Advice Appreciated! (Pine Snake)

http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/x...o/GEDC0287.jpg

(Photo from New Age Reptiles)

I'm probably going to be getting this pink leucistic pine snake. She's just so pretty, and I have to admit I'm missing my old corn snake a little. Pines seem like a good option because I've been wanting a heavier-bodied snake, and I'm not easily intimidated by hissing or bites. The guy says she has a friendly personality.

I've read up all I can find on these guys, but there's not a lot of information out there compared to ball pythons or corn snakes. Most of the care sheets I found were copy/paste jobs of other care sheets.

I have a 30-gallon tank. Will either be using aspen or kiln-dried pine or cypress mulch or coconut husk...lol. I have a heat pad already and a thermostat for it. This tank has just been sitting around unused, and is ready for a new herp.

From what I can tell I will need to keep the heat pad at about 85 degrees. Obviously I'll be providing a good water dish and multiple hides. Feeding mice and rats.

The care seems very similar to corn snake care, I guess I just would like some advice from people who have actually kept these animals. I'm big into research, and it irks me that there are so few resources available specifically for pines.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by meowmeowkazoo

http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/x...o/GEDC0287.jpg

(Photo from New Age Reptiles)

I'm probably going to be getting this pink leucistic pine snake. She's just so pretty, and I have to admit I'm missing my old corn snake a little. Pines seem like a good option because I've been wanting a heavier-bodied snake, and I'm not easily intimidated by hissing or bites. The guy says she has a friendly personality.

I've read up all I can find on these guys, but there's not a lot of information out there compared to ball pythons or corn snakes. Most of the care sheets I found were copy/paste jobs of other care sheets.

I have a 30-gallon tank. Will either be using aspen or kiln-dried pine or cypress mulch or coconut husk...lol. I have a heat pad already and a thermostat for it. This tank has just been sitting around unused, and is ready for a new herp.

From what I can tell I will need to keep the heat pad at about 85 degrees. Obviously I'll be providing a good water dish and multiple hides. Feeding mice and rats.

The care seems very similar to corn snake care, I guess I just would like some advice from people who have actually kept these animals. I'm big into research, and it irks me that there are so few resources available specifically for pines.

---

THE care sheets for all things pine:

http://www.thirdeyeherp.com/bptext.htm

http://www.thirdeyeherp.com/pinetalk.htm

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Skiploder

THE care sheets for all things pine:

http://www.thirdeyeherp.com/bptext.htm

http://www.thirdeyeherp.com/pinetalk.htm

---

Thanks so much! :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by meowmeowkazoo

Thanks so much! :D

---

I keep pairs of Black Pines, Northern Pines (Ocean County), Louisiana, Mexican Lined Pines and Northern Mexican Pines. I keep all of them on dried pine.

The main things to consider are that they like their ambients and their basking spots on the cooler ends. I keep my hot spots no higher than 84 degrees and the ambient in the low 70s. In the winter I brumate the adults. Many pituophis, especially Ruthveni, are impossible to breed without brumating.

They also do better with moderate to low humidity, good ventilation and multiple smaller prey items. Pines, especially Jani and Lineaticollis, are prone to regurging prey items that are too large.

They remain nippier as juveniles than ball pythons and also poop more frequently.

Other than that, they are fairly bulletproof.

thats a nice looking pine! you won't be sorry you got it. the Pits are by far my favorites.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Skiploder

I keep pairs of Black Pines, Northern Pines (Ocean County), Louisiana, Mexican Lined Pines and Northern Mexican Pines. I keep all of them on dried pine.

The main things to consider are that they like their ambients and their basking spots on the cooler ends. I keep my hot spots no higher than 84 degrees and the ambient in the low 70s. In the winter I brumate the adults. Many pituophis, especially Ruthveni, are impossible to breed without brumating.

They also do better with moderate to low humidity, good ventilation and multiple smaller prey items. Pines, especially Jani and Lineaticollis, are prone to regurging prey items that are too large.

They remain nippier as juveniles than ball pythons and also poop more frequently.

Other than that, they are fairly bulletproof.

---

Thanks, that's just the sort of information I've been wanting. I did go ahead and send the payment for her, but she won't be arriving until Tuesday. :(

It's actually gotten a bit too cold in my office for the balls, so I'll be moving them upstairs. It will be nice to have a herp around that doesn't mind the low 70's temperature my better half insists on maintaining. :rolleyes:

I would definitely be interested in breeding her in the future. I would like to spend a year or two familiarizing myself with the species before I jump into that, though. Are they like balls where the females take longer than the males to be ready, or should I think about getting a male sooner if I want to breed?

And man, then there's genetics. I have ball python genes down pretty well, but I can find neither hide nor hair of morph genetics for pines. I suppose it would be a safe bet to match her to another florida pink leucy. :confused:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lucas339

thats a nice looking pine! you won't be sorry you got it. the Pits are by far my favorites.

---

Thanks! I had actually never considered keeping pines/bulls/gophers until I saw her. I've been wanting a display snake for a while (and I'm partial to pink :P), and the more I read, the more intrigued I became with these snakes. Even though they are burrowers, she'll still be more interesting than my sweet little curled up balls.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by meowmeowkazoo

Thanks, that's just the sort of information I've been wanting. I did go ahead and send the payment for her, but she won't be arriving until Tuesday. :(

It's actually gotten a bit too cold in my office for the balls, so I'll be moving them upstairs. It will be nice to have a herp around that doesn't mind the low 70's temperature my better half insists on maintaining. :rolleyes:

I would definitely be interested in breeding her in the future. I would like to spend a year or two familiarizing myself with the species before I jump into that, though. Are they like balls where the females take longer than the males to be ready, or should I think about getting a male sooner if I want to breed?

And man, then there's genetics. I have ball python genes down pretty well, but I can find neither hide nor hair of morph genetics for pines. I suppose it would be a safe bet to match her to another florida pink leucy. :confused:

---

I'd recommend talking to Jonel Lopez at Selective Propagations or Jason Nelson at Envy Reptiles regarding pituophis morphs.

I can't help you with those - I'm more into locality pits than morphs............

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Skiploder

I'd recommend talking to Jonel Lopez at Selective Propagations or Jason Nelson at Envy Reptiles regarding pituophis morphs.

I can't help you with those - I'm more into locality pits than morphs............

---

Thanks for the recommendation. :) I am interested in the idea of getting into locality pits if this girl works out for me. I've read that many pines are considered a threatened species, so I'm sure breeding helps out with the population.

Pine snakes are great! I have a 3 year old male. He has a lot less attitude and spunk than most pine snakes, but still gets a little pushy in a funny and cute way.

What skip said about them pooing more is true. I also find that compared to my ball and my boa that it does smell. This equates to more clean up efforts however it's more than worth it.

My pine is an aggressive feeder. Only my boa beats it there. A little shake of a small rat and it's on. I have never had it refuse food (I use F/T).

So I have a ball, a boa, and this northern pine... I like the pine so much that I am considering making my next snake a pit, probably a bullsnake. I really love the pit attitude and I think you will, too!