A ~ C ~ S~N~A~K~E~S
Snake Breeders Based in Leicestershire, England, UK
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A ~ C ~ S~N~A~K~E~S Snake Breeders Based in Leicestershire, England, UK | |
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Boaedon Mentalis
Introduction Namibian Large Eyed House Snakes are one
of the smaller house snake species, they are a 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 which makes them an
excellent challenge for the more experienced keeper. They are terrestrial and strictly a nocturnal species who
spend a great deal of time underground and their large eyes have
developed to facilitate hunting in the
dark.
Experience Level
Beginner
Temperament
Generally very placid
Captive Variants Wild Type
Expected
Adult Length
Males 50 - 70cm : Females 70 - 90cm
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 not much is known about the natural habitat
of Namibian House Snakes we try to offer as much variation as
possible for example bushy greenery, dry and moist areas, all of
which are 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
- Yearling Females, Sub Adult
Males
9
Litre
- 395mm x 255mm x 155mm
- Sub Adult Females, Adult Males
12 Litre
- 465mm x 270mm x 150mm
- Adult Females, Large Adult Males
24.5Ltr - 600mm x 400mm x
150mm
- 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
Namibia
Natural
Environment
Little is documented on their natural habitat
but we would imagine they are found mainly in arid
regions.
Recommended
Substrate
We use Aspen and provide a moist hide of
vermiculite and/or moss.
Natural
Diet Mainly Rodents but also bats and
lizards Primary Captive Diet Rodents Other
Observations Care should be taken when feeding your house snake as
they can be quite aggressive
feeders!
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