Looking for captive bred DeKay’s brown snakes!

Miloxwoods · 10-22-19, 02:28 PM

Does anyone have and/or know where i can find any Captive bred DeKay’s brown snakes?

**Aaron_S** · 10-23-19, 07:41 AM

I don't know of anyone who's ever bred them for captivity.

David339 · 10-28-19, 04:49 PM

I actually have some. The parents are wild caught. They are juvies (I have 6 total) and big enough to eat regular size earthworms. I can't legally sell them but would have no problem sending them to a good home as long as it wasn't illegal to ship and you wouldn't mind paying the shipping. They are viviparous so breeding them is as simple as having a male and female in tank. They cohabitate and there is some sexual dimorphism. The males have a larger head to make up for their smaller body size. I'm located in Virginia. These guys like earthworms and slugs. They will eat red wigglers but they can be toxic and aren't really recommended for any worm eating snake. That would be the biggest issue.. I can't buy earthworms anywhere... I have tried many bait shops, etc. I dig them up from the backyard (no pesticides or livestock).

Miloxwoods · 10-28-19, 10:17 PM

David that’s amazing could i have your email or number so we can talk further, it’s kinda hard to talk thru here.

David339 · 10-29-19, 06:28 PM

Private messaged you my email. I was planning on finding home for these lil guys anyway but was going to wait til spring. They are definitely big enough to go to a new home. I was keeping them til they were off the super tiny worms/slugs which can be hard to find. They were 2-3 inches starting out.

David339 · 10-29-19, 07:54 PM

Of course I'd need to know intent, how you plan to house them, etc. I want them to go to a good home.

LucilleMars · 03-25-20, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David339

I actually have some. The parents are wild caught. They are juvies (I have 6 total) and big enough to eat regular size earthworms. I can't legally sell them but would have no problem sending them to a good home as long as it wasn't illegal to ship and you wouldn't mind paying the shipping. They are viviparous so breeding them is as simple as having a male and female in tank. They cohabitate and there is some sexual dimorphism. The males have a larger head to make up for their smaller body size. I'm located in Virginia. These guys like earthworms and slugs. They will eat red wigglers but they can be toxic and aren't really recommended for any worm eating snake. That would be the biggest issue.. I can't buy earthworms anywhere... I have tried many bait shops, etc. I dig them up from the backyard (no pesticides or livestock).

Wow! I've been looking for captive bred ones for a while! Do you have any still available?

David339 · 05-10-20, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LucilleMars

Wow! I've been looking for captive bred ones for a while! Do you have any still available?

I have 18 babies this year. Three litters. The oldest are about a month old, the youngest are about 2 weeks. This batch is captive bred from captive bred parents. I don't sell them or anything but wouldn't mind sending some to good homes as long as it's legal for me to and you don't mind paying shipping. I also have 9 young adults that were last years babies, they are captive bred from wild caught parents. If you don't separate the males and females you will have a lot of these guys. They will breed the year they mature but don't seem to after that without hibernating. The neonates need small worms which i usually find in wet leaf litter(chances are better after it rains) at the woods edge and digging under.

Volchitsa · 05-23-20, 07:56 PM

Hi David339,

Very excited I came across your post. We have been on the hunt for a Dekay's brown snake!

Our 7-year-old daughter has fallen in love with snakes and that was all she wanted for her birthday. After doing thorough research we decided that a Dekay's brown snake would be an ideal choice for our family. We have set up a 10-gallon bioactive terrarium and have everything ready--but no snake! We were going to order one but can't find any online for sale. We've been going on lots of snake hunts outside but alas haven't found one yet.

Would you be willing to send us one of yours?? If so, would be interested in your thoughts on whether a baby or young adult one would be better for us? Please advise! Thanks!

David339 · 05-26-20, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Volchitsa

Hi David339,

Very excited I came across your post. We have been on the hunt for a Dekay's brown snake!

Our 7-year-old daughter has fallen in love with snakes and that was all she wanted for her birthday. After doing thorough research we decided that a Dekay's brown snake would be an ideal choice for our family. We have set up a 10-gallon bioactive terrarium and have everything ready--but no snake! We were going to order one but can't find any online for sale. We've been going on lots of snake hunts outside but alas haven't found one yet.

Would you be willing to send us one of yours?? If so, would be interested in your thoughts on whether a baby or young adult one would be better for us? Please advise! Thanks!

Probably the young adult. The babies require tiny worms which I can't find anywhere but harvesting them outdoors and are not suited for any handling being so small(2-3 inches long and about 1/16 inch thick, that's the newest ones). The red wigglers that you find for sale aren't really great for them. They like slugs most of all but those aren't the easiest to come by. I've been able to breed slugs but couldn't get the eggs to hatch. If you have somewhere you can buy regular earthworms or can dig them up (no pesticide/fertilizers or live stock) then the young adult is probably best. I have not been handling them much but I've read they can be hand trained. I keep mine with coconut fiber substrate with a heat light on one side and the water dish on the other with a big cork flat under most of the heat light side and a bunch of leaves. I keep isopods in tank for bioactive. Adults I give 2-3 normal size earthworms every other day. I usually just drop them in there. You're snake will have it's head poking out like a little periscope if you keep a good scheduled feeding. They do burrow also. Often times I've thought one escaped just to find it in the substrate. Once they get bigger or if you have a lot of things to climb on in tank I'd recommend screen top clamps.

Rbarrett · 05-27-20, 03:23 PM

To David339, I am interested in finding a nice home for 1 or 2 of Dekay's Brown Snakes. I currently have a 40 gallon Breeder tank vivarium, and I was looking for a small non-rodent eating snake(s). I have isopods, springtails, crickets, and worms for my bioactive soil. Please email or call me at 6183173123rab@gmail.com (618) 731-2883. Thank you. Robert

Rbarrett · 05-27-20, 05:56 PM

To David339, That is so awesome. I have been looking for a Dekay's for a couple of months to house in my 40 gallon vivarium. Every time I find one at an online store they are sold out. If you are willing to part with one or two of them to a good home, I would gladly adopt them. I currently just started with my bioactive substrate for a month and a half now with isopods, springtails, slugs, and worms. You can message me back. I am new to forums, so you could email at 6183173123rab@gmail.com as well. Thanks Rbarrett.

David339 · 06-03-20, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rbarrett

To David339, That is so awesome. I have been looking for a Dekay's for a couple of months to house in my 40 gallon vivarium. Every time I find one at an online store they are sold out. If you are willing to part with one or two of them to a good home, I would gladly adopt them. I currently just started with my bioactive substrate for a month and a half now with isopods, springtails, slugs, and worms. You can message me back. I am new to forums, so you could email at 6183173123rab@gmail.com as well. Thanks Rbarrett.

The crickets could hurt them. Tail nibbles and such. I feed mine regular earthworms mostly and offer appropriate sized slugs/snails when I can. I will hit you up on email. I have plenty of 2019 and 2020 captive bred. This years babies are growing fast.

dekaysbrownsnaK · 06-12-20, 06:29 PM

Been trying to message I'm not sure if it is working, But i was interested in contacting you about possibly adopting a brown snake if possible because I've been looking for months and was referred here by a reddit user

David339 · 06-21-20, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dekaysbrownsnaK

Been trying to message I'm not sure if it is working, But i was interested in contacting you about possibly adopting a brown snake if possible because I've been looking for months and was referred here by a reddit user

I still have plenty. 5x more 2019 babies and about 12x 2020 babies. The 2020's are getting bigger(4-5 inches long, 1/8 inch wide) but still would require someone dedicated to get smaller worms for them. The 2019's are about twice that size and can eat the normal size worms you'd easily find in your backyard.
I've found a few sites for shipping through that I have successfully sent some snakes to people with so far.