My Treasures

[Reptiliancousin]

I've so many pictures of my babies that it's hard to select just a few to show off!

Wsle.jpg
Wesley was my first Ribbon. When I took Wesley in to my friend he told me that Wes was a girl.
Oops. I've tried changing the name but she's been Wesley since May of 2010 that it's very difficult
to fix! Wes was hunting out by my fish pond when I caught her an much smaller than she is now.

Charlie.jpg
Five months after I got Wes I found Charlie on Craigslist. I was blown away at Finally finding another
Ribbon snake. I'd been hunting around for so long that I was close to quitting. Charlie was kept in really
bad conditions and had many injuries. My friend told me Charlie was a boy. I got the name right
on that one. Charlie's wounds are healed but he's still very terrified of human presence.

SingyBigGirl.jpg
In July of 2011 I found Singapore also on Craigslist. Singapore was a huge thrill to find because she
was a Ribbon and also massive in size. I'd never seen a Ribbon as big as her! My friend confirmed
her sex. This big girl was being kept in a ten gallon tank. The previous owners caught her outside
their home and had decided to keep her. I'm not sure why I chose the name Singapore but it just
stuck. Presently she's now a little over three foot. I'm hoping that I was successful in pairing her with
Charlie.

Bj.jpg
B.J. is my most recent snake. After three months of continuous searching for more Ribbon snakes I
decided to try and order one from our local pet store. I was unsuccessful with ordering from them
two years before but decided to try again since they'd gotten in new staff. I placed the order and got a call
in October, three weeks later. I was highly impressed. My friend handed me B.J. an Eastern Ribbon
snake. He told me that B.J. was a boy. B.J. is so beautiful. The black is just gorgeous! Very pleased with
Beej.
I'm still on the hunt for the aqua blue ribbons. But that doesn't mean that I love my foursome any less!
I'm keeping my three little ones in a forty gallon and Singapore in a twenty. All of them get fed live fish twice
a week. Singapore is the one who especially looks forward to her fish! The most she's ever ate in one day is seven
large fish. I tampered with the idea of feeding her fuzzies like she was given before but don't know if I should since
everything I've read says that mice feeding is bad for their stomachs. Thoughts?
I'm also using Cypress Mulch for the bedding and 75 watt bulbs in both tanks. Since Singapore is very violent with
feeding I've been considering switching out her bedding for newspaper because she's choked one too many times on
Cypress chips. I'd hate to do that since she loves piling around herself or just move it around for fun. Thoughts?
More pictures will come! This is just an intro.

[guidofatherof5]

Ribbons, awesome. I only have one but consider her a very special girl.
http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/gene...bon-ranch.html

Any chance you can post a link to what you read about mice being bad.

I have my ribbon on as varied a diet as I can. Scented worms, pinkies and tilapia.

[Reptiliancousin]

I could try and find the links again. You've never had any trouble with your ribbon snake on that diet?
What kind of ribbon is she?

[guidofatherof5]

I could try and find the links again. You've never had any trouble with your ribbon snake on that diet?
What kind of ribbon is she?

Thamnophis proximus orarius (Gulf Coast Ribbon)

She started off eating fish only. Then fish scented pinkies. Then fish scented night crawlers.

Now she eats all three items. She'll take unscented pinkies but still requires me to scent the worms.

My hope is to acquire a male and breed these fine snakes.

[EasternGirl]

You could use a separate tank for feeding...that is what I do with my snakes so that they do not ingest any of the aspen that I use for substrate. Get a small tank to use just for feeding and put newspaper in the bottom of it and move the snake into it when it is time to feed. Many people use feed tanks. I am also not sure about the info you have on mice being bad for snakes...many of us feed frozen/thawed pinky mice to our snakes...I have never heard anything about them being bad for them. Where did you read this? Like Steve said, a varied diet is best. Snakes that are fed a fish only diet can develop a vitamin B1 deficiency which can lead to serious health problems. Feeding some fish is fine as long as the fish are of the safe kind...some types of fish have high levels of thiaminese and should not be given. What kind of fish do you feed? Your snakes are beautiful!

[Reptiliancousin]

I can't find the website where I read that from, but it stuck with me and I just stayed under the impression that feeding pinkies was bad for ribbon snakes.
It'll be nice to add other things to their diet. The fish I feed them are rosies, small gold fish, and mollies. I'll also add in small frogs they're available.
I feel rather silly for not researching any deeper into that. Live and learn.

[guidofatherof5]

I can't find the website where I read that from, but it stuck with me and I just stayed under the impression that feeding pinkies was bad for ribbon snakes.
It'll be nice to add other things to their diet. The fish I feed them are rosies, small gold fish, and mollies. I'll also add in small frogs they're available.
I feel rather silly for not researching any deeper into that. Live and learn.

Rosies and goldfish are on the bad list. Especially goldfish, Thiaminase and heavy parasite load.

Mollies are considered safe. Here's a link to the care sheet that goes more in depth about the whole Thiaminase issue.
Garter Snake Forum - Garter Caresheet

[EasternGirl]

Thaiminase..thank you...I always spell it wrong.

[chris-uk]

Thaiminase..thank you...I always spell it wrong.

Thiaminase, even. Although I suppose you were right with the second bit. You could claim that you were being ironic.


BTW - great ribbons.

[Chulio]

Very nice snakes and pictures!