This is a specific care sheet for Ringneck Snakes (Diadophis punctatus), for more in this genus see Category:Diadophis.
|
||||||||
The Diadophis punctatus is commonly known as the Ringneck Snake. It is found throughout much of the United States, central Mexico, and south-eastern Canada. Ring-necked snakes are secretive, nocturnal snakes that are rarely seen during the day time. They are slightly venomous but they are non-aggressive and have small rear-facing fangs which pose little threat to humans who wish to handle them. They are best known for their unique defence posture of curling up their tails exposing their bright red-orange posterior. Ringneck snakes are believed to be fairly abundant in number, however no scientific evaluation supports this theory. Scientific research is lacking for the Ringneck snake and more investigations are needed. It is the only species within the genus Diadophis, and currently fourteen sub-species are identified.
| Pet Reptile (Diadophis punctatus) Care Information | |
| Regions Found: | |
| Natural habitat: | |
| Longevity: | |
| Years to Maturity: | |
| Adult Size: | |
| Temperament: | |
| Housing, Feeding and Climate of Diadophis punctatus | |
| Housing Size: | |
| Reptile Foods: | |
| Temperature: | |
| Humidity: | |
| Reptile Lighting: | Are there any special reptile lighting requirements? |
| Special Requirements: | |
| Breeding Diadophis punctatus | |
| Breeding Difficulty: | |
| Diadophis punctatus Clutch Size: |
|
| Gestation Period: | |
| Incubation Temperature: | |
| Incubation Humidity: | |
| Incubation Period: | |
| Health | |
| What are the reptile health concerns? Is pet insurance recommended? Is reptile health a common problem? | |
| Recommended Pet Supplies for Diadophis punctatus | |
nb. All of these can be purchased from an online pet store |
|
Substrate and Water Needs
The best substrate for the snake enclosure is any or a combination of the following:
- Moist soil
- Leaves
- Coconut mulch and or cypress mulch
All of these are good choices for bedding.
Water should be provided in a clean shallow water bowl, and misting should be done using a spray bottle twice a week. You don’t want standing water outside of the bowl, however, the soil should stay moist to the touch.
Temperatures
During the day, temperatures should be between 75-85f and at night time this needs to be about 8-10f cooler. The enclosure can be heated by either using an under tank heater or a small low wattage bulb. However, over heating can cause the snake to become severely dehydrated.
Enclosure
The best enclosure is a glass terrarium with about 4-6 inches of bedding substrate. The tank should be around 10-20 gallons in size and have numerous hides for the snake, anything from coconut halves to pieces. Also place some small branches and leaves to cover the ground. A small bowl of water should always be present in the enclosure along with light misting of water. The soil should be stirred weekly to prevent bind of the soil, this will allow the snake to burrow. The soil should be changed 2-3 times a year to prevent build up of bacteria and mould. The Ringneck snake also has some climbing abilities and these can be encourage by adding some small potted plants or vines into the enclosure.
Diet
The Ringneck snake is considered an insectivore. They will readily accept the following food items, Red worms, night crawlers, small crickets, termites, ant eggs, small millipedes, forest roaches, and salamanders. However larger specimens are often likely to eat other small snakes, small frogs, salamander eggs, small lizards, slugs, and grubs. Fresh clean water should be available throughout the day. Worms and other small insects can be placed within the soil to provide a constant source of nourishment in between feedings.