How much does a keelback snake cost? Detailed guide to breeding methods
The keelback snake is a typical non-venomous snake, also known as the king rat snake, stink king snake, pine flower snake, king python, etc. It is a snake of the genus Elaphe in the family Colubridae, large and fierce but non-venomous, with a wide diet. In the wild it preys on rats, birds, bird eggs and other small animals, and even swallows its own kind when food is scarce. Let us take a look below at keelback snake prices and breeding methods!
How much does a keelback snake cost per jin?
The keelback snake is currently one of the meat-type snake species, and prices vary somewhat from place to place, but generally around 50 to 80 yuan per jin. It is worth noting that the keelback snake has been included in the "List of Terrestrial Wild Animals under State Protection that Are Beneficial or of Important Economic or Scientific Research Value" issued by China's State Forestry Administration on August 1, 2000, which restricts capture and purchase. Anyone who privately captures or sells wild protected animals will be subject to legal sanctions.
Living habits of the keelback snake
1. Environment: The keelback snake inhabits mountainous, plains and hilly areas, and is active by riversides, pond edges, reservoir areas and other places near water.
2. Diet: The keelback snake feeds on frogs, birds, rodents and various bird eggs, and even swallows its own young snakes or its own kind when food is scarce.
3. Toxicity: The keelback snake is non-venomous and relies on its own strong body and powerful constricting force to capture prey.
4. Reproduction: The keelback snake lays eggs from June to July each year, laying 8 to 15 eggs each time, with an incubation period of about 40 to 45 days.
Breeding methods for the keelback snake
1. Mating management: When artificially breeding keelback snakes, males and females should be kept separately, and when the breeding and mating season arrives, the males are placed into the female group. One male can generally mate with 10 females, and after mating they are kept separately again.
2. Egg-laying time: The keelback snake reproduces by laying eggs. Females generally have their peak egg-laying period from late June to mid-July, laying 8 to 12 eggs each time. After one mating, the sperm of a female can survive in the mother snake's body for many years.
3. Incubation method: The incubation period of keelback snake eggs is 40 to 45 days. Most are incubated indoors using the jar incubation method or wooden barrels. The optimal temperature is 20 to 30°C and the relative humidity is 50 to 70%. Within this temperature and humidity range, male and female snakes each account for almost half.
4. Hatchling management: Newly hatched keelback snake hatchlings are 25 to 35 cm in body length, with lighter body color, and the scales at the front of the head have no "king"-shaped markings. No feeding is needed; 7 days after hatching, feeding is induced artificially, and at the same time care for the hatchlings should be strengthened.
Breeding methods for the keelback snake
1. Breeding density: The most suitable density for keelback snakes is 7 to 10 snakes per sq m. Too low a density affects the scale of breeding. For breeding snakes, 5 to 7 per sq m is appropriate. For three-dimensional breeding, the density can be higher, around 20 per sq m.
2. Rearing environment: The rearing environment for keelback snakes should be quiet, but compared with other snakes, the keelback snake is still a relatively bold species. Many keelback snakes, once familiar with the environment, will eat food even with people nearby.
3. Feeding management: The keelback snake has a large appetite. A 1500-gram snake can swallow 1 to 2 frogs at a time, or 2 to 3 young chicks in succession. After a full meal, it crawls back into its den and lies still, and digestion takes about 2 weeks.
4. Feeding other snakes: The keelback snake has a habit of eating snakes. Even if the feed provided is abundant and varied, a small number of other miscellaneous snakes should be put in from time to time (some can be raised incidentally by hand) to avoid snakes eating each other.
5. Disease prevention and treatment
① Mold spot disease: Apply 1 to 2% iodine tincture to the affected area, applying the medicine 1 to 2 times a day, and take clotrimazole tablets orally, 3 times a day, 2 tablets each time.
② Rot skin disease: Inject amikacin into the tail muscle at 15 mg/kg of body weight, once a day, for 3.5 consecutive days.
③ Parasites: Soak in 0.1% trichlorfon solution for two minutes to remove external parasites, and use tetramisole hydrochloride to remove internal parasites.