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12-05-2007, 01:13 AM
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How about this?
CAPTIVE CARE OF BULL SNAKES Pituophis melanoleucus GENERAL INFORMATION: Bull snakes are large, stocky colubrids with many colourful subspecies. They are pretty common in the wild and are sometimes garden pests in their native country. The name 'bull snake' comes from the fact that when angry they sometimes make a loud hissing noise. Rather like an angry bull! DISTRIBUTION: These snakes are common in most of North America, being found in many environments. SIZE: Specimens vary but most average to about 150cm-200cm in length when adults. Though some subspecies can be much larger, sometimes reaching 250cm. TEMPERAMENT: A bull snakes temperament (as with most snakes) varies with upbringing. They do tend to hiss and become snappy when feeling threatened. Of course, being such large snakes, you don't want to be tagged by one! CAPTIVE ENVIRONMENT: These snakes are quite large so require big amounts if vivarium space to prevent becoming agitated and stressed. A vivarium size should depend on the size of the snake being housed, for a average sized adult a 2m by 1.50m by 1.50m tank space should be sufficient. But with the larger sized subspecies a larger vivarium is needed. The vivarium should be furnished with hides at the cool and warm end. Also, branches and rocks could be included too. Fresh water must be provided at all times and must be kept at the cool end. Substrates such as newspaper, sawdust and cork bark can be used but make sure your snake doesn't ingest any while eating. Heating is important and a back-round temperature of 25-30'C with a 40 or 60 watt incandescent bulb at the warm end. If you plan to breed, the vivarium temperature should be lowered to 15'C with shorter daylight times over winter. Please make sure that ALL heat sources are sufficiently protected from the snake to prevent disastrous outcomes! FEEDING: Bull snakes are known for their greediness and willingness to eat pretty much any rodent or bird they can manage. Depending on size, they should be fed large adult mice about every two weeks with regular exercise to prevent obesity. To give some variety to their diet, you should feed them chicks every so often as a treat. CLEANLINESS: Remember that snakes eat dead animals so they also carry salmonella. So make sure that you wash your hands before and after you handle your snake or anything in it's vivarium. You shouldn't let your snake near your eyes or mouth. A snakes vivarium should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected every few weeks to prevent any pests from moving in. HANDLING: Snakes aren't domesticated so handling may be stressful. Keep handling to a couple of minutes a day but don't handle a snake for a few days after feeding. Be gentle when holding your snake and don't dangle it by it's tail or neck. You can have necessary equipment for handling your snake just in case it mistakes you for food or feels threatened. QUALITY AS PETS: Bull snakes are considered good, hardy pets. They are tough, husky animals which tame easily and also come in a wide range of unusual colours. They aren't venomous and don't have particularly large teeth. A useful note: when you know your snake is just about to strike at you, please don't quickly take your hand away. If the snake catches you but your pulling away, you can rip out the poor snakes teeth and cause terrible damage to the bite site. Thank you for reading, I think I have all the information correct.  
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12-05-2007, 04:45 PM
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Common Name: Bull Snake
Other Common Names: Bullsnake, Gopher Snake, Pine Snake Scientific Name: Pituophis sp. (Full Taxonomy) Group: Colubrid Origin or Range: North America Relative Size: Larger Than Average (as compared to other snakes) Average Lifespan: ??? year(s) Compatibility: Average (as compared to other snakes) Category: Reptiles » Snakes   Animal Description: The Bull Snake, also known as the Gopher Snake or the Pine Snake, is one of the largest snakes native to North America, and has only a few natural predators. Like all snakes, Bull Snakes can be aggressive if they are not handled often. If they are handled from the time they are hatchlings they can be quite docile. The basic rule of thumb is - the more you handle your snake the easier it will be to handle it. This is not always true but it is often the case. Like many snakes, wild caught adult individuals are less likely to become more docile, even with handling. Native to the Mid-Western United States, the Bull Snake inhabits fields, brush, open forests and prairies. Bull Snakes generally feed on small animals including mice, rabbits, ground squirrels and gophers. They are also known to feed on bird eggs and ground nesting birds. A Bull Snake, after a large meal, needs no food for quite awhile and may rest for several weeks. Bull Snakes are known for the ability to make loud hissing noises. They are also known to vibrate their tail and when this is done in dry leaves it produces a sound that mimics rattlesnakes. Bull Snakes mate in the spring. Bull Snakes are quite large, some have been reported as reaching as much as nine feet in length. Most Bull Snakes average around five feet. Common colors for the Bull Snake include yellowish-brown, cream and brown. They usually have black and/or brown markings and a light brown belly. There is also an alibino variety which is yellow and red. The albindo will always have red eyes. A large nose shield characterizes the snake's smallish head, which is useful in burrowing. While not venomous, the Bull Snake does have teeth and will bite if provoked. Each snake will have a unique pattern on their heads, making it easy to distinguish one snake from another. The Bull Snake is preyed upon by birds of prey such as hawks and eagles. They use defense mechanisms, such as rattling their tail in dry leaves and hissing, to mimic a rattlesnake and ward off predators. Specific Care Information: Relative Care Ease: Average The Bull Snake requires a large enclosure of at least 4' x 2' x 2'. Wild-caught juveniles will likely become more docile after frequent handling, although wild-caught adults will likely remain aggressive. Bull Snakes should be given a basking area with slightly higher temperatures than the ambient 78 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. At night, the temperature should be between 70 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. They also should be provided with hiding areas that can be formed with rocks or bricks. High humidity is not necessary and the Bull Snake only needs a small water dish for drinking. Captive Bull Snakes can be fed mice, rats and sometimes small rabbits.Breeding and Propagation: Relative Breeding Ease: Relatively EasyThe Bull Snake's mating season is in the spring. The females lay a clutch of between three and twenty eggs in a shallow hole, which they dig themselves. The off-white colored eggs will hatch after between 64 and 80 days of incubation. The hatchlings, which are on their own as soon as they're born, average between one and one and a half feet in length. bit too late lol
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www.myspace.com/georgeissatan www.myspace.com/sftbs George,14 Years[Dont judge me by my age] Invert, Amphibian, Reptile Keeper Metal And Proud!  i will happily rehome any species of Scorpion.
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Yesterday, 07:43 PM
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one tip! feeding large mice is NOT enough for an adult Bull snake lol...unless you feed about 6 or more in a sitting! my adults have a large or a medium rat every 10 days...and the female will eat double that for a few months after laying...GREAT snakes to own and are very tame if well handled from young...even the fiesty ones are MOSTLY bluff! and will usualy calm well with patience and gentle handling, highly recommend them!
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_______________________________________   Takes too much time and space listing them all!...so Various Boids and Colubrids  STUNNING BABY BULL SNAKES FOR SALE SOON @ £30 EACH...P.M FOR DETAILS
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