Snakes That Do Not Eat Rodents: Insectivorous Snake Care

findi

Arachnodemon
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Hi, Frank Indiviglio here. I’m a herpetologist, zoologist, and book author, recently retired from a career spent at several zoos, aquariums, and museums, including over 20 years with the Bronx Zoo
Snakes that feed solely upon insects, earthworms, spiders, snails and other invertebrates are a great choice for folks who would rather not handle rats and mice. They also have other attractive characteristics, including small size, inoffensive natures, and adaptability to naturalistic terrariums containing live plants. What’s more, most receive scant attention as captives, and so offer us the opportunity to record new facts about their needs and habits. Several invertebrate-eaters, such as Brown Snakes (Storeria) and Ring-Necked Snakes (Diadophis), thrive in the hearts of large cities, while others, including the Worm Snakes (Carphophis), Black-Headed Snakes (Tantilla), Snail-Eating Snakes (Sibon), Red-Bellied Snakes (Storeria), Pine Woods Snakes (Rhadinae) and Flower Pot Snakes (Rhamphotyphlops), are sometimes collected and offered for sale. Today I’ll introduce this fascinating but over-looked group. Please see the articles linked below to read about others that can do without rodents, including Garter, Ribbon and Green Snakes. Read the rest of this article here http://bit.ly/1uZHmKl
Please also check out my posts on Twitter http://bitly.com/JP27Nj and Facebook http://on.fb.me/KckP1m

My Bio, with photos of animals I’ve been lucky enough to work with: http://bitly.com/LC8Lbp

Best Regards, Frank
 

The Snark

Dumpster Fire of the Gods
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Which reminds me. The egg and snail eating snakes. One has teeth of a sort, cartilage?, in it's throat to crack shells. What is that set of teeth called? I was told it had a specific name which I've been unable to recall for ages!
 

findi

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Bill Myers

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I'd recommend Brown Snakes for any small children.

Our, at that time, 5-year-old daughter was deathly afraid of snakes, so I caught a couple of Midland Brown Snakes (Storeria dekayi wrightorum) and put them in a terrarium in her room. Within a week, she was handling them and showing them to all of her friends. They were great pets and never nipped at anyone. However, keeping them supplied with slugs and worms over the winter months last year was a bit of a challenge, so we let them go this past summer.

Great pets with a gentle disposition.

Cheers
 

findi

Arachnodemon
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Hello Frank,

could you name the species of snake you had pictured in that article? some of them are quite breath taking.
Hi, Thanks for your interest; sorry the names did not post. From top to bottom of the article they are:

Cloudy Snail eating Snake, Sibon neblata
Eastern Worm Snake, Carphophis amoensis
Flowerpot Snake/Brahminy Blind Snake, Ramphotyphlops braminus
Southern Ringnecked Snake, Diadophis punctatus

Best, Frank

---------- Post added 11-16-2014 at 01:07 PM ----------

That's the puppy. Thanks!
The link provided in your first post provides the specific names of the bones involved
 

The Snark

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Aren't almost all or all blind snakes alternate food source eaters?
 

findi

Arachnodemon
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Aren't almost all or all blind snakes alternate food source eaters?
Unrelated snakes from several families go by that common name; all feed upon invertebrates; some may take tiny salamanders.
 
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