In this section we will try to address some of the more common questions we often hear or read on Internet posts. As with the caresheet, the answers here are meant only to represent our opinions and comments based on experience. Any potential animal keeper should strive to learn as much information about the particular species from as many sources as possible. Again, any comments or questions are welcomed via email, and if unique or challenging in some way we may post them here in the future.

Please click on the question to get the answer

Q1: Are pet stores good places to buy snakes?
Q2: How do I feed my rosy boa?
Q3: My rosy boa won't eat. What do I do?
Q4: My rosy boa is regurgitating. What do I do?
Q5: Can I house more than one boa in the same cage?
Q6: How do I ensure a proper temperature gradient?
Q7: What is brumation and does my snake need it?
Q8: My Kingsnake won't eat, what do I do?
Q9: Can I keep more than one Kingsnake in the same cage?
Q10: My Mountain Kingsnake won't eat, what do I do?
Q11: How do I get a Mountain Kingsnake?
Q12: I think I have reptile mites, what do I do?
Q13: Should I breed my own rodent feeders?

Please feel free to email us with any questions or comments not covered here. We will attempt to find or direct you to the appropriate answers.

Q1: Are pet stores good places to buy snakes? How can I get one?

Usually it is a bad idea, but there are exceptions. Pet stores make their money selling accessories and food. They usually do not have the experience or knowledge to obtain or maintain healthy reptiles, and often do not have accurate information to help you with questions or problems you might have after your purchase. Pet store reptiles are more likely to harbor diseases that can infect your other pets, especially reptile mites. Breeders, on the other hand, are much more likely to sell healthy animals being as they have a specific interest in what they produce. They can be easily contacted via the Internet, at local shows, or through local herpetological societies. They are also usually more than willing to help you if problems arise. When buying from a breeder through the mail, you usually have to send them money up front before shipment, and you have the right to ask for references and terms of purchase and shipment. This is a potential risk, but less so than the risk from buying pet store animals. An exception could be buying from pet stores that specialize in reptiles, but we can assure you that sometimes the same problems arise as with general pet stores. When we sell "left over" offspring to pet stores we provide care sheets and instructions to pass on to the buyer, as we do with Internet sales.

Q2: How do I feed my rosy boa?

Feeding Rosy Boas can present problems for those less experienced with the species. The reason is that their digestive system is a bit more delicate than other snakes and their jaw anatomy does not allow them to swallow large prey. Therefore, it is important to feed these snakes smaller rodents than for other species. A rule of thumb is to feed the snake meals that will not leave a large bulge in their stomach area. For Rosy Boas, it is always better to err on the small side when it comes to food items. They do well with feeding on a weekly basis and can probably do well if fed less often (10 days). We usually hold off water a few days before and after feeding, and maintain our adult breeders on pinkie/fuzzy rats for better nutrition.

Q3: My rosy boa won't eat. What do I do?

Boas can go "off feed" for several reasons. The first issue to consider is a health problem. Record keeping (a significant change from prior feeding patterns) and taking note of the appearance of the snake and the fecal material can help you decide if this is the case. Dry and sagging skin due to dehydration, lack of normal behavior patterns, excessive mouth secretions, problems with shedding, lack of the passage of stool, and loose, foul- smelling, odd colored stool can all be warning signs of illness. However, there are reasons boas can stop feeding that do not indicate disease including an upcoming winter season and the drive to brumate, breeding season, and pregnancy. One of the most important points to make here is the utility of keeping track of the snakes weight (cheap gram scales for diabetic food preparation are easy to find). Often healthy boas that go off feed will not lose weight, even during the winter months. Sick boas will lose weight and should be taken to a veterinarian experienced with reptiles. Otherwise, a non-feeding boa will usually "decide" when it wants to eat and should be offered food periodically at night (never leave a mature live mouse in the cage overnight). Force-feeding should only be attempted in consultation with someone experienced in the technique and should only be done with a boa that is losing significant weight. We have had boas go off feed for several months (not including winter) with no ill effects, and noticed that they will show greater activity in the cage when ready to eat.

Q4: My rosy boa is regurgitating. What do I do?

A common problem with Rosy Boas is regurgitation even if the boa is otherwise healthy. Common causes are overheating, underheating, improper temperature gradients, high relative humidity, water intake prior to or just after feeding, stress related to handling after feeding, and housing too many boas in one cage. These boas also regurgitate as a symptom of illness including infection by bacteria, viruses, and parasites or metabolic disturbances, tumors, and neurological disorders. In addition, some people we have consulted have referred to a "regurgitation syndrome" consisting of recurrent regurgitation minus any other health problems. We have experienced this and postulate that recurrent regurgitation may alter the snakes natural gut flora producing a less optimal digestive environment and may produce changes in the cells of the gut lining and/or may cause micro- or macro-tearing further aggravating a sometimes delicate digestive system. A boa that regurgitates should be held off feed and water and the cage environment should be re-evaluated. Temperature and humidity should be monitored, and the snake should be "rested" for at least a week. After this, it should be offered the smallest possible food item (even a pinkie mouse for an adult boa), watched, and advanced with feeding slowly as tolerated. A common mistake is to become overaggressive thinking that the snake needs nutrition. This is where the monitoring of weight becomes important in that the lack of significant weight loss indicates the need for time and patience. On the other hand significant weight loss, behavioral changes, foul and loose stools or symptoms in other animals in the collection should be cause for a visit to a reptile veterinarian.

Q5: Can I house more than one boa in the same cage?

The answer here is a cautious "yes." We have successfully housed more than one boa together and have even had productive breeding occur. Rosy Boas are not cannibalistic by nature. They are thought to be "loners" in nature for the most part, although some think they may congregate in small numbers to brumate. We have found on occasion that a boa becomes stressed when too crowded, begins to feed poorly or regurgitate, then does much better when housed alone. Also, and very importantly, if these or any other type of snakes are housed together care must be taken to separate cagemates during feeding. Snakes will fight over a single food item and either constrict each other to death, or one of the snakes will end up with a much larger meal than you bargained for. We have had to separate baby boas before and have even had to help a friend cut a thawed rabbit in half to free up two large pythons. Not a fun experience...but kinda fun ;)

Q6: How do I ensure a proper temperature gradient?

There is no substitute for measuring the temperature. Continual readings are not necessary, but occasional "spot checks" are mandatory. This is because conditions with ambient temperature and humidity, wiring, and heating elements can drift if not fail. Temperature should be monitored where the animal spends its time warming and cooling and adjusted appropriately. Rosy Boas need undertank heating under one side of their cage. Usually this will create a natural gradient as heat dissipates. If proper levels are difficult to maintain then the use of rheostats (dimmers) or, more preferably, thermostats should be considered. Rosy Boas do not need any special lighting. Some keepers warm their tanks with light sources but we discourage this since boas MUST have underbelly heat and excessive lighting can lead to burns or dehydration. Hot Rocks should be avoided always. Tank thermometers are easy to find, but more expensive thermometers with external probes are well worth the investment. Most of our more fancy setups are created rather inexpensively via the chain of Reptile Central Stores (i.e. Walmart, Home Depot, and Radio Shack). Pipe warming cord from a hardware/plumbing store makes an excellent heating element for rack systems but are not uniformly available. Email us if you have difficulty finding any products you need.

Q7: What is brumation and does my snake need it?

Brumation, otherwise known as overwintering, is a winter cooling period where snakes retreat underground to spend the cold months in relative "biological shutdown." It is during this time that their metabolism slows, they stop feeding and utilize stored body fat, and their reproductive processes recover from the past breeding season, synchronize, and prepare for a new season. In nature all Rosy Boas do this including neonates born just prior to winter, and it may represent an evolved adaptation to deal with the scarcity of food during winter. In captivity it is not necessary to overwinter boas unless breeding will be attempted, but it is unclear if year-round activity alters longevity or health. In our opinion, boas maintain optimal health in nature by brumating and captive care should strive to mimic natural conditions as close as possible. Thus, we overwinter all of our boas with a few exceptions (an obviously ill or underweight snake or a baby we want to grow a bit faster). Other reasons in favor of overwintering include taking a break from care and saving on food costs (and if breeding rodents for large collections winter is a good time to save up frozen feeders for spring feeding). Preparing a snake for overwintering is easy if a few rules are followed. First of all it is crucial that the snake has adequate weight and is healthy. Then, about two to three weeks prior to cooling, feeding is stopped and the snake is allowed to clear all gut contents at normal cage temperatures. Failure to do this can result in bacterial gastroenteritis (gut infection) over the winter as uncleared food and fecal material may stagnate, considering the lowered metabolic rate and gut motility during winter. During this time it is important to monitor the passage of feces since the last meal. After this point, the cage temperatures can be slowly reduced over a week or two until the goal of 55-60F is reached. This should be done in a darker, cooler, and quiet area where the snake will spend the winter, and this area should be studied prior to brumation to ensure proper environmental control. Temperatures below 50F should be avoided for prolonged periods of time. Opinions differ regarding the length of winter to offer Rosy Boas and range from six to twelve weeks. During the cooling period, the snake should be disrupted as little as possible, water should be offered every week or two for one to two day periods, the snake should be checked for dehydration or weight loss, and temperature should be monitored continuously especially if there is a risk of a significant drop. After winter, the cage should be slowly warmed over one to two weeks until the proper temperatures are reached. At this point feeding can resume.

Q8: My Kingsnake won't eat, what do I do?

Kingsnakes are known for being hardy eaters and usually do not seem to experience much in the way of feeding problems. They will, however, occasionally go "off feed" like other species. This can happen due an impending winter season or mating season. Snakes just seem to "know" when there are more important jobs to do than eating. When this happens the best thing to do is have patience and occasionally re-offer food after several days rest. If this persists and the snake does not seem to lose weight it may not be cause for worry (it is best to actually weigh the animal periodically). Eventually the snake should go back "on feed." Some people may cool snakes that are not feeding in an attempt to get them to feed upon re-warming. I have not tried this except for usual overwintering. If a non-feeding snake begins to lose significant weight or look otherwise sick, it may be wise to visit a veterinarian. Again, force-feeding or the use of any medications should only be done by those with experience.

Q9: Can I keep more than one Kingsnake in the same cage?

As mentioned elsewhere, Kingsnakes in the wild will feed on other snakes including other Kingsnakes. Therefore, it is a risk to house two together. If this must be done, then much care should be taken to separate them during feeding time. They should be kept separate for a while after feeding since the feeding response is accompanied by hormonal responses that may keep them in the hunting mode. One should make every attempt to house Kingsnakes separately except when attempting to breed them.

Q10: My Mountain Kingsnake won't eat, what do I do?

Mountain Kingsnakes can present a challenge when trying to get newborn snakes to eat pinkie mice. As mentioned elsewhere, mice are not a normal part of their diet in nature and some hatchlings will refuse to eat pinkie mice. However, with a little time, patience, and good technique they can successfully be converted to a rodent diet. Sometimes all that is needed is to wash the mouse scent off of a thawed pinkie. If this does not work, the next step is to try "scenting" the mouse with a lizard. This involves rubbing a thawed lizard over the thawed pinkie, or cutting off a small piece of lizard skin and putting it half way into the pinkies mouth. If this works then successive reduction in the amount of lizard scent will eventually condition the snake to take rodent meals. A more, shall we say, interesting method is to extract some of the pinkie's brain tissue (please see caresheet) by cutting the top of the head open and spreading it over the mouse's head or body to attract the snake. If this works the snake will eventually take the meals without this procedure and the hassle of obtaining "scenting" lizards is avoided. If these techniques fail, it might become necessary to resort to force-feeding. One method that is less mentioned in the literature and relatively easy is to cut off the tail of thawed mice to force feed the snake. This sometimes will convert the snake to rodents even though it is used as a temporary measure. It is much easier than force feeding whole pinkies (which can hurt a young snake and should be done only after consulting someone more experienced). Finally, young Mountain Kingsnakes sometimes need to be overwintered until spring before they will begin to feed. If feeding difficulties persist, an experienced breeder should be consulted.

Q11: How do I get a Mountain Kingsnake?

Mountain Kingsnakes are to some degree less available than other species on the open market. As with other snakes, it is far better to purchase these animals from reputable breeders either at reptile shows or via the Internet. This gives the buyer a better chance of obtaining healthy, locality specific animals (usually!). This is important when one considers the higher cost for this species compared to other types of Kingsnakes. Collecting or buying wild specimens is not recommended unless specifically for the purpose of breeding AND if done within the law, which is quite specific and strict for this species.

Q12: I think I have reptile mites, what do I do?

One of the more frustrating problems facing a reptile keeper is snake mite infestation. These are reptile-specific ectoparasites that are not thought to be harmful to humans. They can be harmful to reptiles in that they can cause anemia, stress related anorexia, or possibly infection at the sites where the mites feed. It may be possible too that mites transmit other harmful illnesses such as Inclusion Body Disease or endoparasites. Mites appear on snakes as tiny black specks that move about and burrow under the snake's scales. They tend to congregate in places that are easy to find blood meals including the crevices around the eyes and the vent area. They can also be seen on occasion crawling up the walls of the cage or in the corners. Mites usually gain access to collections via new reptiles being introduced without a quarantine period or through rodent feeders or bedding bought from stores where rodents or reptiles are sold. There are many commercial products available to cure this problem which can be quite expensive, result in critical delays in treatment, and may not be readily available in all areas. However, it has been recommended to us by a highly qualified and licensed herpetological veterinarian that the medicated shampoo NIX (effective against ectoparasites) contains the same chemical that can easily be diluted to the same concentration as other available products. If recommended by a vet and properly used, NIX shampoo (available in most pharmacies and shampoo sections of stores) can be used to clean the cage and all contents, and the snake can be briefly soaked in it. Considering the mite's life cycle, this procedure should be repeated at one week to kill any mites that might have hatched since treatment before they reach their reproductive stage. During our one mite infestation in the past, we used other commercially available products with no success. Upon recommendation from our vet, we used NIX with complete success and no resulting harm to our breeders or their future offspring. We have not seen any mites since after over a year since treatment. Also, again upon vet recommendation, we carefully use No Pest Strips for mite prevention in all newly acquired animals including rodents. Used properly they are excellent in prevention, less labor intensive, cheap, and easy to obtain in most areas. Please note that prior to using any of the above mentioned, highly effective, and inexpensive products any reptile keeper should first consult a qualified herp vet.

Q13: Should I breed my own rodent feeders?

Breeding your own rodents for feeders can save money, provide healthier food items for your snakes, and can be fun. However, breeding rodents for a large reptile collection can be a tremendous amount of work. The workload can be greatly reduced if methods are used to "streamline the production." It is beyond the scope of this document to discuss the details of breeding mice or rats, but suffice it to say that we feel our rodent breeding for our collection more than pays for itself. After all, a feeder mouse at the pet store costs roughly one dollar, and a single female mouse or rat can produce 10+ babies per month. Extras can be frozen or sold to other reptile hobbyists and pet stores, but unfortunately cannot be used to buy lottery tickets (sorry Dave). There are several excellent sources on the Internet that cover rodent breeding which should be consulted prior to starting breeding colonies.