Thin-tailed snake has a rather impressive appearance: the size of adults can reach 2 meters in length. But at the same time he is completely harmless. This reptile can even be kept in the apartment as a pet. The article will briefly describe the features of this species, the content of the fin-tailed snake, the behavior of the snake.
Habitat
The fine-tailed snake (Orthriophis taeniurus) lives in China, Japan, Korea, and the countries of Southeast Asia (in the subtropics and partially in the tropics and temperate zone). His favorite places are mountain and lowland forests, as well as well-heated open areas covered with bushes and grass. Often settled near human housing and in cultivated areas: rice fields, vegetable gardens, as well as in gardens.
Appearance
The average length of this snake is about 180 centimeters. The head is poorly delimited from the body. The tail is short, darker than the trunk.
This reptile is characterized by a bright, unusual color. It is often yellow or orange in color, has dark spots and stripes on the trunk, back and stomach. Individual subspecies are blue in color. The belly is brighter.
Main subspecies
This species includes nine subspecies. Most often at home they contain thin-tailed snakes of Frisi, or Taiwanese (O. t. Friesi), Ridley (E. t. Ridleyi), Yunnan.
E. t. Taeniura is a nominative subspecies, it is common in eastern China. This is the smallest of the subspecies of the fin-tailed snake, rarely growing in length over 180 cm. The main colors are yellowish brown, sometimes with the addition of orange. In this subspecies, albino groups of E. t. taeniura albino T + and albino T- having peach-yellow and pale yellow, pale-orange color, respectively.
Subspecies E. t. Yunnanensis (Yunnan) is very similar to the main one, differs from it only in the location of the picture. The distribution area is the southwestern part of China, the north of Laos and Thailand, Burma.
A subspecies of Taiwanese fin-tailed snake, or Frisi, has a brighter color. Color - from yellow to brown. Endemic of Taiwan. Sufficiently large subspecies: adult individuals reach 200 - 220 centimeters in length. The largest specimen described was 280 centimeters long.
Ridley's fine-tailed snake is endemic to Malaysia and Thailand. Distributed also on the peninsula of Malacca. The front half of the body is painted in lighter shades (yellow, brown), and the tail is black. The head at the top has a bluish tint. Along the back is a black stripe.
A subspecies called Mokvard (E. t. Mocquardi) is light yellow to tan, sometimes olive or orange. The habitat is southeastern China and northern Vietnam.
The subspecies called Vietnamese (E. t. Callicyanous) includes two groups with different colors. This is a blue thin-tailed snake (Blue Beauty Snake) and yellow (Yellow Beauty Snake). Distribution area - Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam. Blue individuals are common in the northern regions, which are predominantly yellow in color - in the southern.
Two other more or less studied subspecies are Grabowski (E. t. Grabowskyi) and Schmacker (E. t. Schmackeri). The first of them is common in Malaysia and Indonesia, the second - on the Japanese islands. However, other forms are known whose subspecies belonging is currently in doubt. The taxonomy of this species is rather confusing.
Conditions of detention
These are very active snakes, so those who want to contain them should definitely provide pets with suitable conditions. According to lovers of these snakes, there is a huge difference between a snake living in a spacious, bright and warm terrarium and a snake living in an environment that does not meet its requirements, for example, a plastic opaque container. They will grow completely different individuals, differing in both behavior and health. Therefore, if you do not have the opportunity to engage in a snake and devote enough time to it, you should not have such a pet. It is naive to believe that the snake does not need special care, and just put it in a terrarium and feed it from time to time.
The minimum size of the terrarium for the content of the runner is 70 (80) × 40 × 60 centimeters. Optimal, in which the pet will feel comfortable, is 120x60x80 centimeters. For the normal functioning of the reptile, it is necessary to equip the "warm" and "cold" corners in the terrarium. The temperature in the first should be + 25-27 degrees Celsius at night and + 30-32 in the afternoon. In the cold - not lower than + 20 degrees Celsius around the clock. To maintain the temperature regime, a thermal mat should be used.
The terrarium should have tanks with water for drinking and bathing, which should be changed regularly. Be sure to equip shelters in which the snake could hide. It can be various shelves, houses and other structures. In addition, we need snags and stones, on which the snake could climb.
The substrate in the terrarium is not required, but very desirable. It can be sphagnum, peat, wood shavings or sawdust. You can also lay paper towels at the bottom (but not newspapers!). Sand should not be used, this is the most unfortunate option. To maintain the proper humidity level, the terrarium must be sprayed using only warm water.
Thin-tailed snakes are kept one at a time, with a maximum of two or three individuals (male and one or two females). Their average life expectancy is 9 to 14 years.
Food
Small and large rodents (mice, rats, hamsters), chickens and quails, quail and chicken eggs are used as food for snakes. However, one cannot feed a snake with eggs, this is not enough for her.
The snake should be fed once every five to seven days, and after reaching the age of two years, once every seven to ten days, after the reptile has completely digested the previous portion and emptied. Proper nutrition of snakes is very important, because with frequent feeding, for example, large fatty rodents, pets can suffer from obesity. This leads to problems not only with health, but also with reproduction. For a fin-tailed snake, Taiwanese or any other subspecies, some underfeeding is preferable to overfeeding. For the period of molting, a break should be made in feeding the pets.
If the diet of the animal does not have the proper amount of macro- and microelements, such as calcium, selenium, zinc, reproduction, namely the formation and laying of eggs, can also be difficult. Once every six months it is advisable to give vitamins to the snake, but first you need to consult a veterinarian.
Breeding
Runes mate actively, usually this occurs in April - May. At home, experts recommend that those who want to get offspring from snakes should first winter them for two to three months. To do this, you need to provide them with perfect peace and gradually reduce the temperature to + 15-17 degrees. After two to three months, it should be gradually increased. A sign of the onset of pregnancy is an increase in the volumes of the second half of the female’s body up to the tail. In addition, she usually refuses food. It will be necessary to put the male in another terrarium, and put the nest box for the female.
This snake belongs to the egg laying. In the clutch there can be from four to ten or more eggs weighing about 45 grams. The female lays them in June - July. The temperature during incubation should be at least + 25-27 degrees Celsius. Experts do not recommend opening eggs, explaining that the hatching period can fluctuate significantly, and it is almost impossible to accurately guess the time when the calf will be ready to be born.
Small thin-tailed runners hatch in two - two and a half months. Their birth weight is about 19 grams, and their length is about 430 mm. Young runners begin to feed on their own after the first molt (after one to two weeks). Newborn mice are best suited for this.
Interesting Facts
In 1862, a thin-tailed snake was discovered on the territory of Russia, in the Ussuri Territory (Novgorod harbor). This finding allowed for some time to talk about expanding the habitat of snakes. Unfortunately, she remained the only one. Therefore, it is assumed that the snake could get there on a Chinese cargo ship.
In China, thin-tailed snails are kept in houses, while wild ones are readily fed. These snakes quickly get used to people. They help fight domestic pests by killing rats and mice.
Finally
The article briefly examined the main subspecies of the fin-tailed snake, described the conditions of its maintenance and the rules of care. These animals are not often seen in the homes of our compatriots. But every year the number of those who would like to keep a thin-tailed snake as a pet is increasing. According to reviews, it is very curious to watch this animal, and such an exotic pet is able to brighten up the owner’s leisure and make his life more interesting.