ABSTRACT

The family Colubridae consists of a very diverse group of snakes that are commonly seen in veterinary clinics. These include king snakes Lampropeltis sp., rat snakes Elaphe sp., indigo snakes Drymarchon sp., gopher, pine and bull snakes Pituophis sp., garter snakes Thamnophis sp. and hognose snakes Heterodon sp., among many other “typical” snakes. Proper husbandry techniques are critical when attempting to maintain or properly treat these animals. Aspects of the environment that need to be addressed include temperature, substrate type, humidity, enclosure size, caging materials, and ventilation. Other factors not commonly considered but very important are the social environment, or lack thereof, and environmental enhancement. A period of cooler temperatures is considered very important for many of the normal functions of these snakes including reproduction. Some data suggests that failure to hibernate colubrids consistently may increase the risk for ovarian or uterine disease in female snakes. Recent research has also shown that the maintenance of these animals in captivity under so called “ideal” indoor conditions may produce snakes which can be physically inferior and behaviorally abnormal. In order to enrich the captive environment, the clinician needs some understanding of the snake's natural habitat and prey. The use of outdoor enclosures for snakes may become more popular as herpetoculturists begin to realize their value in producing less stressed animals, and in the maintenance of heretofore very difficult to maintain snakes eg. queen snakes, Regina septemvittata, or whip-snakes Masticophis sp.