Japanese ‘Blue’ / Kunashir Island Rat Snake / Japanese Rat Snake

[Zincubus]

A quick update on my tiny , hatchling snake !

A Japanese ‘Blue’ / Kunashir Island Rat Snake / Japanese Rat Snake .

He’s been in a small quarantine viv but I moved him into his new viv last week .. he gave me a little bite yesterday but thankfully at 12” it was nothing ..

I will be endeavouring to keep him nice and placid ( one of their best traits apparently)

How often should I try to handle him , any suggestions ?

Daily or weekly or ??





Snspshot ifo


Kunashir Island rat snakes are simply a locality of Japanese rat snake (Elaphe climacophora). Most of the animals sold as 'Kunashir Island' rat snakes are actually just normal Japanese rat snakes, or have diluted genes through mixing of lines. True Kunashir Island specimens should be green or blue with blue heads, and males develop sky blue heads in the breeding season, they are far less common. They are known as "Aoidaisho" (Blue General) in Japanese.


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[Zincubus]

He should hopefully be looking like this as he ages ..


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[richardhind1972]

Happy
Great new addition zincubus

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[Homebody]

I will be endeavouring to keep him nice and placid ( one of their best traits apparently)

How often should I try to handle him , any suggestions ?

Daily or weekly or ??

I don't know much about taming down snakes. I only handle my Children's python when he's free roaming my living room. Sometimes that means I handle him daily. Other times, he'll go weeks without handling. How tame is he as a result? He tolerates handling well. No biting or hissing. No defensiveness at all. I do have to be careful, though, when I reach into his enclosure. He does still mistake my fingers for food.

[Homebody]

I'm looking forward to following this little beauty's progress.

[Bogertophis]

...
How often should I try to handle him , any suggestions ?

Daily or weekly or ?? ...

I wouldn't do daily...that's more likely to stress him. I'd say maybe a couple times a week "as tolerated"...see how it goes & make your own best-guess adjustments.

Snakes have their own personalities- even if a species is "known for" a certain personality type- so keep an open mind with empathy- we're big & scary- but still, now is the time to convince him that he's safe with you. Raised some Taiwan Beauty rat snakes in the past- not all that nippy, IMO- about like Everglades, but they got bigger & were very active snakes- more like a racer than a rat snake.

[Zincubus]

I'm looking forward to following this little beauty's progress.

I had him out again today

No bites or strikes but was very fast.. similar to a hatchling Corn snake

He kept moving from hand to hand ( like Hamsters do ) .. but after a few minutes just settled down in my hands .. looking around and tongue flicking !

Very pleasing progress


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[Homebody]

I had him out again today

No bites or strikes but was very fast.. similar to a hatchling Corn snake

He kept moving from hand to hand ( like Hamsters do ) .. but after a few minutes just settled down in my hands .. looking around and tongue flicking !

Very pleasing progress

Does he have a name?

[Zincubus]

Does he have a name?

Na … its just not my thing .. if they can’t respond to a name then they don’t get one

LOL


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[Homebody]

Na … its just not my thing .. if they can’t respond to a name then they don’t get one

LOL

Fair. It's not like you have to distinguish him from your other Japanese rat snakes.