New Snakes - Striped Skaapstekers - With Pics

[jjspirko]

I am pretty excited to get my hands on this pair, they were imported by Nick Mole from First Choice Reptiles from Tanzania. They were wild caught about a month ago (about the only way to get them for now). Overall they are in good shape, I know Nick hydrated them well before shipping them to me.

They have just a bit of wear and tear probably from the hands of their captors and just the rugged life of the bush. They both went strait on to pre killed mice and are eating small adults with no trouble. They are VERY hungry right now and a bit thin but should be beefed up and in tip top shape very soon.

Here is the female in hand to give some scale,






Next the male all coiled up on the warm side digesting a mouse





These snakes again are called Striped Skaapstekers (scientific name Psammophylax tritaeniatus) and they are a rear fanged colubrids and apparently can give a pretty significant reaction if they bite. Swelling and pain and even some mild secondary symptoms if they get a good enough chew in.

Yet I just can't see them biting other then an SFE or if you really molested them. I have never seen such calm snakes, totally mellow to the point where you almost wonder if something is wrong the first time you pick them up. They are also highly alert and very inquisitive and have been watching me a lot.

Over all they are one of the coolest snakes I have ever worked with and I think they are very cool looking too. I will be trying to get them to breed in about two weeks (because now is the time for them) but most likely it will be next year before I can get them ready to go.

Anyway I am happy and consider them a Thanksgiving present to myself,

[Patrick Long]

way awesome dude. never even seen those before

[littleindiangirl]

Wow, you must have one of the craziest collections of colubrids! Those are some nice looking animals you got there. Keep us posted with the settling and if any breedings!

[Evan Jamison]

Beautiful!! As a fellow rear-fang fan, I've eyed some skaapstekers before but never went through with anything. They remind me of striped road guarders (Conophis vittatus), which I also love.

Nice additions !!

-Evan

[JASBALLS]

nice...

[MPenn]

Very nice J!!
I am really impressed with your colubrid collection! Very diverse!

[waltah!]

I have never seen them before. They are really great looking snakes. Congrats on the pickup!

[jjspirko]

Thanks to all, the challenge is now can I get them to breed. I probably should be taking precautions with not getting bit but these guys are so calm I am not to worried.

Here is a link to a thread on the South African Reptiles Forum for anyone that wants to see what a bite is like. Seems pretty narly but my wife got stung by two red wasps on the finger this summer and honestly it looked about the same.

Both have now shed and I will snap some new pics this comming weekend as they look much nicer. As they came direct from the bush they had that dusty quality all fresh from the wild snakes seem to have. They continue to do well and while the guys in Africa tell me they can move as fast as our racers they seem to have accepted captivity and I am building them a real nice display viv with lots of crawling room. These guys are going to be spoiled to a point where my Lamprophis might get jealous,

[littleindiangirl]

That's excellent news, your going to post pics of them and their castle when done right?

[MelissaFlipski]

DROOOOOL! Those are so damn good looking. Man, you have got the collection I want. The Taiwan beauty, etc. Please do a new thread called "My Collection - Eye Candy (DUW)".

"What I want, what I want, what I really, really want is a, is a, is a" collection like yours!