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CAPE
HOUSE SNAKE CARE
GUIDE
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Boaedon
Capensis
| Introduction |
Cape House Snakes are the
most commonly kept house snake species. They are a small, non
venomous colubrid that is sexually dimorphic in
that females grow significantly larger than males. The
name "House Snake" was given as they are often found around houses
and other buildings looking for food.
House snakes are easy to
maintain in captivity and make a great alternative to the more
common species which are usually recommended for
beginners. There is a great deal that is not fully
understood regarding house snakes especially in the areas of
identification of individual species and of genetics which
makes them an excellent challenge for the more experienced
keeper.
All House Snakes are believed to be nocturnal however our experience and observation
of their behaviour in captivity indicates that Cape House Snakes may be more
active at dusk and dawn (crepuscular) than at night. They
are largely a terrestrial species.
|
| Experience Level |
Beginner |
| Temperament |
Generally very placid |
| Captive Variants |
Wild
Type,
T- Albino, T+ Albino, Hypo, Blue/Anery/Ghost, Patternless, Striped,
Red Phase, Green Phase, Hi-bino, Piebald/Calico |
| Expected Adult Length
|
Males 60 - 80cm : Females 80 - 140cm |
|
Recommended Housing
|
Vivarium or plastic tubs
We
prefer to use tubs as we have found them to be much easier to keep
clean.
Other requirements:
-Small water bowl
-A
minimum of 2 hides (1 in the cool end and 1 in the warm end) one of
which should be moist
As
Cape House Snakes inhabit many different environments we would
recommend offering as much variation as possible for example
climbing branches and low level greenery as well as dry and moist
areas, all of which will probably be well used. |
| Suggested Housing Sizes |
-
Housing sizes are a matter of personal
preference (for you and your snake) and you should choose what
best suits you but we generally use the Really Useful Products
plastic tubs and move up in size as the snake grows. For
particularly small hatchlings we often start them off
in plastic takeaway food storage tubs to prevent
escapees.
Some of our tub size recommendations are
listed below.
|
0.35Ltr |
- 155mm x 100mm x 40mm |
- Hatchlings |
|
1.75Ltr |
- 245mm x 180mm x 70mm |
- Large Hatchlings |
|
5 Litre |
- 340mm x 200mm x 125mm |
- Yearlings |
|
9 Litre |
- 395mm x 255mm x 155mm |
- Larger Yearling Females, Sub Adult Males |
|
12 Litre |
- 465mm x 270mm x 150mm |
- Sub Adult Females, Adult
Males |
|
24.5Ltr |
- 600mm x 400mm x 150mm |
- Adult Females, Large Adult
Males |
|
50 Litre |
- 710mm x 440mm x 230mm |
- Large Adult Females |
When moving snakes into a larger enclosure,
particularly if the snake is a little nervous or has a tendency to
go off their food easily, we fill the enclosure with extra greenery
to ensure they feel secure. As they begin to settle we remove pieces
of greenery to allow them more space to move around in. It is also a
good idea to put an unwashed item of furniture or greenery from
their old enclosure into their new enclosure for the first few days
as we find that something familiar helps them acclimatise to their
new surroundings much more quickly. | |
Temperature Range
| 21°C
(70°F) to 31°C (88°F) | |
Recommended Heating
| Viv
- Guarded Ceramic heater or heat mat Tub
- Heat mat
Whichever method is used, the temperature
should be controlled by a suitable thermostat and monitored using a
digital thermometer
|
| Origin
| South
Africa | | Natural Environment | Found in a wide range of
environments including
;
scrublands, forests, wooded areas, grasslands,
coastal areas, shrublands, heathlands, houses, barns and other
buildings
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|
Recommended Substrate |
We
use Aspen and provide a moist hide of vermiculite and/or
moss. |
|
Natural Diet |
Rodents, Bats, Birds, Lizards and occasionally
Frogs |
|
Primary Captive Diet |
Rodents |
| Other Observations |
Care
should be taken when feeding your house snake as they are usually
quite aggressive feeders!
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This care guide has been written by us at AC Snakes
for your information and guidance.
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It will be updated and expanded as regularly as we
are able, however it should not be used as your only source of care
information.
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Prior to purchasing any animal it is strongly
recommended that you research extensively to ensure that you can provide
the correct care for your pet.
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Last updated May
2012 |
