Blue Beauty Snake?

[MedusasOwl]

Anybody know where I can find some good pics/information on Blue Beauties? Not looking to get one (though if I had the space, it'd sure be tempting... but I hear they're pretty nippy) just looking for more art ref Plus I'm just intrigued. The few pics I've found on google are lovely, but I'm sure there's got to be more or better ones somewhere on the net. My google-fu fails me. I'm having a hard time pinning down their scientific name, even. These are Vietnamese, yes?

[rabernet]

I had a great reply with lots of links to pictures and the Latin name, but I wasn't able to get it posted before the site went down. I KNEW I should have copied it before hitting submit, but didn't. If I get some time later, I'll try to go back and find all those links for you again. A few were some really good pictures!

[Shelby]

Blue beauties are one of the biggest rat snake species.. there are different beauty species. Taiwanese beauties, blue beauties.. the related cave dwelling rat snake.. etc.

Elaphe taeniura is the scientific name. Elaphe is the rat snake genus.

Try looking on kingsnake or fauna classifieds for ads with pictures.

[MedusasOwl]

Thanks guys! Every lil bit helps! I think these snakes are aptly named... just beautiful.

[daniel1983]

here are a few taiwan beauties for sale:
http://www.exoticsbynature.com/select_taiwan.html

I have seen both in person....beautiful and fast

[MedusasOwl]

Gack, forgot to reply to this, thank you for the link Daniel! They really are gorgeous, and I hear they're entertaining to watch in their tanks too. Lots of personality, but on the nervous side.

The danger of researching different species for Medusa art is I have a bad habit of falling in love with them. I SO want a Vietnamese Blue Beauty someday now. In the far distant future when we have the room for a 6' to 9' rat snake... They're so breathtaking. And though long, it sounds like they wouldn't get to rabbit eating girth, which is a plus for me. Still can't find a good caresheet though...

I did find these guys, who breed them and thus lead me to believe that when I'm ready a few years when we *are* ready will still be breeding them so I can get a nice cb baby. When the time comes, I'll probably write them with 101 questions so I can treat him or her right.

[frankykeno]

Oh BHB! They are south of us and I've heard are wonderful people though I've not had the pleasure of doing business with them yet.

They have some stunningly gorgeous snakes though. I think they are the breeders of the Sunset Ball Python if memory serves.


~~Jo~~

[Colin Vestrand]

Oh BHB! They are south of us

i think just about everyone is!

[frankykeno]

LMAO! Nah all of the UP and Canada is north of me! That gives me a certain amount of comfort though today when I woke up to a ton of fresh snow I kind of feel like I'm in the frigid north of nowhere! LOL


~~Jo~~

[MedusasOwl]

Yay, I was hoping somebody would give me the dirt on these guys! I'm pleased to hear good things, thank you Jo! I'm so silly planning SO far ahead like this, but... I just cannot help myself. The danger is in how quickly I go from "Oh, probably not..." to "Ooh, someday!" to "I need snake now!" But Vietnamese blues need a *lot* of room I know we don't have, so like the puppy we won't get without having a yard first... I can/will/must wait.

So far what I've found from scouring the net are...

Pros:
1) SO PRETTY
2) Lots of personality
3) Active night OR day, climbers, very entertaining to watch
4)Gets big, but not rabbit eating big
5) Did I mention pretty?

Cons:
1) Can't find caresheet
2) Lots of personality (can be nervous snakes)
3) Needs high humidity for shedding, which'd be tricky in a decorative tank
4) Not rabbit eating big but LONG and active, needs a big ol tank and lots of food!
5) Very active, not a lap snake

So far so good, really. The biggest con is #1, but I know where to find people who keep them to pester about temps so that'll be something. And by the time we have the space for it, we'll hopefully have moved to Oregon somewhere where it's not quite so arid, and that will help humidity issues for all our snakes. I'm glad Gomez is in a tub, because even so I have to mist him now and then. Someday! BHB is staying in my snake bookmark folder in the meantime.