Hey guys,
I have been working for a friend of mine for a few years now in the line of conservation. We reecently did a search and rescue efffort in an area to be bulldozed and built up. We got +- 40 snakes in 2 weeks, all common stuff.
Now the bulldozers have arrived and many more snakes are popping out from underground. Specifically the Yellow bellied house snakes(Lamprophis fuscus), and they are monsters! Three dead, all about 50-60cms...
Now we have got the first live one. His back is broken 2/3rds of the way down, not badly but it is noticeable. He is close to 50cms and about as thick as my pinky. He seems to be in no discomfort and is active. Yesterday I brought him home and set him up in a 40cm x 20cm container with moist vermiculite and a sheet of slate rock as a hide which he curls up under. He has also got some heat from a small area of heating pad under the tub. I checked on him this morning before university and he has regained some movement in his tail and is quite the vocalist with nice loud hisses and jerky movements. Am going to get some sphaugum moss this week for him and try with a newborn pink next week. He will be re released with the other snakes after the developement has taken place, that is if he regains full mobility in the lower half of his body.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated and I will post pics during this week