Anyone ever heard these?

[Serpentine99]

kingsnake.com Classifieds (http://market.kingsnake.com/detail.php?cat=6&de=554547)

has anyone ever heard of these species. i suspect the seller bought some foreign reptile from a shaky source.

[RZL36]

No, they are native to the Southern United States. Pretty cool snakes. Rear fanged, but pretty harmless.

I like Eastern Hogs like the Jersey ones, but do not keep them b/c their food source (basically just frogs and they are pretty expensive in my area.). They actually have been known to get sick when fed rodents. Kinda the opposite of what talk about in regards to garters.

[sschind]

They actually have been known to get sick when fed rodents.

Do you have a link to the source of this information? I'm just curious as I have had several eastern hogs, some for quite a few years and they seemed to be fine on a rodent diet.

[RZL36]

From Hognose.com: "Eastern hognosed snakes are the most difficult of the Heterodon species to breed and maintain. Primarily amphibian eaters, Heterodon platirhinos can be trained to accept rodents. However, there is some evidence that prolonged feeding of mammals to Eastern hognosed snakes may result in death from fatty liver disease. Parasites are also a significant cause in the death of many easterns."

[Stefan-A]

I've just read that Heterodon simus is exclusively a toad eater. Never even heard that they would actually get sick from eating rodents.


edit: Just checked the book, it says the same about Heterodon platyrhinos.

[sschind]

Thanks,

I wasn't doubting you by the way, I just wanted more info.

[RZL36]

I didn't think that you were. I've heard of people who have kept platirhinos on a diet of mice with little effect. Wasn't trying to be snide, just wanted to get the info to ya.

[Serpentine99]

kingsnake.com Classifieds (http://market.kingsnake.com/detail.php?cat=6&de=554581)
Sorry guys it looks like i posted the wrong link i actually wanted to know what these snakes were not the hognoses:rolleyes:

[adamanteus]

It's an African Sand Snake, genus Psammophylax, I believe.

[Serpentine99]

oh ok have you ever heard them called that before?
Skaapsters?

[adamanteus]

Skaapsteker. Yes, the name is Afrikaans, it means something to with sheep, I think!? They're active, diurnal, lizard eating, opisthoglyphs (rear-fanged) but not dangerous. I don't do 'Google', but if you search Psammophylax you might find some more accurate answers than I can give you without looking them up!

[Serpentine99]

cool thanks

[Stefan-A]

Any relation to Psammophis?

[RZL36]

Both are from the subfamily psammophiinae

[adamanteus]

On the subject of African snakes... Beware of 'African Garter Snakes', if you ever see them for sale. They are (obviously) unrelated to Thamnophis, and are in fact extemely dangerous. They are an Elapid, genus Elapsoidea. You would probably never see them for sale though.

[RZL36]

Hahhahaha. Good call James.

You are right on never finding one. I've never seen one for sale, but I was wondering when that would come up. From what I've gathered, the only snakes that crap on their cage walls incessantly are garters and cobras. They are both pretty twitchy too. Don't they say that elapids are really just slightly more advanced colubrids?

[flakgunner]

hey,
their pretty neat looking,never seen them at any swap meets,around our area.

Britannica Online Encyclopedia (http://www.britannica.com/eb/art/print?id=56799&articleTypeId=0)

Striped Grass Snake (http://www.geocities.com/snakes_of_sa/skaap1.html)

Joe

[anji1971]

That IS a really pretty snake, looks like silver and gold from the picture! I'm learning about a lot of different types of snake lately on this forum!

[adamanteus]

I'm learning about a lot of different types of snake lately on this forum!

I think we all are, Anji. Some of our newer members have brought a vast amount of knowledge with them!:)