Brown snake baby care?

[Loren]

I just got a call from someone who just had a brown snake(storeria subspecies) give birth to a whole mess of little ones- like 3 or 4 inches long.
Anyone have first hand advise on care (feeding, substrate, humidity, heat, etc) for the babies that I can pass on to him? I only know that it came from texas- not sure of the exact subspecies.

[infernalis]

Babies? WooHoo.

For ours, we kept all babies together in one tank, average (household) humidity, feed them baby worms and slugs.

Neonate browns will thrive on little garden slugs the size of a booger, place a lot of flat items out where it is moist, flip in the early AM and at dusk to gather slugs.

Since they are so tiny, getting small food items is important.

They will not touch fish, amphibians or pinkies, never gonna happen, worms and slugs are the only thing they have ever ate for me.

Temps, I kept at room temperature, on chilly mornings, I set a small space heater on the floor, to gently warm the tank to around 75 (not much more, Dekays are delicate)

For substrate, I used SOD. The grass holds moisture, provides cover, and gives the slugs something to eat till the snakes eat them. (never had substrate ingestion while using sod)

It's lots and lots of work:D

http://www.reformedsniper.net/snakes/images/hpim0365.jpg

http://www.reformedsniper.net/snakes/images/hpim0389.jpg

[Sid]

Wayne's advice is right on the money, Loren. You have your work cut out for with these tiny babies.

[Lori P]

Wayne, I'm interested in that tank-- did you literally plant it with grass?

[infernalis]

I went out by the barn and cut a piece of lawn all the way down to the dirt.

That way all I had to do was drop slugs in there. I kept the grass watered, and trim with scissors. The babies would find cracks and go subterranean, it was cool.

Here is a twist I forgot, those babies are still going to be smallish this winter, ever try finding slugs in a snow bank?

We had to farm slugs in the basement.

[anji1971]

Here is a twist I forgot, those babies are still going to be smallish this winter, ever try finding slugs in a snow bank?

We had to farm slugs in the basement.

I had to do that for my Dekay's when I had him. Fortunately, they breed like demon spawn, so it went pretty well!

[infernalis]

they breed like demon spawn

Oh yea, just house a male/female pair:D you'll be a snake breeder real quickly.

http://www.reformedsniper.net/snake/xena1.jpg

[Zephyr]

What I was thinking was throwing together a small compost heap for the babies... Grab worms, slugs, etc and let them go at it. XD

[anji1971]

Oh yea, just house a male/female pair:D you'll be a snake breeder real quickly.

http://www.reformedsniper.net/snake/xena1.jpg

Actually, I was talking about the slugs!!! But good to know about the snakes too.....:D

[infernalis]

Yeah, the slugs breed well, and I have a friend with a restaurant, she gives me free (yucky) salad all the time for the slugs. Dark, damp and cool, We used an old chest freezer. man it stunk inside, had to hold my breath to gather them.

[GartersRock]

Hey Wayne!
I have been wanting to breed browns but us here in South TX have it terrible when it comes to finding tiny worms and slugs (which I don't think we even really have). What do you suggest?

[Zephyr]

Hey Wayne!
I have been wanting to breed browns but us here in South TX have it terrible when it comes to finding tiny worms and slugs (which I don't think we even really have). What do you suggest?
You could try starting a compost heap. If you go to a nearby hardwood forest and dig in the leaf litter you'll definitely find worms and slugs. Grab a couple of these, start your heap with a base of potting soil and just add on any organics. Pretty soon you'll have free food. You may have to water it to keep the humidity up though.

[GartersRock]

Cool tip Zephyr! Thanks!

[infernalis]

Throw in green lettuce scraps, slugs eat it.

[Loren]

Thanks for the advise Wayne, and everyone else.

[Chunky]

I went out by the barn and cut a piece of lawn all the way down to the dirt.

That way all I had to do was drop slugs in there. I kept the grass watered, and trim with scissors. The babies would find cracks and go subterranean, it was cool.

Here is a twist I forgot, those babies are still going to be smallish this winter, ever try finding slugs in a snow bank?

We had to farm slugs in the basement.

How big do the slugs need to be cause I step-found one that's roughly 3 inches.(He is hiding under my key board as I type :O)

[infernalis]

How big do the slugs need to be cause I step-found one that's roughly 3 inches.(He is hiding under my key board as I type :O)

These are perfect size..

(the photo was taken looking into a nyquil measure cup)

http://www.thamnophis.co/feeding/worms.jpg