A Very Cold Snake.. Please Help!!

[Boomslang]

Hi there, everyone. I am new here, and I need your help As soon as possible!

I found a snake today that I did not expect to see. I am not sure of the species (Pictures below), but I do know that it is not venomous and it is very small! I want to say it is a Northern Red-Bellied Juvenile. I found it wedged between a rock. I live in Northern Virginia, and it has been in the 40s today. I know that snakes are reptiles, which means they are cold blooded. I am not sure how he has survived, but I do know that he is moving very slow. I have put him in a large container in my home. I don't want to let him go unless I know that he would survive in the cold weather. If I end up keeping him until it starts to get warmer, what should I keep him in?

Thank you,
Boomslang (Jeremy)





Sorry that the photos aren't the best! (He is wrapped around my thumb, not my arm)

[PitOnTheProwl]

SLOWLY warm it back up.

[Boomslang]

That's what I've been doing! Glad that I have been doing something right XD

After he is warmed back up, should I keep him until it gets warmer?

[reptiler]

Once he warms up to about room temperature get him a heat mat to warm him more. Since he was in a rock crevice he was probably trying to hibernate but since he's warming up I wouldn't risk releasing him again. I would say keep him until the springish if you can. Or you could slowly drop the temperature in his tub so he hibernates again. Then release him. Maybe. I'm really not sure what to do in this situation. But that's what i'm thinking..

*edit *Oh, and if you decide to keep him you'll need to feed him an appropriately sized pinky mouse or feeder fish depending on how big he is.
Keep him in a smallish container with air holes so he doesn't get stressed by a large size with a heat mat to keep him warm. Add a substrate (paper towel, aspen, newspaper), a waterbowl, and a few hides. (you can take a container and cut a doorway in it and flip it upside down)

He's might be a ring necked snake, worm snake, crayfish snake, or even cornsnake (but don't take my word for it, i'm terrible at classifying snakes). If you want you can google virginian snakes to see which one he looks like.

[Boomslang]

Awesome answer! That answered my question so well! Thank you so much! I definitely will keep him until the Spring Time.. maybe he will grow some more. He is only about 5 inches long, and 1/3 inch wide. Mice may not work, so I might try Pillbugs or earthworms.

Thanks again,
Boomslang

[Expensive hobby]

A small colubrid like that was probably in brumation(the reptile version of hibernation). He more than likely would have survived in the cold weather but if you want a new pet for awhile it won't hurt him to take him out of brumation as long as it is done slowly. Give him a solid chance to warm up too before offering food.

Edit: to the best of my knowledge it won't eat insects or invertebrates. Fish, mice pinks, and amphibians make up the vast majority of a baby's diet.
I like my Dubstep to go Wop Wop Wop Wop

[Boomslang]

hmm, alright! I will definitely check up on that. I just knew from past knowledge that a snake and cold weather usually don't go together XD

I definitely am slowly warming him back up. Thank you for your comment!

[bcr229]

Fish, mice pinks, and amphibians make up the vast majority of a baby's diet.

I've had good results feeding these to my baby garter snakes. There are no worries about getting to the store to get a feeder every few days, and unlike most feeder fish these don't have thiaminase:
http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...uctId=11271607 - just thaw and warm (but don't cook!) the little bit you need to feed every 3-4 days.

[Expensive hobby]

I've had good results feeding these to my baby garter snakes. There are no worries about getting to the store to get a feeder every few days, and unlike most feeder fish these don't have thiaminase:
http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...uctId=11271607 - just thaw and warm (but don't cook!) the little bit you need to feed every 3-4 days.

Yep, thiaminase, an enzyme that destroys thiamine(VitaminB1) which can cause massive nervous system damage. I learned all that good science from my monster fish keeping days. Still have 2 huge red tail cats and a big red bellied pacu, oh and a marble goby, 3 g.tile eels, managuese cichlid and a 9 year old pictus cat. Lol.

But now I have snakes haha


I like my Dubstep to go Wop Wop Wop Wop

[kc261]

This website may help you identify what kind of snake he is:
http://www.virginiaherpetologicalsoc...f_virginia.htm

Once you are sure of the species, you'll have a better idea of what to feed him and other care requirements. I'm not sure about pillbugs, but I know some snakes do eat earthworms. Others, like our BPs, will want something warm-blooded. So you do really need to do your research to keep him successfully.

Or just let him loose near the spot you found him before this little bit of a warm spell ends. Most likely his instincts weren't steering him wrong.