Where to start and with what?

Where to start and with what?

Postby Muskiet » Thu May 12, 2011 7:54 pm

Hi all

I would love to have a pair of egg eaters.

I did some research on the forum and google,they seem like lovely snakes.

With what specie should I start of with for a beginner?
As they only live offf of eggs, u need a constant way of getting eggs!

What type of eggs can you feed them and for the hatchlings?

I stay in cape town,if anybody has egg eaters forsale or know of a place selling eggs, please let me know.

Thanks
6.6.0 Corn snakes (Pantherophis (Elaphe) guttata)
3.2.0 King snakes (Lampropeltis getula californiae)
1.1.0 Apricot Milk snakes (Lampropeltis triangulum campbelli)
1.1.0 Colombian Rainbow Boas (Epicrates cenchria)
3.3.0 Ball python (Python regius)
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Re: Where to start and with what?

Postby Fooble » Thu May 12, 2011 8:18 pm

Muskiet wrote:With what specie should I start of with for a beginner?
You only will have two species available commonly in South Africa Dasypeltis scabra and Dasypeltis inornata , You won't find the latter down in the Western Cape as they do not succour there so won't be around in much abundance within the trade.

As they only live offf of eggs, u need a constant way of getting eggs!
Firstly you need to consider where do birds eggs come from? Can you get them in your area? Do you know any breeders of birds? Are there petshops in your area that sell birds, if so inquire with them.
Egg Eaters do not feed as often as regular snakes so bare that in mind, generally they will not feed in the winter months when birds are not laying eggs


What type of eggs can you feed them and for the hatchlings?
Young egg eaters will eat...small birds eggs surprise! If you can't find these or don't know what small eggs are , you tube feed them as you are aware of already. Tubing young snakes is described in detail on a few threads including amounts you need to give etcetera.

You need to really research things thoroughly before rushing in.
Food source
Captive care.
Captive Bred Specimens
Ability to look after the snakes.


Thanks
Organized crime comes in more forms than one.
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Re: Where to start and with what?

Postby Muskiet » Thu May 12, 2011 8:23 pm

Great stuff Fooble,thanks so much. Ill be in contact with you!!
6.6.0 Corn snakes (Pantherophis (Elaphe) guttata)
3.2.0 King snakes (Lampropeltis getula californiae)
1.1.0 Apricot Milk snakes (Lampropeltis triangulum campbelli)
1.1.0 Colombian Rainbow Boas (Epicrates cenchria)
3.3.0 Ball python (Python regius)
User avatar
Muskiet
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Posts: 105
Joined: Tue Dec 08, 2009 7:56 pm

Re: Where to start and with what?

Postby fuscusV2 » Thu May 12, 2011 9:18 pm

My first snake I kept was an inornata, they are stunning snakes. Egg eaters are not too hard to keep but they do need privacy, especially when they eat. Fooble, what do you mean by "You won't find the latter down in the Western Cape as they do not succour there so won't be around in much abundance within the trade."? Or is it common for locally common species to be in the trade... i.e. mostly wild caught specimens available?
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Re: Where to start and with what?

Postby Fooble » Thu May 12, 2011 9:26 pm

fuscusV2 wrote:My first snake I kept was an inornata, they are stunning snakes. Egg eaters are not too hard to keep but they do need privacy, especially when they eat. Fooble, what do you mean by "You won't find the latter down in the Western Cape as they do not succour there so won't be around in much abundance within the trade."? Or is it common for locally common species to be in the trade... i.e. mostly wild caught specimens available?


Pretty straight forward really.

Lets be honest 90% of egg eaters people keep are Wild Caught.
In the western cape where D.scabra is found but D.inornata is absent (naturally occurring).
Just far more logical to go with scabra in terms of ease of obtaining a specimen.
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