View Full Version : First snake! Meet my bull snake Ragnar!
First off, Ill just say right off the bat this is a wild caught individual. He literally slithered up to me and allowed me to gently pick him up without even attempting to flee. I've never had a wild snake do anything but go the opposite direction from me and try to escape so I decided it was a strange enough occurrence to keep him, lol.
I've been keeping herps (all lizards) for over a decade but never had a snake, though I've always wanted to get one eventually. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to finally become a snake owner.
Any how, this guy is awesome. He's a juvenile that is about 13 inches in total length. I assume he was probably hatched this last spring. He took a frozen/thawed pinkie just two hours after being caught and is currently doing very well adjusting to his new environment. I set him up in a 20gallon terrarium with sterilized substrate collected from the place I captured him, along with a hide made from a Tupperware container mostly buried in the substrate with the exception of the entrance (although he has chosen to bury the entrance I intended him to use and has made his own hole to get in and out about 2 inches under and 3 or 4 inches away from the container, lol). He's extremely active; drinking and taking frozen/thawed appropriately sized pinkies with no problems.
Anyway, I'm totally stoked to have this guy as my new pet! Here's two videos of the first two feedings with him (about 4 days apart from each other).
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This is the feeding 2 hours after his capture
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This video was obviously shot before he decided to do his little redecorating project with his hide, lol
Kingsnakechris
09-29-12, 09:26 AM
Nice, I'm sure your gonna end up addicted to snakes and this is just the place to feul your addiction lol make sure you look around and make sure your doing everything you can to give this guy a long happy healthy life
Nice, I'm sure your gonna end up addicted to snakes and this is just the place to feul your addiction lol make sure you look around and make sure your doing everything you can to give this guy a long happy healthy life
Oh yea, no worries there. Ive been keeping herps happy and healthy for years now. I get the most fun out of creating really awesome terrariums that have plenty space and places to let them explore, then just watching them do their thing, lol.
BTW I took him to the vet already and he has passed his physical and fecal float tests with flying colors! He's extremely active, drinking regularly and has a wicked feeding response. He appears to be one healthy little snake that just happened to come to me and allow me to take him without even a hint of a struggle!
Kingsnakechris
09-29-12, 09:45 AM
Well then, congrats! Lol can't wait till your collection grows and we get to see new pics
lol yea Im sure I will get another in the future but for the time being Im savin my pennies to get his permanent housing all set up. That 20 gallon he's in now wont be sufficient in a few more months!
Oh and I refer to him as "he" because the vet probed him and was "90%" sure he's a male lol
Aaron_S
09-29-12, 09:54 AM
You should double check all your local laws and by-laws about capturing and keeping native fauna.
infernalis
09-29-12, 09:55 AM
Bulls are really cool when they grow up, fiesty..and noisy.
You should double check all your local laws and by-laws about capturing and keeping native fauna.
Already have. Completely legal to gather bull snakes in the state of Colorado as long as you have a valid fishing license. Not too sure why it requires a fishing license, but I've had mine since the start of summer.
Bulls are really cool when they grow up, fiesty..and noisy.
lol yea! The adult bulls Ive come across seem to love trying to make you think they are a rattler by shakin their tails around in the leaves. Had a few fool me into believing their bluff too when they took me by surprise!
infernalis
09-29-12, 11:15 AM
The get very vocal too, they hiss quite loud.
The get very vocal too, they hiss quite loud.
That should make for interesting handling!
infernalis
09-29-12, 11:40 AM
Not my snake....
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Not my snake....
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Haha! He's so tough
Terranaut
09-29-12, 01:06 PM
My gopher does all the above. When I handle her I just reach in and grab her. Any hesitation and she hisses and rattles her tail like mad. Funny thing is when I hear it I think its my cell phone on vibrate.
Pits are awesome eaters too see
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jaleely
09-29-12, 06:31 PM
so cute! i wonder if it had been a captive bred that someone let go?
Either way, i'm glad you have a happy lil snake!
That video of the hissing one is funny...tongue sticking out and hissing going in and coming out. poor scared thing, but still funny lol
i don't like imported snakes, but catching native wild ones, that seem happy in captivity, are perfectly fine with me. i like him!
Aaron_S
09-29-12, 06:39 PM
...i don't like imported snakes, but catching native wild ones, that seem happy in captivity, are perfectly fine with me. i like him!
Why the difference?
Both are taking them from the wild and putting them in unnatural conditions.
Why the difference?
Both are taking them from the wild and putting them in unnatural conditions.
Good sir! I take minor offense to calling where my serpent is currently taking residence "unnatural"! Forsooth, mine newest acquisition has retired to the very same earth from whence he came not a fortnight ago! True, that earth is now under cover of man made shelter and confined to a glass container, but doth this trivial matter make any real manner of consequence? Nay!
infernalis
09-29-12, 11:22 PM
Why the difference?
Both are taking them from the wild and putting them in unnatural conditions.
Exactly...
Every year thousands of baby ball pythons are shipped over and sold for $20 a pop to whatever idiot wants one.
Seems quite hypocritical to me all the "put it back" posts I keep seeing from people who keep captive snakes.
Even your fancy morphs started out as wild caught animals.
.Exactly...
Every year thousands of baby ball pythons are shipped over and sold for $20 a pop to whatever idiot wants one.
Seems quite hypocritical to me all the "put it back" posts I keep seeing from people who keep captive snakes.
Even your fancy morphs started out as wild caught animals.
It's a bit of a fine line with a case like mine I think. To be perfectly honest if the vet visit found him to be a sickly specimen, I would have released him back at the spot I took him from and let mother nature take her course. I dont see the fore mentioned hypothetical to necessarily be the wrong decision.
However, if you are supporting the en masse capture and trade of wild animals, or the captive breeding of an animal for sale to the general public, it is most certainly your duty to ensure the health and well being of the life you have paid for.
infernalis
09-29-12, 11:56 PM
I think you misunderstood me.. I don't really care for the mass import of animals.
I may have jumped the gun, but usually whenever someone comes on the boards with a snake they caught, we get like a dozen posts from people who say "put it back"
give the thread a couple days. weekends are kind of quiet on here.
I think you misunderstood me.. I don't really care for the mass import of animals.
I may have jumped the gun, but usually whenever someone comes on the boards with a snake they caught, we get like a dozen posts from people who say "put it back"
give the thread a couple days. weekends are kind of quiet on here.
Ah yes, I re-read your previous post with the proper context and I understand your meaning. Sorry, I've been up far too long and it's causing me a bit of confusion. Also - on a completely unrelated note - I've noticed I talk like a knight in king Arthur's court much too often when I've been deprived of sleep this long. Curious, that
Lankyrob
09-30-12, 06:48 AM
I am off the "put it back" school of thought - whilst all snakes in captivity orignated from those caught in the wild in this day and age with the multitude of breeders of pretty much every species there is no need to remove from the wild at all in my opinion.
I would never keep a wildcaught animal, all of my reptiles are CBB and this will continue until the day i die.
I am off the "put it back" school of thought - whilst all snakes in captivity orignated from those caught in the wild in this day and age with the multitude of breeders of pretty much every species there is no need to remove from the wild at all in my opinion.
I would never keep a wildcaught animal, all of my reptiles are CBB and this will continue until the day i die.
Keeping him fat and happy is better than he ending up as dinner for a hawk or cut in half by a bicycle tire or any other of the huge number of reasons why juvie snakes die (especially those who live in the city, such as the one I caught), not to mention I get have the fun of taking care of him.
Lankyrob
09-30-12, 02:39 PM
Keeping him fat and happy is better than he ending up as dinner for a hawk or cut in half by a bicycle tire or any other of the huge number of reasons why juvie snakes die (especially those who live in the city, such as the one I caught), not to mention I get have the fun of taking care of him.
Its for your benefit only, the snake knows no difference, at least be honest about it, all the benefits are for you - cheap snake, pleasure if keeping etc etc, there are no real benefits to the snake only ones that are perceived by you, there is no way of knowing if that snake would have been the one that lived a nice long healthy life in the wild instead of in a exponentially smaller enclosure.
millertime89
09-30-12, 05:38 PM
I'm with Rob, I support restricted and monitored capture and importation of wild individuals but for species that there are a plethora of breeders there really is no need. This particular individual seems to be bucking the trend, he's seemingly docile, not riddled with parasites, and eating, not all w/c individuals take to captivity that readily which is part of why I'm against it. Congrats on your new pet. I hope you have many long years with him.
jaleely
09-30-12, 06:43 PM
Aaron, to me, difference is...walking out in your yard and picking up a snake, who probably couldn't care less if it was in a tank or out in the wild...vs the method in which they mass gather, pack, and ship overseas animals.
Overall, i can't agree with the conditions in which those wild animals are gathered and shipped out.
But, i have to be honest and it depends on the case, locally, for me. In this case the snake seems perfectly fine being a captive animal.
if it was rubbing it's nose, freaking out, hissing and trying to get away, well then i'd say it wants to stay a wild animal.
At least if its a local capture that can be determined and handled appropriately.
I've never caught a wild snake, but i *know* me and if it was cute, and not angry, then id' probably keep it...so i can't judge others for something i wouldn't be able to stop myself from doing *lol*
if it seemed miserable in any way, i'd release it back where i found it though.
The imports don't have a choice : (
Aaron_S
09-30-12, 07:28 PM
For me, I'm in the "not keeping native local fauna" camp. Here in Ontario we aren't allowed to collection ANY reptile or amphibian without a permit, which is only given to those who educate, such as zoos.
I think it's for the reason that we shouldn't dwindle the wild population here in Ontario of quality animals that could go on to lead a healthy life and make offspring that are also healthy.
We can talk about my morphs or foreign animals all we want. I know it's kind of hypocritical but for a morph all we do is bring in the ONE specimen and make copies of it from the other animals we've had in captivity.
I find it rather disturbing that it's OKAY to take healthy animals from the wild because it's healthy and acclimated well and return the sick one to the wild to "let nature takes it course". Apparently, we should only allow the most UN-fit to survive and possibly procreate. /boggle.
jaleely
09-30-12, 07:53 PM
ah, i would take a sick one home in a heartbeat, to try to treat it.
I wouldn't return it at all.
I meant i would return a clearly distressed and unhappy one.
I actually don't really like the idea of keeping them from the wild at all, but...i just KNOW me and i know that i WOULD keep a sick one, a cute one, a baby, a nice one, etc. lol
so, i can't judge those who do.
And of course all the ones i have originated from wild, and imports. But, that doesn't mean i think we should *still* import them.
I could see how if i had laws in the area for permits and stuff though, i'd probably have a different thought process.
PM Aaron.
Aaron_S
09-30-12, 08:32 PM
ah, i would take a sick one home in a heartbeat, to try to treat it.
I wouldn't return it at all.
I meant i would return a clearly distressed and unhappy one.
I actually don't really like the idea of keeping them from the wild at all, but...i just KNOW me and i know that i WOULD keep a sick one, a cute one, a baby, a nice one, etc. lol
so, i can't judge those who do.
And of course all the ones i have originated from wild, and imports. But, that doesn't mean i think we should *still* import them.
I could see how if i had laws in the area for permits and stuff though, i'd probably have a different thought process.
PM Aaron.
To each their own.
PM Melissa.
I find it rather disturbing that it's OKAY to take healthy animals from the wild because it's healthy and acclimated well and return the sick one to the wild to "let nature takes it course". Apparently, we should only allow the most UN-fit to survive and possibly procreate. /boggle.
For me it'd be a simple dollars and cents decision to let a sickly animal go back to living out his life in the wild VS droppin mad stacks for vet bills and medications with no guarantee of recovery.
The population of Bulls here is large and healthy with the government sanctioning the collection of them for "personal use". I doubt a few people here and there catching a Bully is going to upset their natural balance as a species in even the slightest degree.
Jlassiter
10-03-12, 01:09 PM
I guess none of you know about locality breeding projects......
infernalis
10-03-12, 01:36 PM
For me it'd be a simple dollars and cents decision to let a sickly animal go back to living out his life in the wild VS droppin mad stacks for vet bills and medications with no guarantee of recovery..
The responsible thing to do with a sickly animal is put it down. Simple as that..
Why allow it to die slow?
I see a sick critter, beyond rehabilitation, I shoot a sick critter, period.
infernalis
10-03-12, 01:39 PM
I guess none of you know about locality breeding projects......
I have....
But we have some unique looking Lampropeltis and Thamnophis out back.
Heck, certain specimens, I could tell you what state the originals were gathered from.
Jlassiter
10-03-12, 03:47 PM
I knew you have Wayne.....
I can do the same for MOST Lampros....
What I'm getting at is collecting locality animals from the wild and breeding them in captivity.....That's what started this hobby.
Long before mutations were popular......
I'd kill to get new, wild caught bloodlines of Mexican Kings straight from Mexico.
We haven't been able to legally since the 80s. We are dealt with the gene pool we have from a select few areas. There are many other phenotypes out there that are not in captivity. So, what is wrong with collecting THEM from the wild to introduce into captive breeding programs?
I see nothing wrong with it at all.....
What is wrong with my 10 year old going with me and finding a pair of locality L. g. splendida and breeding them in captivity. Not only will he learn how hard they are to find and the fun it was finding them, but he will also learn the value in the hard work he put into finding them and the pleasure of getting them to reproduce in captivity......
Many people forget what started this hobby...and that is what started it.
It wasn't the raping of wildlife so that one can make a quick buck by selling their wild caughts.
I don't even think that's a problem anymore......At least not here in the USA.
Africa and South America, probably still......
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