My Story: Storeria dekayi

[slipknot711]

also two should be fine in that size tank, i always like to go bigger but its fine. brownies like to climb so if you can add some height to the tank thatd be great. i wouldnt suggest breeding them, i have read alot (some on here) that the babies are very very tiny and can be difficult to feed... or atleast hold off for a couple years until you know what works best.

[guidofatherof5]

also two should be fine in that size tank, i always like to go bigger but its fine. brownies like to climb so if you can add some height to the tank thatd be great. i wouldn't suggest breeding them, i have read alot (some on here) that the babies are very very tiny and can be difficult to feed... or at least hold off for a couple years until you know what works best.

Good advice Ashley. The neonates diameter is about the same as a piece of spaghetti. Slugs and earthworms are needed and can be difficult to impossible to find in certain seasons. I had very limited success with my neonates. I think nature does a much better job providing for these little scrubs.

[Herp Derp]

Yes Ian I do plan to replicate it's habitat as best as I can. I used the cactus soil(the aloe plant sort of went with the soil) after reading up on blisters being caused from too much moisture in captive environments so I thought cactus soil is pretty dry for a substrate. The copper thing was just an idea to keep slugs in a certain area inside the tank and have them breed(I guess I'll just breed them in a separate container), I am looking ahead of time for ways to make it self-sufficient as possible. I have been researching breeding colonies for food

[guidofatherof5]

Can you explain with a little more depth "self-sufficient"

[Herp Derp]

Hey Ashley, if I do need to go bigger I can, I had read up that too big a tank may intimidate a small snake. I am still looking for as much info as I can on these snakes so any input is good. You mentioned they like to climb which puzzles me since they are said to live underground. I think snakes in general seem to like to climb because in captivity they dont like being confined to a small area(even if it was the size of a backyard) and are looking to get out and roam. I don't plan to breed them right away, but if this snake needs a companion I'll go look for another. I'm asking for future considerations, knowledge and the odd chance this one gives birth, say in about 3-4 months(read somewhere they have babies around sept/oct). Back to the bigger, I do have a 150g(5'x2'x2', got it for 50$ badly cracked drilled bottom) that I could convert into a home... probably would never find the snake in that lol.

Back to underground(sorry my mind wanders off into many directions), if they live mostly underground, making an natural habitat would be kind of pointless since you would never see it.

[Herp Derp]

Thank you Steve for the comparison of size of neonates I can now visualize how "tiny" tiny is. I really do wonder if they would eat white worms(more known in aquaria world I think), those worms are tiny. As for self-sufficient it would mean having the slugs and worms grow in the enclosure and the snake could hunt and eat at its own leisure and low maintenance. I keep fish and Ive been looking into turning it into some sort of aquaponics system to take the nitrates out of the water so water changes would be less or non at all and just topping off the water. I noticed a funny thing the other day, I had a few snails in the tank and one of them ate the black part of the snakes feces, but left the white part... so by self-suffiecient, I mean I`d like to create a mini environment where everything sort of works together.

[Herp Derp]

So the other day I was handling my snake as I normally do for the short amount of time I`ve had her. Letting her slither around my hands and fingers and she pooped on me... is that a natural occurrence? I was also reading some other thread about snakes dying of impaction... and I thought perhaps the problem is the enclosure not having enough places for the snake to wedge between to assist in eliminating the blockage.

[Herp Derp]

I have too many questions, hopefully I'm not overly monopolizing, but I really don't want to forget my random questions. I just saw my snake look like it wanted to throw up(nothing came out though) and is roaming the tank... what does that mean? When a snake sheds its skin and you measure it.. is that the same length of your snake? how fast should the pulse/breathing beat?

[guidofatherof5]

Not sure what to tell you about the throwing up thing. Maybe too much water. If it continues then there could be a problem.
As a rule sheds are longer then the actual snake.
Can't answer your last question. Sorry.

[slipknot711]

my brownie likes to hide a lot, but sometimes she comes out and likes to get up high and relax. breathing i do not know. Pooping yes wild animals poop when and where they want. and am i thinking of the correct white worm you described? those tiny white squiggles you get in water tanks? if im incorrect my apologies. if I am correct I would not feed them to the neonates... if you mean grubs those would be ok BUT good luck getting enough. sorry you wrote so much im trying to keep up