Diadophis punctatus

[aquamentus_11]

4274

has anyone ever kept one of these before? they seem pretty cool.

[guidofatherof5]

Diadophis punctatus amabilis - Pacific Ring-necked Snake (http://www.californiaherps.com/snakes/pages/d.p.amabilis.html)

[MasSalvaje]

I have found a few diadophis through the years. The local regals in Utah can get pretty big, for ringnecks anyway, and are for the most part snake eaters. I know a guy that keeps them, he used to breed wanderings to feed them but one of the wanderings ended up killing one of his ringnecks. Both are known to be snake eaters and both are known to have some form of mild venom.

There is a guy that is on this forum that has a good website on them, I want to say it is Mike Fedzen but I could be wrong.

-Thomas

[aquamentus_11]

i read that a few months ago. he stopped breeding them because they wouldn't eat for him. other people have no problems just feeding worms. probably has to do with which subspecies you have i would think

[RedSidedSPR]

I've looked into it many times as there's an abundance of them where I live... Too much work. It's the diet that gets ya

[aquamentus_11]

really varied?

[Sergey]

I listened to what they can to feed the slugs and snails.

[RedSidedSPR]

Not varied. The diet of a ring neck snake is almost soley other snakes.

So...

[Stefan-A]

Not varied. The diet of a ring neck snake is almost soley other snakes.

So...
Not according to what I've read.

[mikem]

i thought they mostly fed on worms and salamanders..

[aquamentus_11]

what have you read, stefan? i read that they do eat snakes, but also salamanders, slugs, worms, crickets, frogs, pinkies, etc. and their preferences vary per subspecies. people were saying that it's hard to give them all the variety they need. maybe the subspecies by jesse is predominantly snake-eating. i know the northerns tend to eat salamanders. this guy has kept them on worms it seems.

CHS Care Sheets - Snakes (http://webspinners.com/coloherp/careshts/snakes/ringneck.php)

[MasSalvaje]

what have you read, stefan? i read that they do eat snakes, but also salamanders, slugs, worms, crickets, frogs, pinkies, etc. and their preferences vary per subspecies. people were saying that it's hard to give them all the variety they need. maybe the subspecies by jesse is predominantly snake-eating. i know the northerns tend to eat salamanders. this guy has kept them on worms it seems.

CHS Care Sheets - Snakes (http://webspinners.com/coloherp/careshts/snakes/ringneck.php)

Good info there. From my studies regalis is the most specialized when it comes to diet, consisting of nearly 100% snakes. They have been switched over to mice but I have only found a couple of records of that. I know the pacifics have been kept on snakes, lizards and salamanders and the other subs have a more varied diet of those items previously mentioned. From talking to the guy in my area that keeps them they are difficult to feed and they are for the most part rather fossorial only coming out if temps and humidity are just right.

-Thomas

[aquamentus_11]

ok, perfect. thank thomas.

[Stefan-A]

what have you read, stefan? i read that they do eat snakes, but also salamanders, slugs, worms, crickets, frogs, pinkies, etc. and their preferences vary per subspecies.
Pretty much the same as you, it seems.

[aquamentus_11]

just wondered, i just like reading about them so didn't know if you had anything in particular that you were looking at

[aquamentus_11]

i've found a seller with a couple adult southerns that are eating worms for him. i don't want to mess with another finicky eater though :cool:

[RedSidedSPR]

Well, they're main or preferred diet is supposedly snakes. But they'll eat other things too obviously. But it can be very, very difficult to get a captive ring neck to eat anything but snakes...

From what I've read. Which is a lot.

[Stefan-A]

Well, they're main or preferred diet is supposedly snakes. But they'll eat other things too obviously.
From what I've read, it's the other way around, with the exception of D. punctatus regalis.

[aquamentus_11]

From what I've read, it's the other way around, with the exception of D. punctatus regalis.

I've also read that. According to Fedzen, they can all be finicky, but each subspecies tends to have a weakness for a certain food type. Northerns like salamanders, regals and the western subspecies like reptiles while the southerns will eat just about anything. All of the subspecies will readily eat snakes though. There's not a whole lot out there on the care of these guys, but I've noticed a tendency to clump them all together. Probably why people tend to think that they're snake eaters and probably also why people tend to fail when trying to keep them. I looked into them further because I had a hard time believing that such small, nocturnal snakes could find sufficient numbers of properly sized snakes to support their supposedly huge population. Plus, they look cool.

[RedSidedSPR]

Okay. Guess you know better.

[annulataarethebest]

Hey Nate,
If you are interested in keeping ringneck snakes at all I'd suggest you go with southern ringneck snakes, I've kept 6 of the 12 U.S. sub-species of ringneck (though I don't think they consider there to be sub-species anymore?). Out of those 6 the southern ringneck snake was the easiest kept, a 10 gallon tank, a substrate of eco earth/moss/mulch, a clear water bowl that's big enough for a couple snakes to be in at the same time, and a bunch of hiding spots (flat rocks, pieces of bark), and the snakes will do more than fine. A good idea for a hidespot is a 6"X6"X3" rubbermaid/gladware container (the disposable plastic ones from wal mart, etc.), with a little bit of the substrate and also moistened moss, keep the lid on but cut out a circle in the middle for a entrance point... And bury the container into the substrate so the snake feels like it's going underground to hide. (Ringnecks need to feel very secure and at home to feed in captivity) One downfall to ringnecks is they tend to dry up quickly, but this container will prevent that, the snakes may hide outside of the container but if it gets too dry for them they'll end up there.

Southern ringnecks have the most variable diet out of any ringnecks I ever had, one group (3-5 adults) I had in a 10 gallon tank with the setup I described above thrived for years and eggs were laid several times. But out of this group on any given day of the week they would eat earthworms, tree frogs, salamanders, small snakes, anoles, skinks, even live day old pinkies were taken, it was also keeping this group that I saw how often southern ringnecks swim to try and catch fish. A water bowl filled with guppies would often times lead to the whole group swimming around in the bowl trying to catch the guppies, just like garter snakes.

Southerns are also one of the smallest "sub-species" there's a couple populations were adults will be full grown at 8"-9", I'd say on average they're about 11", and I've had a couple over the years that were near 15". Ringnecks in general can live long, and can thrive in captivity for as long as you can meet their never-ending needs. I had one 22" regal ringneck snake for 3 years, and I know of a guy in AZ who caught an adult regal 20 years ago and still has it, so that snake has to be at least 25 years old. Regardless of their size their musk is pretty bad, and they aren't really a snake you can hold, though they may tolerate it a little. I've never seen a ringneck bite a person, but in my group setting of southern ringnecks one snake bit another snake on the neck, and the snake that was bit on the neck died later that night. Not sure if southerns have venomous saliva like the regals or if the bite just punctured the snake's windpipe and caused it's death? Who knows. But ringnecks are in no way dangerous to people.

They're a cool snake if kept right. And despite being nocturnal they may still cruise through the enclosure at any time of day, whether or not they'll run and hide when they see you is a different story and depends mainly on the specimen...
I currently don't have any ringnecks, but would keep them again if I could get my hands on another albino or some regals.

[ConcinusMan]

Not exactly a beginners snake. They can be problematic. Diet and microclimate needs can be very difficult to meet in captivity. Overall, I would say, generally speaking, they don't make good captives. I've kept the san diego subspecies successfully (although it wasn't easy or very rewarding) and completely failed with others.

Like I say, generally speaking, they don't make very good captives and even if you do manage to keep them alive, you won't see them much unless you are constantly disturbing them. Care must be given to not let these guys "chew" on you. (they are rear fanged "warm" venomous herps) There are much better choices out there. They're cool and everything, but difficult to keep alive and not very rewarding when you do manage it.

You won't find them in pet stores, you won't find breeders selling them, you won't find them in the captive trade. There's good reasons for that.

[Selkielass]

Thanks for the description of your moist hide- my butler enclosure is starting to resemble this set up as I provide more of the spaces they utilize the most

[ConcinusMan]

When I kept San Diego ringnecks, I found that this is one critical thing when it comes to keeping them alive. I had to mist under pieces of bark and other hides, several times a day. That was critical to keeping them successfully. In fact, that's the only time of year you'll find them while herping. During the rainy season, under boards and tin where there's moisture and plenty of slender salamanders to eat. In the case of the san diego ringneck, that's all they would eat. Slender salamanders and their eggs (they lay eggs on land)

True, you can't lump all ringnecks together. I'm sure some are more difficult to keep than others, but none are all that easy, and there's a big difference between managing to keep them alive, and having them thrive. For the most part, if you just manage to keep them alive long term, you've accomplished something.

[aquamentus_11]

That was a lot of good info, Mike. I've used your site as reference many many times, but never felt truly capable to attempt their care. I'm currently out of the snake biz for an undetermined length of time while I focus on school. I may try to keep them in a decade or so ;)

[EasternGirl]

Hi Nate. It's good to hear from you. Was getting worried there. Glad you are alive and well. Drop a PM if you get the chance.