Wild caught

[67temp]

I won't judge someone for keeping a wild caught snake that is very plentiful in the wild. If you think about it corns and balls have some of the largest number of morphs in the hobby. Typically new genes come from wild caught animals that have been bred. It's also where you get locality based appearances.

I'm into corns and would like to someday obtain a wild caught corn from the region I live in.

I had a similar situation a while back. I found a baby black rat in my house trying to break into my rodent tanks. I had thought about just keeping him but in the end I decided he would be best in the wild and controlling the local rat population. I kept him in quarantine for a week and gave him a few meals, water and a safe place to sleep it off before putting him back outside.

[Bogertophis]

Bogertophis I caught it last Friday when it was warm, today it's been cold again (34f this morning) so I know I wouldn't want to release it today. Lots of things to think about

You'd want to wait until the long-range forecast will be favorable for a while, when nights are well above freezing- that's why I'd wait, as long as he's not tearing himself
up. If you might be releasing him, do not handle him- it's safer for him if he's afraid of people. So for now (while you're deciding how he feels about being in a cage)
it's hands off...just try to read his body language, and don't get him used to eating f/t, btw. What are your daytime temperatures lately?

[SquirmyPug]

You'd want to wait until the long-range forecast will be favorable for a while, when nights are well above freezing- that's why I'd wait, as long as he's not tearing himself
up. If you might be releasing him, do not handle him- it's safer for him if he's afraid of people. So for now (while you're deciding how he feels about being in a cage)
it's hands off...just try to read his body language, and don't get him used to eating f/t, btw. What are your daytime temperatures lately?

I'm not handling it, just when I had to catch it and put in a cage. I won't feed f/t much, I was mostly curious if it would even eat one since it's wild. I'll probably catch a lizard or something for it if I keep it a little while before releasing. Our temperatures here in north east florida are all over the place... today the low was 34 and high is 55. A few days ago the high was in the low 80s.. even in December and January temps can be hot enough that you are in short sleeves and sweating... and then a day later it's freezing..

[Bogertophis]

I'm not handling it, just when I had to catch it and put in a cage. I won't feed f/t much, I was mostly curious if it would even eat one since it's wild. I'll probably catch a lizard or something for it if I keep it a little while before releasing. Our temperatures here in north east florida are all over the place... today the low was 34 and high is 55. A few days ago the high was in the low 80s.. even in December and January temps can be hot enough that you are in short sleeves and sweating... and then a day later it's freezing..

Nothing like "bipolar" weather, lol. I wouldn't catch a lizard for it to eat (more transferable diseases & parasites, though as a wild snake it's probably on the menu anyway); I'd give it a mouse, personally...it's way more nutrition. Is he relaxed in the cage? or trying to get out?

[SquirmyPug]

Nothing like "bipolar" weather, lol. I wouldn't catch a lizard for it to eat (more transferable diseases & parasites, though as a wild snake it's probably on the menu anyway); I'd give it a mouse, personally...it's way more nutrition. Is he relaxed in the cage? or trying to get out?

He seems to be relaxed. At first he stayed in the hides but has already been exploring and just hanging out on top of the hides. Even when I reached in with the mouse it didn't freak out, just stayed still until it noticed the mouse. He didn't really strike, just kinda slowly bit it then ate without constricting.

All of the red rat snakes I've caught that were wild have been very calm. Never had one strike at me defensively. Yellow rat snakes though....

Oh and he has definitely eaten lots of lizards growing up the amount of lizards around here is crazy.

[Craiga 01453]

I personally woukdnt keep it. I'm not a fan of catching wild animals as pets.

I wouldn't worry about it "not having hides" since there are woods behind your house. The woods are FULL of hides. That's where they live, after all.

Corns are so readily available and for short money. To me, captive born = pets and wild = wild.

Also, this is just a thought, I have no clue what laws are where you live. But in many places its illegal to keep native species.

[Bogertophis]

...

I wouldn't worry about it "not having hides" since there are woods behind your house. The woods are FULL of hides. That's where they live, after all...

They do need to go below ground level to survive freezing temperatures, and for much of the country this has been a wild winter so far. For a snake to find a good
shelter from the cold, they need plenty of TIME when they can easily move around (@ warmer temperatures). I have seen snakes unable to move when temperatures
drop suddenly (they have trouble at 55*, it doesn't have to be freezing!), & out in the open they are just food for something else, or they can freeze to death if not
adequately sheltered. Snakes must learn their way around...in a new place, it takes time, not just a day here or there in between very cold days. It also takes luck-
as underground shelter is often already occupied by the "locals" (though many do also share).

[SquirmyPug]

Yep there are lots of places to hide but most "hides" aren't hidden or warm enough to survive in for a long period of time. They need to find a spot to call "home".

[Bogertophis]

Yep there are lots of places to hide but most "hides" aren't hidden or warm enough to survive in for a long period of time. They need to find a spot to call "home".

That's why I said to maybe wait a month (depending on your weather), you want a good 10-days of decent temperatures so he can find his way around. It's just hard
not to get attached in the meantime...I know. When I lived in the high desert, I didn't relocate during winter* (too cold) or during the hottest part of summer, as
that was just a death sentence. *snakes didn't usually turn up in the winter though- only once, from someone's wood pile.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Few years back I caught a black rat (5 footer) for photography purposes, and ended up keeping it for 3 months after inspection, it had a huge gash on his side that had fester, cleaned him up got him back him back in shape and released him back when healed up, he did fine in my care and ate well.

Why would I not keep a wild snake

• First if I want a snake I can just buy a captive one
• Catching and keeping wildlife in GA is illegal
• If their are wild snakes near by this means there is a food source, I would rather keep the balance and let them do what they are designed to do (eat wild mice and venomous snakes).