Keeping mole snake babies

[it_bit_me]

I tried this last year and had no good news. The babies were kept in this tub with an incandescent bulb.
They were fed Hills by tube once every 2 weeks. In the attempt they had a constant amount of food in the tub.
For 1 week pinkies, then frogs then lizards. Same story every month for 4 months till they decided to pass on the same week.
I had a problem forcing because they have a very strong mouth and I would pulp the pink before it went in or they would just throw it out as soon as possible.
Holding them on their back does help to calm them down when forcing.

This the is previous years setup. All these guys are CB from the Western Cape.

[it_bit_me]

This year is a new attempt with newborn babies.
They were born middle April.
I kept them throught winter without ever feeding or trying anything funny. They were also kept outside on the stoep through the whole winter.
They kept up good looks and since it is now warmer and 4 months down I have decided to force a pinkie head yesterday to each.
Both are in icecream tubs to see if they will keep it. None have brought it up so I hope to have a few babies growing out of this noncense.

Here's the tub on the stoep. It has no lid just sawdust and a waterbowl.



This is an day after feeding so the condition is the same as before the 4 month fast. Funny thing is how far this guy pushed the pinkie down. It looks like he was about to send it straight through.

[Bushviper]

Try them on geckos for a few months and then leave pinkies in overnight. They should take them quite easily.

[it_bit_me]

Well I am pretty desperate so all ideas are tried. Geckos , legless skinks and Cape lizards were used.

I am handing some over to people with little experience and extreme amounts of luck. I hope they don't put too much thought into it cause it might be my biggest downfall.
More tries means more luck.

[it_bit_me]

Past Saturday was an week from the first feed so another pinkie was forced, they kept it down and were put in a tub today to get some water. They are not in the mood for the waterbowl so this is how far special treatment has gone.

Life still goes on....on the stoep

[Bushviper]

Do they stay on the stoep all the time? Is that their cage ... the tub?

[it_bit_me]

Yes the big tub is. They are kept here to keep them cooler and less active till the Winter has passed. It worked for keeping them in good condition until the warm months came through.


I did try my best last year to have them on geckos but they never took. The geckos were placed in the tub for 1 week per month until the snakes passed.
Breeding Mole-snakes in outdoor cages has worked well so I am trying to use this idea with mine.The previous year was a low blow so I am doing this on an trial and error basis.

If any of you have any info I'd really like to hear. Saying stuff like 'place an pinkie in the cage' won't help though.

[Bushviper]

How do you get permits for them if you dont have a cage anywhere near adequate size or conditions? Keeping snakes outside and putting them in a tub is not the same thing.

Giving them the right conditions might go a long way to getting them to feed. If they have not fed voluntarily after 6 weeks then it is time to release them because you will kill these again.

[it_bit_me]

[it_bit_me]

So everyone sits with WC moles in their collection but you look down on my post. Are you pissed off or do you have some advice.

[it_bit_me]

I already said they are CB ,not every one as the luxury of breeding snakes they caught in the area.

[Bushviper]

I am suggesting that you provide the snakes with a proper environment. This means regulated temperatures within a range which is acceptable to them. In the wild when the sun bakes down on them they can move off to a cooler area which might be metres away or even a metre underground. This they are not getting from what you are providing.

What you are doing is confining them not looking after them. They need temperature gradients within acceptable levels, humidity at a level they require, adequate hiding places, adequate basking places, the right foods in sufficient quantities and protection from the elements.

Whoever is breeding them should be able to advise you on the ones they are raising. Surely they do not kill off all of theirs every year?

You killed off your babies last year and this year you are doing the same thing hoping for a different result. Chances are you are going to kill these off as well. Does this seem reasonable for you to continue with this?

[it_bit_me]

Does this seem reasonable for you to continue with this?

No it doesn't but I am trying my best. I have no one to learn from and I thought that somehow I could figure this out.
I wont update the thread any more so lets hope all the other curious or foreign okes figure it out for us.

[Sico]

Your best, in this case, isn't good enough. We are all for learning/teaching on this forum but not at the expense of the animals in question. BV has made recommendations to you, which if you were really interested in learning you would have approached with a "X is good, can you explain more about how I would go about that" as opposed to the rather childish responses that you have replied with (noted on other posts as well...)
If you're going to be so easily offended by things on the internet, perhaps you're not mature enough to use the internet?

[it_bit_me]

Sico you and BV are ignoring my first post cause you don't like the second ,third and so on. I asked for advice that would give me further options.