Blacktail Cribo, Drymarchon melanurus melanurus

Enclosures must be long enough for the snake to stretch out fully and exercise, and these are large, fast, diurnal animals that use every inch of floor they are given. Blacktail cribos will climb if given the opportunity, but floor space matters far more than height. Provide a hide box, a water bowl, and plenty of clutter in the form of foliage, driftwood, logs, and rocks, as these are curious animals and a bare enclosure does not suit them. Avoid glass aquariums with screen lids, as they will not hold the humidity this species requires.

Cypress mulch, orchid bark, or a sphagnum and fir mix all work well, provided they are deep enough for the snake to burrow into. These substrates hold the humidity blacktail cribos require. Their fast metabolism means frequent, large, and extremely foul defecation, so expect to spot clean far more often than with other snakes, and to change the substrate completely on a regular schedule.

This is the section that matters most for this species. Hold the room at 70-78 degrees. Provide a hot spot on one side in the mid-80s, with 87 degrees as the ceiling rather than a target. The cool side must never exceed the low 80s. Heat should be off at night, but the enclosure must not drop below 65. Drymarchon are very sensitive to high temperatures, and novice keepers kill them by mismanaging cage temperatures. Kept too cool they get sick, and kept too hot they can die within minutes. Excessive heat also drives frantic nose rubbing that will take the animal’s rostrum off. Use a thermostat to regulate the temperature with the probe secured directly in the basking spot, and confirm the cool end with a separate reading. Do not guess! Do not use only a thermometer.

Humidity should be maintained at 60-80%. Place a good quality hygrostat in your snake’s enclosure to monitor humidity. Provide a humid hide with damp sphagnum moss on the cool end at all times, and make sure it is available when the animal’s eyes and skin take on a dusky or blue appearance.

Provide your snake with a non-porous water bowl large enough for the snake to soak in, and change it frequently. Snakes frequently defecate in their water bowl, so frequent disinfection is essential. We recommend F10 Veterinary Disinfectant, diluted according to the directions on the bottle.

Blacktail cribos should be handled frequently from the time they are young to develop into docile, well-socialized adults, and this takes minimal effort for most of them. Keep two hands on the snake at all times as they are extremely agile and can get away quickly. Use a firm but comfortable grip. Never handle around feeding, never open the enclosure with the smell of prey on your hands, and wash your hands thoroughly after handling frozen thawed food. Children should always be supervised when handling snakes. Do not handle them while they are in shed or right after meals.

Allow your new snake at least a week to adjust to its new habitat before feeding. Mortal Coil Serpentry supports feeding frozen feeders. Your new pet is already feeding on frozen thawed. Live feeding is not recommended. Warm frozen prey to a natural body temperature (~90 degrees). Present prey with tongs, never by hand, at any age. Blacktail cribos are not constrictors. They overpower prey and eat it directly, and the feeding strike is violent even in a hatchling. They take a varied diet of rodents, birds and eggs. They have a fast metabolism, which means frequent, large, and extremely foul defecation, and considerably more enclosure cleaning than you are used to. Do not handle for at least 24 hours after feeding.

Hatchlings to 2 years: 1 prey item the approximate girth of the snake once per week. Mice and African Soft Furs are superior to rats of equivalent size for nutritional value.

2+ years: 1 prey item the approximate girth of the snake once every 7-10 days. Their metabolism does not allow the long intervals a python of the same length would take.

The correct body shape for a blacktail cribo is round with visible muscle tone. These are heavily muscled animals and they should never be kept fat.

Any new animal should be kept separate from the snakes you already own. A different room is best, but the opposite end of the house will do. Feed and clean your quarantined animal last, and wash your hands thoroughly before you handle anything else.

Ninety days is a reasonable minimum, and your new snake should be feeding consistently before you consider it out of quarantine. Watch for mites, wheezing, regurgitation, and abnormal stool during this period, and consult your veterinarian if you see any of them.