Classification
Order: Scuamata
Family: boopis
Genus: elaphe
Species: Elaphe schrencki
Subspecies: E. s. schrencki, E. s. Anomala, Sudliche Amurnatter.
Habitat
The Manchurian black water snake, commonly called Amur rat snake, is found in Eastern Russian regions: Amur region, Khabarovsk and Primorsk regions and also in the North-Eastern part of China. Sometimes it can be found in the Eastern Mongolia as well as in the Inner Mongolia. The subspecies Elaphe schrencki anomala can be found in China and in South Korea.
They are usually found near the water sources: either in the woodland or in the mountains up to 2000 high. They also adapt to marshes, brushy scrubs, agricultural areas and even to suburbia.
Outward appearance
The size can differ depending on the subspecies. E. s. schrencki can grow 130-160 long, 170 cm as the longest, and E. s. anomala is even longer – sometimes up to 210 cm.
There are no big differences in size or color between males and females. Males have a bit longer tail which has a bit different shape than females’.
Character
The Amur rat snake is active in the mornings and in the evenings; it spends the warmest hours of the day and the night in holes, caverns and other hiding places.
It is mostly terrestrial, but can climb up to 10 m high in order to hunt birds. The Amur rat snake is a good swimmer.
It is capable to cover an incredible distance for a snake: up to 8 km, but it always comes back to its individual area which it sticks to for several years.
Maintenance care
The Amur rat snake should have a large enclosure: appr. 60х40х40 cm. It is a good idea to put a thermal mat on the bottom. Coconut cuttings make great substrate for this snake. You can put in some low-maintenance plants like tuftroot, pothos, arrowroot. Your snake will also need some branches for climbing, and the best options will be grapevine. A water bowl is a must; it needs to be big enough to fit in the whole snake. The Amur rat snake loves bathing, therefore the water gets dirty quickly and it needs to be changed daily.
The temperature in the enclosure has to be within the range from 20°C at night to 35°C in the afternoon by the basking light.
The air humidity should be about 50%.
The Amur rat snake requires UV lamps and glow lamps for 14 hours a day in summer and 12 hours a day during other seasons.
Feeding
In the wild the Amur rat snake eats small and medium sized mammals, birds and eggs, sometimes frogs. Hatchlings eat small rodents, frogs, birdlings and shellfish.
In the captivity they are usually fed mainly with mice, rats, hamsters, chicken, eggs. The hatchlings can be fed wit new-born mice.
It is best to feed your snake once every five days or so, when it has digested the previous portion and relieved itself.
Features
It is a low-maintenance snake which does not require a large enclosure.
It can be handled and hand-fed.
The Amur rat snake is suitable for beginners, since it is not aggressive and non-venomous.
Diseases
If your snake refuses to eat, it can be caused by stress, unsuitable food, or it can happen that the snake just is not hungry. You should not try and force the food into the snake: they can live without food for a long time without any damage for their health. You should only start worrying if your snake doesn’t eat for several months. Then you need to analyze its living conditions and the menu prior to this situation. If it comes to the worst, the snake can be fed intravenously.
The snakes can vomit because of stress, illness or if the prey was too big. Also it can vomit if it was fed during shedding or if the temperature in its enclosure is not suitable. After vomiting you mustn’t feed the snake for 7-10 days, and then you can offer it food taking into account the previous mistakes.
Shedding is not a disease, it is a necessary step in the snake’s growth. Its eyes get milky, their color grows paler and the skin starts coming off. During this time you should be extra careful about the humidity and clean water in the enclosure.
Respiratory diseases are usually caused by potentially pathogenic bacteria if the immune system of the snake doesn’t function properly either due to a stress or to unsuitable living conditions. The symptoms include gasping, open mouth, runny nose. These diseases are treated by the injections of antibiotic called Baytril.
Mites are small parasites that live on the snake’s skin. They stick on the snake’s body between the scales and suck its blood. This can make the snake lethargic and it can turn down the food. To get rid of mites you need to use the weak solution of the same medicine which is used against ticks on cats and dogs. You will also have to disinfect the whole enclosure.The mites are easily noticed and can be removed from the snake’s body with the help of tweezers. The spot of the bite has to be wiped with alcohol.
Salmonellosis is a dangerous disease which has to be treated with antibiotics prescribed by the vet after the confirming test.
Breeding
The Amur rat snake is an egg-laying species.
They become mature at 3-4 years of age.
This snake normally breeds in the spring, after having hibernated for a couple of months. In order to prepare the snake for the hibernation you should gradually decrease the amount of hours of daylight. When it comes down to 8 hours, you should stop feeding the snake, and when it reaches 4 hours, the heating should be switched off. After that the snakes are put into light-proof and well ventilated enclosure filled with wood cuttings or moss. The temperature in the enclosure should be about +12-16°С. You need to mist the substrate once a week in one corner of the enclosure and sometimes put there a water bowl. The snakes are taken out of hibernation in the similar way: you need to gradually increase the amount of hours of daylight and to rise temperature. Once the snake receives 8 hours of light daily, you should turn on the heating at night and offer it some food.
After hibernation the snakes should be heavily fed and then males and females are put together. The mating usually lasts for 1-3 hours. 40-55 days after the mating the females lay eggs in the damp moss. Then the eggs have to be taken to the incubator and kept there under the temperature of 27-29°С. Normally a female lays 6 to 30 eggs. Hatchlings come out after 4-65 days and after their first shedding they start eating new-born mice.
Average life expectancy of Amur rat snake is 8 - 15 years.
