a bigger viv! I can't even fit a proper hide and water bowl in his at the same time. Ineed to make lid for the tank I have for him but am not sure the cheapest way to go- yet while still being strong. He can stand pretty high and push at the top of his viv now (about two feet high~) and I don't want anyting he'd be able to push through/ Suggestions?
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