Is the common rat snake in rural areas venomous? A detailed look at price, prospects for captive breeding and technology

The rat snake is a relatively large snake in the order Serpentes, family Colubridae, genus Zaocys, commonly known as the black snake or black wind snake. Here we introduce is the common rat snake in rural areas venomous? What is the price per jin? What are the prospects for captive breeding? What are the breeding techniques?

I. Is the common rat snake in rural areas venomous?

The rat snake is non-venomous. The rat snake is a relatively large non-venomous snake, with a total body length reaching more than 2.5 m. It inhabits low and mid-elevation mountain areas below 1600 m in altitude, often near farmland and ditches, and is sometimes found in villages. It moves quickly and reacts nimbly, is docile by nature, and usually does not bite people. Due to habitat destruction and heavy hunting by humans, the wild population has greatly declined and should be protected.

II. What is the price of the rat snake per jin? What are the prospects for captive breeding?

The price of the rat snake ranges from 30 yuan per jin to 100 yuan per jin. The rat snake has a very wide distribution range and is a relatively common non-venomous snake in China. It grows fast, has strong adaptability, high disease resistance, and sells well on the market, making it very suitable for captive breeding. The market price of captive-bred rat snakes is usually higher the larger they are, because they are mostly used as food, so the larger the individual, the more meat it yields, and the higher the price. Medicinal rat snake material is the dried body of the colubrid snake Zaocys dhumnades, made by slitting the belly open or first removing the snake skin while keeping the head and tail, removing the internal organs, coiling into a disc shape and drying. The price is usually 300 yuan/kg.

III. What are the breeding techniques?

1. Feeding: The rat snake eats fish, lizards, frogs, earthworms, loach, rice field eels, etc., with frogs as its main food. Generally, bait is given once every two weeks, and leftover bait should be removed promptly to prevent rot and odor. For snakes with poor hunting ability or that refuse to hunt, manual force-feeding can be carried out when necessary. Snakes stop feeding during hibernation. In the 15-20 days before entering dormancy or after emerging from dormancy, they basically do not eat, and food intake is greatest within 7 days after egg laying. Newly hatched snakes live on their own yolk nutrition for the first 7-10 days and generally do not eat; after 10 days they begin to eat a small amount, but are rather picky about food.

2. Temperature and humidity control: The rat snake is a poikilothermic animal, and its body temperature changes with the ambient temperature. Too high or too low a temperature is unfavorable to the rat snake's life. The suitable air temperature for this snake's growth and activity is 13-30°C. In hot weather, shade equipment should be provided, and measures such as spraying water can be taken to cool it down when necessary. In cold winter weather, soil should be banked up around the snake nest in time to keep it warm. Dry air also affects the snake's life, and the relative air humidity should preferably be kept above 50%.

3. Sanitation management: The rat snake enclosure should be cleaned frequently to remove animal carcasses and food residue. Snakes found to have difficulty moving, red and swollen mouths, festering bodies, or other diseases should be treated or culled promptly. For snakes with red and swollen mouths, the mouth can be rinsed with Rivanol solution; for skin wounds, gentian violet can be applied. At the same time, attention should be paid to preventing the snake's natural enemies, such as eagles and hedgehogs, from entering the snake enclosure and causing harm. The number of released snakes should be checked frequently, and if any are found missing, the cause must be identified immediately.

4. Preparation for overwintering: Within 1-2 months before overwintering, the rat snake should be given sufficient and varied feed to increase the nutrients and fat thickness in the snake's body and improve its comprehensive ability to resist cold and disease. Several rat snakes of similar size can be placed together for hibernation. Collective hibernation can raise the temperature around the snakes' bodies by about 1-2°C and effectively reduce water loss. The snake nest should be dry and avoid dampness, must have good moisture retention, and must have good insulation performance. The temperature inside the nest should preferably be kept at 6-10°C, and the humidity should preferably be between 50-60%.

5. Overwintering management: During the rat snake's hibernation, in addition to regularly checking changes in temperature and humidity inside the nest, the health status of the snakes should also be checked regularly. If sick snakes or unsatisfactory snakes are found, they should be isolated and treated promptly to avoid mutual infection. If snakes are found to have bite wounds or the number decreases, a thorough inspection should be carried out and the cause identified, rodent damage and other natural enemies eliminated, and safety precautions strengthened to prevent mice and natural enemies from invading again.