chicken eater????

[Tops]

Its odd but if you look for Spilotes Pullatus then you get lots of weird and wonderful names like tiger snake, tropical rat snake, Whip Snake, Tropical Chicken Snake, Tropical Tiger Rat Snake so who knows what it is.
Apparently these guys will import them though Tropical Tiger Rat Snake

[Tops]

So do Snake species supplied by Fauna Import UK

[masticophis]

Yes the yelow rats are well known as chicken snakes. Thats the trouble with common names.

The Tiger rats aren't that bad, WC adults are bound to be a bit jumpy but generally they calm down with handling. My male isn't even handled that much and while he's a little nervous in the viv, I can get him out with no trouble and no bites using bare hands. So you can gather that he's pretty calm. Though you do need to be able to read their body language and that to avoid bites. Most of the skill with slightly more aggressive snakes is just confidence, and if the worse does happen just accepting a bite. Most of any display will be mock bites or quick taps.

Generally any you see for sale are going to be WC or LTC, there are a few people breeding them in europe and the USA, I've not heard of any in the UK but there must be some breeding them here. So it should be possible to get CB, just pretty hard. I'm seriously thinking of getting rid of my male as some new coachwhips may be coming in. I'm trying to find a female for one of my friends then she can have the male for breeding, it really is a species that should be kept more.

Mike

[HABU]

that's an old american hillbilly term for most any rat snake. they do love the hen house!! i always knew of corns as red rat snakes. now they're corn snakes again!

[Athravan]

Originally Posted by Tops

So do Snake species supplied by Fauna Import UK

I have an account with these guys and they don't have any available atm but if they appear on their lists I'll give you a shout Laura!

[PendleHog]

Just be point out.. Spilotes pullatus is not a cribo as one of the earlier links seems to suggest.

[PendleHog]

Originally Posted by masticophis

Yes the yelow rats are well known as chicken snakes. Thats the trouble with common names.

The Tiger rats aren't that bad, WC adults are bound to be a bit jumpy but generally they calm down with handling. My male isn't even handled that much and while he's a little nervous in the viv, I can get him out with no trouble and no bites using bare hands. So you can gather that he's pretty calm. Though you do need to be able to read their body language and that to avoid bites. Most of the skill with slightly more aggressive snakes is just confidence, and if the worse does happen just accepting a bite. Most of any display will be mock bites or quick taps.

Generally any you see for sale are going to be WC or LTC, there are a few people breeding them in europe and the USA, I've not heard of any in the UK but there must be some breeding them here. So it should be possible to get CB, just pretty hard. I'm seriously thinking of getting rid of my male as some new coachwhips may be coming in. I'm trying to find a female for one of my friends then she can have the male for breeding, it really is a species that should be kept more.

Mike

Haha, just read your reply properly Mike.. getting deja vue from last night?!

[masticophis]

You know you need to get a female for him Hannah. Next you want to take the radiated off me as well, free up another viv for the new whips.

He's easy to get out at least, but after getting nailed by the cateye last night, then today smokey (the real tame whip you were cuddling) nailed me on the finger, I was putting the female back in and he thought I was food. I thought he might have a go, but I was just too slow, or he's too quick.

Mike

[charlesthompson]

tropical chicken eaters and cribos are two different snakes.

Cribos are from the family Drymarchon. They are large bodied terrestrial snakes from the Southern U.S and south america.

Chicken snakes are also called Tropical ratsnakes- They belong to the family spiloites, which is a large slender bodied arboreal species from S.America.

Similar species to the Spiloites although thicker set and worth a look are the Tropical Liars or puffing snakes from the genus Pseustes.

[HABU]

chicken snakes, just like milk snakes, always find them in the barn. hiding from the chicken hawks waiting for the pilot snakes to guide them to a den!