Not a garter but a colubrid

[Tora]

So, about 2 weeks ago, I found an injured southern ringneck snake. I didn't attempt to sex the little one as I just wanted to get it healed up and back out on it's snakey ways. It looked like part of it's tail had been broken off and there were a couple scratches up the body. Nothing serious, and I figured with just a little rest in a slightly drier space would help since it's been raining here almost non-stop. The injuries scabbed up and about a week and a half after I found it, the little guy shed and the scabs were almost gone. Well, now, I have 5 eggs and I was wondering what you guys believe would be a similar species to follow for incubation temps. My reptile room is around 80-82 degrees and the humidity in it is around 60% since I keep sub-tropical species of lizards.

Any advice is helpful!

[Dan72]

I know nothing about this to help but sure hope you get some answers that do. Any chance you would share some pics of mom and the eggs? If you can find a way to incubate them to term what are your plans for them? Release or find homes? Does this change your thoughts on what your doing with mom or did you already release her! Cool surprise.

[Tommytradix]

incubate as you would any colubrid

[Tommytradix]

in perlite or vermiculite in a tub in your reptile room sounds good to me. thats how i used to do turtle eggs found in the same climate

[Tora]

I'll get pics of mom and the eggs in the morning, but my plans are still to release mom once her wounds are fully healed so probably in a week or so. I'm most likely going to release the babies unless there are any mutations like albinos or something. Might keep one or two of the babies if I can get them to eat. Mom ate two earthworms and the smallish cricket that managed to get in her tank earlier tonight.

For now I have the eggs on moist, but not soaked, plain potting soil. This is fresh out of a bag of soil I picked up a couple days ago for starting some seeds this weekend.

[slipknot711]

maybe this can help. since most of us garter freaks dont have incubators around lol. The eggs are then transferred to an “incubation box”, which can be another plastic box with no holes and a tight fitting lid. This box may contain a vermiculite/water mixture (50/50 by weight or approximately 1/3 cup of water to one cup of vermiculite). Other incubation mediums have been successfully utilized, including perlite, sand and even moistened paper towels, but vermiculite is the one we are most familiar with, and therefore, that which we strongly recommend. The lid is removed every two to three days in order to allow some air exchange. The eggs hatch in 50-110 days depending upon the species and the incubation temperature. No external heat is necessary if the eggs are placed in a warm location such as the upper shelf of a closet where temperatures may range from 24-29°C (75-85°F). this is more

[Albert Clark]

Great job and kudos on all your positive intervention.

[Dan72]

I read up a little on them last night. 45 to 60 days on the eggs before they hatch.

[Tora]

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I couldn't get a pic of her tail, and she already doesn't look like she just ate last night. The wet area by the water bowl is because she was just shedding and the last of the scabs are gone. She didn't want the shed box so she made her own area. The eggs are in a container that I just took the lid off of when I took the picture. Mom is surprisingly okay with handling. She thrashes for a moment while she is out of the tank, but once she realizes she is safe, she curls around a finger or two and looks at home. Can't wait to see what the babies look like. You can't really see it in the pictures, but mom is more of a grey than a jet black like the other ringnecks around here, so I'm kind of hoping to see even lighter babies in a couple months. When I found the eggs, It had been just a little too long after being layed so they are stuck to each other now, but since that's how it works in nature, I'm just going to incubate them as is.

[Albert Clark]

Lovely little ringneck female! Fantastic job Dr. Tora

[Tora]

Momma seems to eat a variety of invertebrates, including the occasional cricket that gets through the screen lid. Slugs appear to be her favourite, with tadpoles in at a close second. She snarfs down food and is getting used to my handling her. I tried baby anoles with her, since the cuban brown anoles are everywhere here, and she is not interested. I guess worms and slugs are her preferred food.

The eggs are looking great. I just candled them last night and all of them appear to be good. They all have veins and you can see the embryos now!

[Rushthezeppelin]

Momma seems to eat a variety of invertebrates, including the occasional cricket that gets through the screen lid. Slugs appear to be her favourite, with tadpoles in at a close second. She snarfs down food and is getting used to my handling her. I tried baby anoles with her, since the cuban brown anoles are everywhere here, and she is not interested. I guess worms and slugs are her preferred food.

The eggs are looking great. I just candled them last night and all of them appear to be good. They all have veins and you can see the embryos now!

I wonder if those guys have the enzymes to digest chitin. I know garters don't, but not sure about other colubrids.

[d_virginiana]

I wonder if those guys have the enzymes to digest chitin. I know garters don't, but not sure about other colubrids.

I think ringnecks do, but insects are only recommended as a staple for very young ones... Other than that the only other North American colubrids in the pet trade at all I know of that can digest chitin are green snakes.

[guidofatherof5]

This link shows some dietary needs.

HerpNet.net - Iowa Reptiles and Amphibians - Ringneck Snake - Diadophis punctatus (http://www.herpnet.net/Iowa-Herpetology/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=62&Itemid=26)

[Tora]

Well, today the weather was perfect and her wounds were all healed up, so I tried to let momma ringneck go. She proceeded to curl around my fingers for an hour and wouldn't leave. I even tried setting her in the grass where I found her and she just slithered up onto my shoe. I'd already gotten the okay to keep her, but I figured she'd be happy to get back outside. Guess I was wrong lol.

4 out of the 5 eggs are good. the last egg is still really dented like it was freshly laid, but I'm gonna keep it until it starts to mold. 9 days down, 36 more to go!

[Tora]

What would you guys suggest for tankmates for a southern ringneck? Obviously I can't house her with any smaller species of snakes or lizards, but what do you think about maybe brown snakes?

[guidofatherof5]

They are a snake eater. Not sure I would stress either snake.

[Albert Clark]

How about another southern ringneck? Maybe of the same sex for now?