# Coral snakes



## GT2540 (Jan 31, 2012)

As anyone had experience of keeping them?


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## ian14 (Jan 2, 2008)

GT2540 said:


> As anyone had experience of keeping them?


Not personally. Frank Schofield kept them, I remember visiting years ago when he found one loose in his reptile room having escaped from a seemingly escape proof box.


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## Ex0tic (Sep 12, 2016)

I've heard there better escape artists than a corn O: But they get out of anything anywhere from what I've been told as above.


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## GT2540 (Jan 31, 2012)

ian14 said:


> Not personally. Frank Schofield kept them, I remember visiting years ago when he found one loose in his reptile room having escaped from a seemingly escape proof box.


Thanks for the response, do you know what he fed them on?

Cheers


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## ian14 (Jan 2, 2008)

GT2540 said:


> Thanks for the response, do you know what he fed them on?
> 
> Cheers


Sorry, no idea. I'll try to find out. He hasn't kept venomous for a very long time.


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## ViperLover (Jun 7, 2009)

When you say 'Coral snakes', what exactly do you mean?

There are over eighty species of coral snakes, in six genera (which are the 'true' coral snakes only), on three continents. I have different answers for the species found on each continent.
Could you be more specific, or are you enquiring about all species, on all three continents?


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## GT2540 (Jan 31, 2012)

ian14 said:


> Sorry, no idea. I'll try to find out. He hasn't kept venomous for a very long time.


Greatly appreciated 




ViperLover said:


> When you say 'Coral snakes', what exactly do you mean?
> 
> There are over eighty species of coral snakes, in six genera (which are the 'true' coral snakes only), on three continents. I have different answers for the species found on each continent.
> Could you be more specific, or are you enquiring about all species, on all three continents?


Hi ideally _Micruroides_ and _Micrurus_ but any information on them would be good, except for the aquatic species


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## ViperLover (Jun 7, 2009)

GT2540 said:


> Greatly appreciated
> 
> 
> 
> ...


John Zegel in Georgia, USA has bred _Micrurus fulvius_. I can put you in contact with him if need be. Do you have a FB account? PM me.
I'll let you know about _Micruroides_ shortly.


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## GT2540 (Jan 31, 2012)

ViperLover said:


> John Zegel in Georgia, USA has bred _Micrurus fulvius_. I can put you in contact with him if need be. Do you have a FB account? PM me.
> I'll let you know about _Micruroides_ shortly.


Sorry , I'm not on Facebook.

I can P.M my email address?

I'm interested in what they fed them on. 

Thanks for your help


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## ViperLover (Jun 7, 2009)

GT2540 said:


> Sorry , I'm not on Facebook.
> 
> I can P.M my email address?
> 
> ...


Go for it mate, I'll see what I can do for both genera & will get back to you!


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## ViperLover (Jun 7, 2009)

I've had a chat with John.

Basically, the North American Coral snakes require a large terrarium, at least 4 foot in length as they are very active. He found a sand and peat mix worked best for substrate, with the low 80's on the hot end down to room temperature at the other, with a moss hide and a very large water bowl, as they dehydrate quickly. As far as feeding, it depends on locale. Some will eat snakes, others exclusively smallish skinks and some prefer small frogs and salamanders. Live feeding is probably best. He also warned that, if you're thinking about purchasing one as wild caught (which lets face it, most are), then the chances of it rolling on you are high, so be prepared for an expensive loss. 

They need a deep substrate for burrowing, lots of hiding places and rocks/sheets of bark to crawl over and under and don't mess about with them much, as they stress out easily. He really did emphasise that to be a successful Coral snake keeper, the enclosure needs to be set up so as you will hardly ever see them. If it's set up so they are in your view, all of the time, they will die. This is where Zoos go wrong. They will bask occasionally, of course.... but that should be their choice, and not yours.

If you have any other questions, I will ask.

Cheers,
James.

PS: I will add something else: Coral snakes are picky feeders, we all know that.... but most of them find it hard to refuse newborn pit vipers, if you're really desperate. So there might be a use for CB newborn WDBs after all!


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## GT2540 (Jan 31, 2012)

Hi James,

Thanks for the info. By the sound of it, they harvested prey items from the wild. 

I was hoping they were using corn snakes and alike. 

Most of my animals don't get disturbed. I haven't seen my female lubby for months. The earth just moves like a scene from tremors when she gets cleaned.


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## Ex0tic (Sep 12, 2016)

May I ask what the venom is like on this specific species?


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## GT2540 (Jan 31, 2012)

Ex0tic said:


> May I ask what the venom is like on this specific species?


Potent, capable of causing death. Although their bite often contains little or no venom.so deaths are very rare, but no anti-venom.


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## Ex0tic (Sep 12, 2016)

Not something to take too lightly then.


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## ViperLover (Jun 7, 2009)

GT2540 said:


> Hi James,
> 
> Thanks for the info. By the sound of it, they harvested prey items from the wild.
> 
> ...


Either that, or they breed animals specifically for it. John said you can feed defrost, but it takes a lot longer and not all of them will take it, even after you've wiggled it until your arm drops off.

Do you keep Corals? Smallish corn snakes could work - they're not exactly in short supply. The King keepers manage.



Ex0tic said:


> May I ask what the venom is like on this specific species?


As said, extremely dangerous and no anti-venom, but you can survive it if you get to a hospital quickly. Drop for drop, they're the most toxic snakes in North America. The venom's very fast acting. It's similar to _Naja_ venom.

There used to be antivenom for NA Coral snakes, but it was discontinued several years ago and there's only 100 or so vials left, and they are expired and have to be approved by the FDA to be used in American hospitals.

As far as I know, the NHS doesn't stock it.... but PDR will be able to confirm. It's in very short supply and would have passed its original expiry date, so it's unlikely.


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## GT2540 (Jan 31, 2012)

ViperLover said:


> Do you keep Corals? Smallish corn snakes could work - they're not exactly in short supply. The King keepers manage.


Only by name, I have cape corals or boxes of earth that move is another way of putting it.


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## ViperLover (Jun 7, 2009)

GT2540 said:


> Only by name, I have cape corals or boxes of earth that move is another way of putting it.


I've played with a Cape coral.... they're cool snakes.
I think a mate of mine is trying to breed his _cowlesi_.


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