Caging: A single Adult can be housed in 20 Gallon (long) or more. Two Adults should be housed in a 40-60g. (or 3 under right conditions)

Babies do well in groups and can be housed in small containers or cages. Remember baby snakes can be stressed out and will refuse food if tank is to large.

Substrate: I Recommend Aspen bedding for these snakes. (NO CEDAR OR PINE DO TO THEIR TOXINS)

Coconut Fiber substrate (not moistened, to prevent scale rot or Respiratory Infection) is also fine, as well as River bed sand (from streams or lakes). If your snake is captive bred do not use River Bed sand it can lead to various diseases and illness’. Mites and Parasites may appear on snake if using a substrate you brought from outside.

I PERSONALLY USE a 3/5 Aspen bedding 2/5 River bed sand. (River bed sand on one side, slightly moist so it will harden, and Aspen on other, NOT MIXED TOGETHER).

Water: Should be provided with a swimming area or large water bowl (big enough to be able to fit easily inside).

Make sure water is Spring water or is chlorine killed. You can find reptile chlorine killer at any pet shop. Do not Use fish Chlorine killer! This helps produce a slime that covers the fishes body, but will make your snake unable to shed.

Diet: Should be fed Primarily on Rosy Red Feeder Fish (found at any pet shop), night crawlers and earthworms are also good occasional feedings. NO GOLD FISH these fish have thiamine which can kill your snake. Wild Caught minnows carry various diseases and can not be fed. If you can get the snake on pinky mice this is a cheaper and healthier diet.

If feeding mice, Feed one or two pinky mice a week. (best only feed one, but make sure that its not a new born, it should be a good size pinky mouse that has more fat nutrition, and meat on it. This diet can have occasional worms or fish.

Just don’t get them into any unhealthy addictions. Frogs or Toads are also a good food item. I feed my pregnant garters fully on Large Bullfrog Tadpoles.

Lighting, Heating: No UV lighting Required, do best between 75-90 degrease. Under Tank Heater and heat lamps can be used to maintain these temps. Should have a basking spot of at least 90 degrease on hot side. And have ’Cool’ side that is around 75 degrease with a hide that has a clump of damp sphagnum moss, to aid shedding if needed. NO HEAT ROCKS these cause severe burns on your snake.

Hides and Decor: Should have at least 4 hides. Including hide mentioned above. Make sure hides are not to big but just big enough to coil up in. To big of Hides can cause stress. NO Card board toilet paper tubes these are full of bacteria and will kill your snake. Provide branches or vines to climb on. Rocks should be provided as a basking spot or place to burrow

under (Also may aid shedding)

Supplements: Should dust food in Calcium Sup. once a week. If told by vet other Vitamins and Antibiotics should be used as told.

Maintenance: Tank should be cleaned out with ’Zoo med Wipeout 2’ or another disinfectant cleaner. (Water and Vinegar is also fine). When using a disinfectant cleaner always remember to wash out after cleaning and get good ventilation running through it for a few hours. Replace old Substrate and clean off Cage Decor If Mites or Parasites are found on snake use ’Zoo med Mite Off’ (Follow directions on bottle). If it has a wound or burn it should immediatly be taken to vet and Use ’Zoomed Repti Wound Healing Aid’ (Follow directions on bottle)

Brumating: These snakes have no need to hibernate and I would never do so unless babies stop feeding and are not in shed. But if doing so 55 degrease is the optimum temperature of hibernation. When hibernating, place them in complete darkness, provide them with fresh water and check on them periodically. But If you just want to do it, fatten your snake up and then hibernate it. After a large feeding wait 3 or 4 weeks to let any urine or fecal matter come out. THEN you can put them under.

ONCE AGAIN I DO NOT RECOMMEND DOING THIS it can risk your snakes life. But some people like to do it as an experiment and this is the safest way to do it.