| Introduction
|
True Olive House Snakes 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. A largely terrestrial species
who
are believed to be
nocturnal.
|
|
Experience Level |
Beginner
|
|
Temperament |
Generally very placid |
| Captive Variants | Wild
Type
|
|
Expected
Adult Length
|
Males 50 - 70cm : Females 70 - 100cm |
| 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 -Climbing branches would be
advantageous
In
general we have found our Olive House Snakes do better with a
slightly higher humidity than our Cape House
Snakes.
|
| 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 theReally 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 |
Central Africa |
|
Natural
Environment |
Tropical Rain Forests
|
|
Recommended
Substrate
|
We use Aspen and provide a moist
hide of vermiculite and/or moss. |
| Natural Diet |
Rodents and sometimes Lizards |
|
Primary Captive
Diet |
Rodents |
