Natrix Natrix! Noob seeking advice on how to care.

[Marvin]

Hi you guys! I was so lucky to find a Natrix natrix in the forrest the other day, so I decided to take it home with me. What can off substrate do they need? At the moment its in a homebox with the same earth i use for my spiders as substrate. Any advice on how to care for this? This is my first snake

 

[Marvin]

Can anyone who owns one of these snakes tell me if this is correct ? :

As their droppings tend to be semi-liquid, they should be kept in a cage with an easily cleaned floor. Paper towels or black and white newspaper are recommended. Sand, gravel, wood chips and corn cob bedding should be avoided. Living plants should not be kept in the cage, as they increase the humidity level.

 

[Falk]

Take it back to the forrest and leave it there

 

[MichiganReptiles]

Take it back to the forrest and leave it there

I have to agree. It would probably be much happier being in the forest and/or near water, eating frogs and fish.

 

[J.huff23]

Take it back to the forrest and leave it there

Yep I agree.

 

[Marvin]

Wouldn't all snakes? Is it because its wild caught that you think I should put it back or is it because this snake in general is not happy being kept privat? Sorry couldn't find the words for this. bad english

 

[pitbulllady]

Marvin, care of European Grass Snakes is identical to that of North American Water and Garter Snakes. The only difference between Natrix and Nerodia is that the former lays eggs, while the latter area all live-bearers.
They are basically kept exactly as you would a Corn or King Snake-DRY substrate with a bowl of fresh water large enough to soak in and drink from, which you will need to change often, due to many of these snakes using the bowls as toilets. Because they eat primarily fish and frogs, they DO have very runny and very smelly poop and you'll need to clean their cages often, which is why I recommend newspaper, not wood shavings(many types of wood shavings are highly toxic to snakes, especially pine or cedar), since it is easier to replace. I don't know about Grass Snakes, since those really aren't available in the US pet trade, but nearly all Garter and Water Snakes are easy to switch over to mice, by scenting the mice with fish. Just drop a few dead mice into a plastic bag with some fresh fish fillets from the market, and freeze the whole lot, then thaw up together. Jiggle a mouse by the tail with tongs(NOT your hand, unless you want to have a hungry snake attached to it; these guys have terrible aim)and more likely than not, the snake will grab it and start eating! After awhile, when the snake is feeding entirely on scented mice, you can start to eliminate the fish part of the equation, and the snake will accept just frozen/thawed mice. They have much less smell and less watery poop that way, and you will avoid all the health problems associated with certain fish that contain the enzyme Thiaminaise, such as goldfish, as this can be very harmful to snakes.

At the present, nearly all members of the genus Nerodia in captivity in the US are wild-caught snakes, as there are only about 3 people, myself including, even attempting to breed these. I have not heard of any European breeders working with Natrix, probably because they aren't perceived as "exotic" or "unusual" enough. That is a shame, because native snakes can and do make very rewarding captives. I have absolutely no qualms at all about taking a wild snake into captivity, providing it with a steady and healthy food source, protection from predators, medicine if it gets sick, help with shedding, etc. Snakes do not form abstract thought processes like, "gee, I wish I was back in the woods, where I had to run from predators, defend myself, go hungry for weeks at a time, put up with ticks and other parasites". As long as their needs are being met, they will thrive. When trying to establish a viable captive breeding population, it is necessary to remove some animals from the wild, and from time to time, it is also necessary to include wild-caught "fresh blood" to prevent captive gene pools from becoming genetically "stagnant". Both of my Suriname Boa Constrictors are wild-caught imports, imported as young adults, not as babies, yet they are both as tame and laid-back as any of my Colombians, who are the products of many generations of selective captive breeding. If those two animals were not sitting in large cages in my room, they could very well have become food for another predator, or a belt for one of Suriname's bauxite miners. There is certainly no indication that these, or my wild-caught Water Snakes, are "unhappy" and are wistfully longing to go back to the jungles or swamps from whence they came. If it is legal to take snakes from the wild and keep them where you live, Marvin, I have no problem with it.

pitbulllady

 

[Falk]

Marvin you cant even spell its name correctly

 

[Marvin]

@Pitbullady

Hi I thank you very much for taking your time to write this post. It has been very useful to me and there for I am thankfull.

They are basically kept exactly as you would a Corn or King Snake-DRY substrate with a bowl of fresh water large enough to soak in and drink from, which you will need to change often, due to many of these snakes using the bowls as toilets.

Great infomation. I will try to change the dirt substrate with newspapers and see how it goes. At the moment it has a piece of wood as a hide. I will throw up a picture of the enclosure once its done.

Because they eat primarily fish and frogs, they DO have very runny and very smelly poop and you'll need to clean their cages often,

Not a problem. I will be happy to do it for this beauty

which is why I recommend newspaper, not wood shavings(many types of wood shavings are highly toxic to snakes, especially pine or cedar), since it is easier to replace.

Thank you so much. I was actually talking to a mate about the substrate, and we both agreed on that wood chips would be the best for it. Thank you!

I don't know about Grass Snakes, since those really aren't available in the US pet trade, but nearly all Garter and Water Snakes are easy to switch over to mice, by scenting the mice with fish. Just drop a few dead mice into a plastic bag with some fresh fish fillets from the market, and freeze the whole lot, then thaw up together.Jiggle a mouse by the tail with tongs(NOT your hand, unless you want to have a hungry snake attached to it; these guys have terrible aim)and more likely than not, the snake will grab it and start eating! After awhile, when the snake is feeding entirely on scented mice, you can start to eliminate the fish part of the equation, and the snake will accept just frozen/thawed mice. They have much less smell and less watery poop that way, and you will avoid all the health problems associated with certain fish that contain the enzyme Thiaminaise, such as goldfish, as this can be very harmful to snakes.

I will definitly give this ago! Sounds like an easy and good plan for both me and the snake

At the present, nearly all members of the genus Nerodia in captivity in the US are wild-caught snakes, as there are only about 3 people, myself including, even attempting to breed these. I have not heard of any European breeders working with Natrix, probably because they aren't perceived as "exotic" or "unusual" enough. That is a shame, because native snakes can and do make very rewarding captives.

It is cool that you are trying to breed them. I for sure think they a really NICE animals!

I have absolutely no qualms at all about taking a wild snake into captivity, providing it with a steady and healthy food source, protection from predators, medicine if it gets sick, help with shedding, etc. Snakes do not form abstract thought processes like, "gee, I wish I was back in the woods, where I had to run from predators, defend myself, go hungry for weeks at a time, put up with ticks and other parasites". As long as their needs are being met, they will thrive.

This part I like the most. Cheers :clap: I will do my best to make sure this snake stays wealthy


I hope I may contact you in the future for further infomation I will try to throw up a picture later when I have rehoused it.

 

[Marvin]

Marvin you cant even spell its name correctly

Okay. Great post. Very informative.

 

[pitbulllady]

Well, no Marvin, I did NOT say that wood chips would be best for this snake. In fact, wood chips or wood shavings of ANY kind are actually quite BAD for snakes of this type, because they hold moisture and provide breeding grounds for harmful bacteria, which will soon make the snake very sick. NO WOOD CHIPS, NO WOOD SHAVINGS! Too hard to clean! You will have to clean this cage at least every other day if you feed it fish or frogs, and this is not practical with wood chips. I use newspaper with all of my Nerodia and Thamnophis(Garter Snakes, Ribbon Snakes). It is easy to replace and does not support bacterial growth well.

pitbulllady

 

[Marvin]

Well, no Marvin, I did NOT say that wood chips would be best for this snake. In fact, wood chips or wood shavings of ANY kind are actually quite BAD for snakes of this type, because they hold moisture and provide breeding grounds for harmful bacteria, which will soon make the snake very sick. NO WOOD CHIPS, NO WOOD SHAVINGS! Too hard to clean! You will have to clean this cage at least every other day if you feed it fish or frogs, and this is not practical with wood chips. I use newspaper with all of my Nerodia and Thamnophis(Garter Snakes, Ribbon Snakes). It is easy to replace and does not support bacterial growth well.

pitbulllady

I know You miss understood me I guess. I ment thanks for telling me, since I was just about to buy them.

 

[MichiganReptiles]

Okay. Great post. Very informative.

Good answer! Lol

PBL is awesome, isn't she? Good luck with your new snake. Let us know how it goes. Post some pics!!!

 

[MichiganReptiles]

Well, no Marvin, I did NOT say that wood chips would be best for this snake. In fact, wood chips or wood shavings of ANY kind are actually quite BAD for snakes of this type, because they hold moisture and provide breeding grounds for harmful bacteria, which will soon make the snake very sick. NO WOOD CHIPS, NO WOOD SHAVINGS! Too hard to clean! You will have to clean this cage at least every other day if you feed it fish or frogs, and this is not practical with wood chips. I use newspaper with all of my Nerodia and Thamnophis(Garter Snakes, Ribbon Snakes). It is easy to replace and does not support bacterial growth well.

pitbulllady

I don't mean to hijack the post but am curious what the best subsrate is for my boas?

 

[Marvin]

Good answer! Lol

PBL is awesome, isn't she? Good luck with your new snake. Let us know how it goes. Post some pics!!!

She has been a good help so far. Thanks man. Ill keep you updated. Here is a picture



Guessing its a she since the tail is thin. I read that the males of this species has a more thick tail compared to the females. Does anyone know for sure?

 

[pitbulllady]

I don't mean to hijack the post but am curious what the best subsrate is for my boas?

Boas can do well on aspen, cypress mulch, newspaper, corn cob bedding, almost anything that can be used for most snakes, since Boas don't poop like Water Snakes do(thank goodness)! They have very solid, formed poop and urates, a lot like dog poop, so it's pretty easy to scoop up, though you will need something like a coal scoop or a small shovel later on to do said scooping. Water Snakes poop like Mynah Birds. It's very loose and watery and they do it often, especially if fed frogs or toads. They will have to go every day as their kidneys get rid of the toxins from the frog or toad skin. You have to keep them on something that can be easily changed with regular frequency and easily replaced, that cannot be ingested along with their food(shavings tend to stick to fish or frogs and get swallowed).

pitbulllady

 

[Crysta]

aww that little girl is so beautiful!! Although I can't tell you if its a girl or not! Natrix with their diet seem like they would adapt well to captivity. Room temperature should be no problem with them either, if its a local species. (although i would worry if you have airconditioner.)

enjoy your snake!

 

[Marvin]

aww that little girl is so beautiful!! Although I can't tell you if its a girl or not! Natrix with their diet seem like they would adapt well to captivity. Room temperature should be no problem with them either, if its a local species. (although i would worry if you have airconditioner.)

enjoy your snake!

She ( I hope ) really is I will try to make it feel as much home as possible, and if I feel that its happy and has a good home I will keep it. If not I will find a very nice place in the forrest near some water and let it go. I'm hoping for the first option.

I'm guessing temperatures aren't a problem since its a native snake, so even when its alitle chilly in my room, the snake wouldn't bother because it would still be more cold out in the forrest?

 

[Marvin]

BTW.

I'm very much searching for inspiration on how to make a nice enclosure for these kind of snakes. If anyone who owns one would be able to throw up a pic or two of how their enclosures look it would be very much appreciated Also, what size enclosure do they need? I'm willing to spend some money on this for both me and the snake

 

[Crysta]

as long as it isn't colder then outside. On the other side, I find if you keep native snakes warmer then outside they will die off relativity quick. What part of europe are you from? Do yo have snow? If you do I'd recommend hibernating it during the winter time as well.

enclosure would be as long as the snake and half the with i think. I never kept my snakes in enclosures much longer then themselves.