# Mangrove snake



## slippery42 (Mar 23, 2008)

An image from tonight of one of the two captive bred babies i bought a few months ago.

Of the two this is the smaller one as it is still a hit and miss feeder.

Its mate is taking three small rat pups a week where as this one is still on a pinkies or so every four days.

This one is still calm and the bigger one bites very well thanks


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## SNAKEWISPERA (Aug 27, 2007)

Awwww there lush, I love boiga Sp.


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## Thrasops (Apr 15, 2008)

Sweet! And looks in nice condition too! Good piccie.


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## slippery42 (Mar 23, 2008)

*feeding*

Thanks they are both in great condition though its a shame the little one is not as good a feeder.

Still thats how it goes sometimes.:bash:


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## SNAKEWISPERA (Aug 27, 2007)

Yeah, I heard baby Boiga took ages to get started.
Once again...stunning.


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## Declan123 (Dec 29, 2007)

Real nice, not many CB around


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## Thrasops (Apr 15, 2008)

"Still that's how it goes sometimes"

Don't I know it... :devil:

It used to take me HOURS to feed all the little bu:censor:ers in my collection that would refuse food... sometimes a whole weekend to get them all sorted.

Although it's a great feeling when they finally start eating and begin to put on weight and move around as normal! It's part of the joy and challenge of this type of snake (fussy eaters I mean).

Fortunately pretty much all of my animals are happily chowing down by themselves every week now. But I've got a new lot coming in on Friday that will probably occupy me for a while...


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## slippery42 (Mar 23, 2008)

*?????*



Thrasops said:


> "Still that's how it goes sometimes"
> 
> Don't I know it... :devil:
> 
> ...


I'm intrigued:mf_dribble:


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## rakpeterson (Oct 10, 2007)

Amazing, i would love a pair of these but finding CB is no easy task!!


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## Thrasops (Apr 15, 2008)

slippery42 said:


> I'm intrigued:mf_dribble:


1.2 _Psammophis sibilans_, 1.2_ Psammophis schokari_, 1.1_ Coluber florentulus_ and 1.1_ Coluber rogersi_. All fresh from Egypt and from a reliable and well-known importer.

The _P. sibilans_ should be no problem, I've had plenty of WC Montpellier snakes (_Malpolon_) which are very similar. They reputedly will happily take rodents by the bucketload. But I'm wondering about the _P. schokari _and _Coluber_ sp. Some whip snakes I've had (_Hierophis viridiflavus_ and _Hemorrhois hippocrepis_) present no real problem to get feeding... but others (_Platyceps najadum_ and _Hemorrhois algirus_) can be nightmares...

(I know this is the DWA forum, but _P. sibilans_, like _Boiga dendrophila_, WAS on DWA...):whistling2:


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## 17624 (May 1, 2008)

*WoW*

Bloody stunning mate...

Jpster

:lol2:


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## fatratsandcheesekk (May 18, 2008)

very nice snake


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## leptophis (May 24, 2007)

very nice snake, and a great looking photograph


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## Angi (Nov 12, 2005)

Hey Slippery, your mangrove is looking great, looks very healthy and what a superb photograph - one to be entered into a few photo competitions I feel.

For those who experience difficulty feeding boigas:-
Feeding young boigas is not really that difficult people, it simply takes a bit of patience and a bit of dedication on your part. For any that will not feed on their own I now just jump straight into a semi assist feed and continue this for at least a couple of months. I wait til its dark sit them on my knee in a tub and simply hold them behind the head and pop the pinkie into the mouth, most will open their mouths when simply pushing a pinkie head gently against it. Once it has taken it into its mouth then move extremely slowly or it WILL spit it out. Slowly lower it to the floor of the tub and very slowly let go of the head. If you move too quick it WILL spit it out so dont be tempted to move. Give yourself 20-30 minutes per hatchling, they will get quicker given time but you just have to be patient. Continue with this regime so that it is getting regular food. Do not handle the youngster as they almost all get stressed very easily and most will go off their food. After a while most will pick the pinkie out from between your fingers (obviously care is to be taken so you are not risking getting bitten), let them do this a few times then try leaving a pinkie in the tub overnight with them, if this does not work you can try wiggling a warmed pinkie on tongs - just dont do it too much or again they will get stressed.
Expect set backs with boigas, many do go off their food from time to time with no obvious reasons, so be prepared to start right back at square one. Also be prepared to offer a range of different foods as some will eat eggs, small quails and even insects and frogs.
I have had experience with 8 boiga species over the last 4 years, and feel this is the species of snake I know best.


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## SiUK (Feb 15, 2007)

Angi said:


> Hey Slippery, your mangrove is looking great, looks very healthy and what a superb photograph - one to be entered into a few photo competitions I feel.
> 
> For those who experience difficulty feeding boigas:-
> Feeding young boigas is not really that difficult people, it simply takes a bit of patience and a bit of dedication on your part. For any that will not feed on their own I now just jump straight into a semi assist feed and continue this for at least a couple of months. I wait til its dark sit them on my knee in a tub and simply hold them behind the head and pop the pinkie into the mouth, most will open their mouths when simply pushing a pinkie head gently against it. Once it has taken it into its mouth then move extremely slowly or it WILL spit it out. Slowly lower it to the floor of the tub and very slowly let go of the head. If you move too quick it WILL spit it out so dont be tempted to move. Give yourself 20-30 minutes per hatchling, they will get quicker given time but you just have to be patient. Continue with this regime so that it is getting regular food. Do not handle the youngster as they almost all get stressed very easily and most will go off their food. After a while most will pick the pinkie out from between your fingers (obviously care is to be taken so you are not risking getting bitten), let them do this a few times then try leaving a pinkie in the tub overnight with them, if this does not work you can try wiggling a warmed pinkie on tongs - just dont do it too much or again they will get stressed.
> ...


I have one here at the moment, a mangrove and about 3-4ft apparently it was eating live anoles and ribbon snakes a few months ago but for the last 4 months has been being force fed rodents, it will only take food if its massaged about 2" down its throat, the aim is to get it to eat on its own in the end, what do you recon is the next step Angi? I have done it with other snakes, but have no experience with getting mangroves feeding.

Si


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## Angi (Nov 12, 2005)

It does not sound good Si, force feeding them is incredibly stressful for them and many simply do not survive the stress of this method of feeding for very long. Personally I would do as I outlined above and be VERY VERY patience with it and do not move whilst feeding. I know its a pain, but if you want to keep a boiga then you will have to get used to being prepared to doing this. I strongly feel that if force fed for any length of time it is reducing the chances of it a) surviving at all b) ever accepting food normally. I have found boigas totally different re getting them feeding to any other snake that I have come across (and thats quite a few through our shop)
I find it odd that it was feeding on anoles and ribbon snakes, never heard of that before, not exactly their natural diet. I have found mangroves to be more partial to chicks and quails initially, then moved onto rodents. How did it end up being force fed?


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## Thrasops (Apr 15, 2008)

Angi said:


> For those who experience difficulty feeding boigas:-
> Feeding young boigas is not really that difficult people, it simply takes a bit of patience and a bit of dedication on your part. For any that will not feed on their own I now just jump straight into a semi assist feed and continue this for at least a couple of months.
> 
> Expect set backs with boigas, many do go off their food from time to time with no obvious reasons, so be prepared to start right back at square one. Also be prepared to offer a range of different foods as some will eat eggs, small quails and even insects and frogs.
> I have had experience with 8 boiga species over the last 4 years, and feel this is the species of snake I know best.


Agree there, as arboreals go they are amongst the easiest to feed. I love the fact that they usually keep chewing on a prey item that is placed between their lips... I imagine they are probably administering a defensive envenomation before realizing it is edible...

Out of 12 _Boiga cyanea_ I have (wc or bred by me) every single one without fail has taken f/t using this method. Out of my seven self-bred babies, a couple will only eat when hand-fed, but otherwise are very greedy. They've just learned that I'm the Big Food-Bringer from the sky...

Similarly, I have 1.2 wc _Boiga dendrophila_ and they all fed without hesitation virtually from day one. Two took straight from the tongs, one I had to "semi-assist feed" once. Obviously I was quite lucky with these (I don't think they were feeding at the importers, though).

_Boiga _"_flavescens_" (_irregularis_?) and _Boiga kraepelini_ similarly gave me no problems to get feeding on pinkies/small fuzzies and then piggybacking more as they ate the first (easy to give nice big meals to!). The only _Boiga_ species I have kept that seem to resist this method of feeding is _B. cynodon_ although I finally got my CB babies going on chick legs.

Just a shame that other arboreals like _Chrysopelea_, _Ahaetulla_, _Philothamnus_ and _Hapsidophrys_ aren't so easy to get started! 
:bash:

Nice to hear from another _Boiga_ lover. Have you had similar experiences with _B. cynodon_, Angi? What other species have you kept? (_B. nigriceps_ and _B. drapiezi_ will be in there I bet?)


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## Declan123 (Dec 29, 2007)

My Boiga Irrigularis is an amazing feeder, which suprised me tbh... Hes gone through two perfect sheds since ive had him... 

i can litterally see the difference in size every week

: victory:


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## Thrasops (Apr 15, 2008)

Nice! I did my university thesis on this species, they're funky little snakes!


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## Angi (Nov 12, 2005)

Not all my experiences have been with my own snakes, some at our shop. B.dendrophilla dendrophila ( both white and yellow types)
B.dendrophilla gemmicincta
B.cyanea
B.cynodon
B.nigriceps
B.irregularis
B.drapiezii (both green and red/brown types)
B.blandingi

Cynodon I have found to be very picky eaters, but Ive had most luck feeding chicks and young quails.

It is indeed good to see more boiga enthusiasts about. watch out for the next edition of reptile care as it contains a good article on B cyanea.


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## Thrasops (Apr 15, 2008)

Cool, I'll look out for that.


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## jasper1 (Apr 15, 2007)

When's next edition out Angi?

Slippery, you've got a stunning example by the way.


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## 17624 (May 1, 2008)

*WoW*

I love that snake!!!

Jpster


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## reptilehouse (Apr 25, 2009)

heya, im just wondering as ive been told many things about the mangrove, firstly are they under the dwa? and would you be looking at selling any?

i would really love to buy on and just need to know!


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## ian14 (Jan 2, 2008)

No longer DWA, haven't been now since end of 2007.


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## Vipera_berus (Feb 9, 2009)

Awww what a little cutie! Shame about your other not being such a great feeder. I didn't know there were too many CB around I've only seen WC in the south west, were did you pick them up from?


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## Scarlet_Rain (Jan 16, 2009)

Thrasops said:


> 1.2 _Psammophis sibilans_, 1.2_ Psammophis schokari_, 1.1_ Coluber florentulus_ and 1.1_ Coluber rogersi_. All fresh from Egypt and from a reliable and well-known importer.
> 
> The _P. sibilans_ should be no problem, I've had plenty of WC Montpellier snakes (_Malpolon_) which are very similar. They reputedly will happily take rodents by the bucketload. But I'm wondering about the _P. schokari _and _Coluber_ sp. Some whip snakes I've had (_Hierophis viridiflavus_ and _Hemorrhois hippocrepis_) present no real problem to get feeding... but others (_Platyceps najadum_ and _Hemorrhois algirus_) can be nightmares...
> 
> (I know this is the DWA forum, but _P. sibilans_, like _Boiga dendrophila_, WAS on DWA...):whistling2:



Oh wow _ Coluber rogersi, _I am hoping to get one of these this year


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## chondro13 (Aug 18, 2008)

Wow, beautiful example of a CB dendro! If only more people would put in the time to breeding them.


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