Natrix Natrix! Noob seeking advice on how to care.

[Marvin]

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.

If this is the case, the snake cannot stay at my place, since I have Ts in the same room, and they for sure need some heat. Would you be able to apply a link to that statement?

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.

I'm from Denmark. It is summer now, so no snow at the moment. At winter, we do have snow though. How do I hybernate it? and what would happen if I didn't ? [

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.

I see. In that case I should probably start looking for a new enclosure for it right away. Its just in a big homebox at the moment. I'm guessing the snake is almost one meter long.

 

[Crysta]

your in denmark!! you snake should be fine in your T' room then I thought you were in a colder area of europe.
Heres a link to a website i found with a quick search. It says it needs water to hold the entire body, meaning curled up comfy water dish should be fine.

http://www.michellecaldwell.com/linkfiles/scaredcricket/articles/speciesspotlight/natrix.html

Just put the snake in the basement where its 0c all the time, for the span of the winter months. If you don't, he might be wanting to since his internal clock is fixed to hibernate so he might refuse food for a few months anyways, and to reduce energy usage the snake looks for a place to rest so he doesn't lose much weight while the winter months are passing. This is just theory though, i've only hibernated gartersnakes and redbellies, but I think the same might go for natrix.

 

[Marvin]

your in denmark!! you snake should be fine in your T' room then I thought you were in a colder area of europe.
Heres a link to a website i found with a quick search. It says it needs water to hold the entire body, meaning curled up comfy water dish should be fine.

http://www.michellecaldwell.com/linkfiles/scaredcricket/articles/speciesspotlight/natrix.html

Thanks for the link. Very useful I will do alitle more research on hybernating, and return to this thread, probably with more questions

 

[missscarlett]

Natrix Natrix Noob

Is just yanking this snake out of the wild like that legal? If so, I guess I should grab every wild tarantula out of AZ I can find...they'll be so much safer with me
Seriously, taking a wild animal with the correct permits might be just fine if you know how to breed them and the knowledge goes to good use. Just grabbing a snake because it looks cool and you want a pet is questionable, no? Many wild species (especially those not being bred in captivity) are on a serious decline! If you really like this snake, get involved in conservation for that species or it's habitat. Turn this little snakey loose, try your husbandry and breeding skills on something like corns, THEN see if you can make a difference to breed this declining species. Just a thought...

 

[Crysta]

im not from europe, but is denmark apart uk? lol
http://www.arkive.org/grass-snake/natrix-natrix/info.html

This species is fully protected against being sold, injured or killed in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (3). One main aim of the conservation strategy for this species is to educate people about the grass snake, and to encourage them to tolerate its presence (6).

I guess if he doesn't sell it, or hurt it, or kill it? And I am pretty sure he will enjoy tolerating the natrix.

as a kid when i was like 6 i used to keep garter snakes and all that, I am sure there are many people who've done the same. Though you probably will say that doesn't make it right? I guess it depends on what the person thinks.

Miss, think about all those ball pythons imported out of africa, the adult g roseas people by at pet stores, most people keep them as pets, never even attempting to breed them. In a way we all have a hand in the declining of species by using gas, and other harmful chemicals, and those products of the computer you're using. Maybe by this guy keeping this snake he will educate others that this really isn't a pitviper, and they will learn to reconize it, insted of killing this species on sight. Maybe you think this should be left to people with permits, but it's also some of those people not making the effort to share their abundance of knowlege with the majority of people.

 

[ZephAmp]

Just my two cents...
Everything Pitbullady said; I agree.
They're basically egg laying garter snakes (Thamnophis.)
Beautiful girl you've got there.

 

[pitbulllady]

Is just yanking this snake out of the wild like that legal? If so, I guess I should grab every wild tarantula out of AZ I can find...they'll be so much safer with me
Seriously, taking a wild animal with the correct permits might be just fine if you know how to breed them and the knowledge goes to good use. Just grabbing a snake because it looks cool and you want a pet is questionable, no? Many wild species (especially those not being bred in captivity) are on a serious decline! If you really like this snake, get involved in conservation for that species or it's habitat. Turn this little snakey loose, try your husbandry and breeding skills on something like corns, THEN see if you can make a difference to breed this declining species. Just a thought...

Not all places have laws that prohibit taking native wild animals and keeping them in captivity. MY state, South Carolina, actually ENCOURAGES people living in the state who want an unusual pet to seek out and keep native species, so if they do escape, they won't have to worry about non-native animals establishing here. They'd much rather see someone capture a King Snake or Rat Snake than bring in an exotic species. Do not assume that every place has the same laws. Laws can backfire and often do. In neighboring Georgia, it's so strict that you cannot even have a Snow Corn or a Leucistic Black Rat, even though those are bred in captivity from many generation in captivity.

AND, as I have already pointed out, there are many species of snake for which there are no well-established captive breeding populations, for whatever reasons. This is the case with my Water Snakes; I am one of only about 3-4 people in the US actually trying to propagate them in captivity. If I had to depend on captive-bred stock for my breeding program, suffice it to say that I'm going to have some really messed-up, highly, highly inbred snakes that no one in their right mind would want to buy!

ALL of our tarantulas, and scorpions, and reptiles for the most part, are closely descended from recently wild-caught animals. Do YOU keep those just because "they look cool", as you are assuming that Marvin is doing? You DO realize that many of those, including many animals you might be keeping, are rarely bred in captivity, so most are likely to be wild-caught, right? Why would you assume that his reasons, or MY reasons, for wanting to keep a certain animal are any different from yours? Know what this is? This is PETA and HSUS getting through to you, convincing you that collecting wild animals is always wrong. It is Animal Rights-Speak, and it's a dangerous path. It IS true that many species in the wild are on the decline, which is all the MORE reason to try to establish as many viable breeding colonies IN CAPTIVITY as possible, if we want to keep those species from becoming extinct! Take the Eastern Indigo Snake, for example. They are critically endangered and possibly only exist in a relatively small part of Florida now. It's illegal to keep or breed them without an expensive Federal permit, so there are very few breeders working with that species. Even fewer zoos are trying to breed them, so if something happens to the remnant wild populations, like a disease or a hurricane or massive wildfire, that wild population could be pushed over the edge, and then what? With it being so difficult to get to keep them in captivity, that could mean the end for a beautiful species. At least with a viable captive breeding population that is large enough to be genetically diverse, we can still have a world with Eastern Indigos in it.

And I have to ask, just HOW do you know that Natrix natrix is declining, world-wide? This is actually the most common snake species in Europe. They may be on the decline in the UK, but that is just an island, a tiny fraction of the entire European continent. Don't assume, as I said, that every European country has the same laws that the UK, or your home state in the US, has. The Grass Snake's decline in the UK has nothing to do with people capturing them from the wild, by the way, but is due to habitat loss and a decline in prey. It's like some of the Midwestern US states protecting Black Rat Snakes from being collected because they are rare there, but here where I live, they are everywhere! IF this guy Marvin was going around capturing Grass Snakes by the thousands and selling them to anyone and everyone who had the Euros, then there could be a problem, but he's not. If he follows my guidelines, he's actually got a very good pet snake, one which has been sadly overlooked by captive breeders for the same reasons that Water Snakes have-not perceived as pretty or unusual enough, though to be nasty-tempered and difficult to keep, none of which are true.

And no, CentipedeFreak, Denmark is not part of the UK, so they would not have the same laws.

pitbulllady

 

[Marvin]

I woke up this morning to check on my snake, when I saw that it was no longer inside its enclosure. It was so hilarious! I found it inside my computer hehe. Fun experience for me, but I think maybe the snake was alitle stressed out since it pooped and made that awfull smell they do. But its back in its dear home now

 

[Marvin]

By the way, these snakes are not allowed in captivity in Denmark for unknown reasons. As in many other european countries, you can find these snakes everywhere in Denmark. I do not know why they are not allowed to keep, I just know that I found like 10 on the same spot, and thats why I took one home with me. I know a place where they lay in like 100's because they have hybernated during the winther. It is in my fathers garden, and he is doing some work there so next weekend I go there to wake them up and set them free in the forrest.

 

[pouchedrat]

And my state Maryland, it is OK to keep something like 3 native snake specimens as long as they're not on the list of protected snakes. I have two southern ring necks who apparently are native to here (didn't know until after I bought them from a person in Florida) and it's ok. I can apply for a special permit if I breed them or sell them. I forgot how much it was per year, but that's really it.

All states are different. I'm sure all countries are as well.

/edit- it's actually 4 native snakes from a certain list, and up to 25 eggs or tadpoles taken from the wild. the uncommon list, you can possess 1. Also, any albino, color mutation, partial albino, etc, as a result of captive breeding, from the list you can possess as many as you'd like.

 

[LovePets]

...pouchers....:barf:

 

[pouchedrat]

?? I purchased them from a person in Florida. I did not go out and collect them from the wild, I didn't even KNOW they were native to this state until long after I bought them (I thought only northerns were native to here. Hell I didnt' even know GREEN SNAKES are native to here, I used to see them for sale in New York CONSTANTLY!!). They're long term captive juveniles and are doing great...

I was just saying that different states and countries have different laws. That is all. Not sure what the vomit and angry smiley is for. I'm sorry I bought snakes from a reptile dealer in another state and set them up with a naturalistic enclosure and feed them worms and slugs, I guess...?

 

[pitbulllady]

...pouchers....:barf:

You got something against Pouched Rats, dude? Or kangaroos, maybe? They have pouches, so I guess they'd be "pouchers".

A "poacher", by the way, is a person who illegally kills game animals out-of-season, usually for profit, to sell parts of the animal, or who kills protected, Endangered species for profit, like people who kill tigers to sell their skins and bones to make traditional Asian "medicine" and aphrodesiacs. If people did not LEGALLY capture animals from the wild, there would NOT be any for YOU to own in captivity, like tarantulas and scorpions, although I could be mistaken that you actually keep animals. We unfortunately get a lot of Animal Rights trolls on here who do not believe in keeping animals, or who think that they are the one person on the planet with the knowledge to keep animals.

pitbulllady

 

[missscarlett]

Actually Webster says "Poach:To take fish or game illegally". So since Marvin knows that this species is protected from being kept, just to be clear, he is, indeed "poaching". TOTALLY besides the point I was making, which is that Marvin should be clear about the local laws AND that a wild-caught animal is PROBABLY not the best "first pet" for a self-proclaimed "noob"! I think both points are fairly sound to a reasonable person.
I have no beef with animals in captivity, but as a reptile rescue and rehabber, I have to do alot of educating school kids on why it's not great to grab a local snake in their yard and let it die miserably when a corn would have been, probably, a much better choice. And may I point out that before I responded, at least three other people posted the same sentiment of "let it go!". Not sure why you gave me such a venomous answer and talking about "Animal Rights Trolls", but maybe you should examine your own feelings about other people sharing their differing opinions, as we all have a right to do, correct?
I hope Marvin can do right by this little snakey, but if not, I'm glad to see he would turn it loose before it goes downhill, and hopefully get a captive bred beauty instead (gee, I don't think I ever said he shouldn't have a snake...).
Chillllll-aaakkkss, me peeps!

 

[LovePets]

?? I purchased them from a person in Florida. I did not go out and collect them from the wild, I didn't even KNOW they were native to this state until long after I bought them (I thought only northerns were native to here. Hell I didnt' even know GREEN SNAKES are native to here, I used to see them for sale in New York CONSTANTLY!!). They're long term captive juveniles and are doing great...

I was just saying that different states and countries have different laws. That is all. Not sure what the vomit and angry smiley is for. I'm sorry I bought snakes from a reptile dealer in another state and set them up with a naturalistic enclosure and feed them worms and slugs, I guess...?

I am not refering at you pouchedrat,sorry if I wasn't clear. :wall:
And yeah,I wanted to say poAchers,my bad. :8o
I was refering at Marvin.Is illegally to keep native snakes in most of the Europe,but if you really want a native species you can buy a cb one.
In plus,as missscarlet said,a wc animal isn't the best option for a first pet snake.
I am a fieldherper in becoming,so I caught a lot of grass snakes,I take some photos and release them.I wanted a pet snake and I bought a CB baby cornsnake(but I was forced to sell it),I didn't caught a wild snake and kept it.
If Marvin really want a pet snake,he can choose from a big variety of exotic snakes that are cheap and easier to care for than a grass snake.
Thats all I had to say.
I wish you all the best,
Florin!

 

[Crysta]

hmm when I was 8 my first pet snake was a wild snake. Then when i was 11 i had salamanders... No help from anyone else, except the internet, and then there wasn't too much on them as there is today. They aren't harder to keep then a cornsnake. Eitherway, I think theres people who have corn snakes, and don't take care of them properly either, like keeping too warm, ect. But it depends on the person.
What's the difference of buying a cb bred native species when they are illegal to keep? Their genes where wild once.

 

[ThomasH]

Marvin you cant even spell its name correctly

Falk you can't even put the apostrophe between the n and the t. Let's not judge people's competence and ability by grammar, mkay?

Husbandry for this species is fairly simple and basic, I'd just put it in a twenty gallon with a big enough water bowl to soak, a heat spot and maybe a hide or two.

TBH

 

[Marvin]

Hello everyone! I went to the forrest today, and decided to set free the little snakie. I'm sure they can do well in captivity, but I didn't have enough cash or space to give it a decent home. So I put it back into the forrest near a really beauty full lake. It went straight into the water

Thanks to everyone who gave me advice! I'm hooked on snakes now and I will be needing your advice again soon enough when I get another snake!

 

[Crysta]

that's great marvin good luck in the future.

 

[Marvin]

that's great marvin good luck in the future.

Thank you very much and like wise to you!