Rhynchophis boulengeri

[Chamssss]

Hi all.
I first saw this species of snake atleast 5 or more years ago at one of the October Exo-Terra reptile expos, and I was hooked on them ever since.

I have an adult pair, said to be around 5 years old. I got these guys from a guy in Alberton who had managed to breed them twice before but did not have the best of luck with the babies. I do not know much about how the previous owner had kept them, all he said was that he did not have time for them anymore and that was his reason for selling, I guess I could say that I could see that he did not have the time for them anymore but as I got them I fixed up their cages immediately, stuck some thermometer and hygrometers in their cages and I have been monitoring them each and every day. The previous owner said that they did not eat much while in his care for most of this year so I have been feeding them just to make sure that they do pickup energy that they might have needed.
The temperature in their enclosures sit around a maximum of 20-22 during the day and drop to about 16 at night, I spray their enclosures in the morning and the humidity will get around 80% for most of the day.
I have not managed to get the female to take a meal yet, she seemed keen today but lost interest after a while, this concerns me as I do not really know when her last meal was, it could of been more than 3 months ago and I do not want her health to deteriorate. My male however never refuses a meal.
Besides the female not eating the 2 of them seem great. They often just sit in their water bowls for hours on end, even at night when the temperatures drop significantly.
I'm really enjoying working with this species. I would like to one day breed them but I have not put much thought into it because I am more focused on making sure that the 2 of them are healthy. Healthy parents will make healthy babies Here are some pics...
Males cage, looks a bit bare but I'm going to make some changes to it.

Male

Male again, gotta love that horn

Female + her cage, this cage is huge! I have thought of maybe just moving them into large plastic tubs but then they cant be seen as easily, what are your thoughts, displays or better to be in plastic tubs?

(please do not be worried about the light inside her cage, it is a very low wattage bulb that DOES NOT GET HOT)


Then this is my baby female Rhino Rat, she is originally from Louis. She had some feeding problems at first but now she never refuses a meal and is growing quite nicely. These pics were taken just before a shed.



Hope you guys enjoy the pics.

[RJG]

Id suggest you try putting the female into a tub for about a month and see of she starts eating that way. What have you been trying to feed her? Maybe research alternative foods used on this species that might encourage her to eat. It also sounds like your temps are way to cold. Try bump up the temperature to around 30 during the day and 25/26 at night. This could be why they spend alot of time in the water.

[Chameleon Company]

Tyrone that's awesome snakes you got there!

Try get a frozen rodent that you bleed on the nose once its defrosted, most problem feeders will take the food then.

Sweet!

[Primogen]

The temps are low and they were probaly kept at those temps for awhile so they might not have lost any real body mass from not feeding, as the temps increase I am sure she will eat.
These apparently love geckos so maybe try scenting a feeder with some gecko if you have some.

Amazing snakes hope you come right, I missed out on getting some this year but will definetly pick up a pair when this coming seasons lot hatches.

[Skyeli]

That is a unique looking snake!

[Westley Price]

I raised a pair of these from hatchling size to adult.

The temps is certainly too cold. I kept mine like any Corn Snake, just slightly more humid. Temps constant at 28 with the help of thermostat.

I used newspaper as a substrate with a large waterbowl, because (as you said) they like to soak.

I also supplied some vertical space with branches for climbing although they seldom spent time up there during the day.

They were the rubbish bins of my collection and took any uneaten prey from other snakes.

I know you're probably overwhelmed by suggestions, but here is one more; try feeding it freshwater fish (not salty I&J hake), or alternatively scenting mice with the freshwater fish.

Good luck

[Chamssss]

Scenting with geckos and making the mice bleed out of their noses didn't work for my young female. The big female seemed keen when I offered her a bleeding mouse as you suggested Paul. But I am going to try what worked with my young female and we'll see from there. Otherwise I'll further increase the temperatures.

[Chamssss]

Thanks Westley, freshwater fish was my next attempt with her.
The reason why I didn't raise the temperatures straight up around 28 degrees is because I'm worried that I could suddenly change their behaviour. I don't want them to go into 'breeding mode' by making sudden changes in temperature and humidity. I'm going to increase the temperature slightly over a few days and I'll try the fresh water fish with her.

[Wallas]

It looks awesome,
hope you get them to bread one day.

[Bushviper]

Raising the temps will not be a problem. Get them higher and let them stay at that for a few days and then offer them food. You can just go buy some guppies, gold fish or koi if you need to scent the mice. I am sure at higher temps they will eat again considering that had to be eating when the other person had them.

[it_bit_me]

hope you get them to bread one day.

Don't you mean get them to pork ?