Gonyosoma oxycephalum

 

Area: S outheastern Asia

 

Length: max. 160 / 180 cm (length is depending on the subspecies)

 

Feeding: mice, rats, rodents and birds

 

English name: Gonyosoma ratsnake, The redtailed racer

A exacting, but splendid emerald-green slender Asian ratsnake. There are species coloured white and brown. Those species are from Indonesia . They stay smaller then the species from Vietnam and Cambodia . The tale of this snake is (light) red. There tongue is blue. The redtailed racer lives in the jungle.

They needs a moisture terrarium, laying eggs, temp. 24 - 34° degrees. Never buy wild caught animals because they are heavily loaded with parasites, badly stressed and very nervous and the keeper who successfully acclimates one and gets it to feed is rare indeed. Buy your snakes from breeders. Captive-bred babies are now present and they are healthy. I keep this kind of snakes with changing success!

 

Upkeep: The Gonyosoma is not easy to keep. The temperature is day over 24 till 34 degrees, at night 22 degrees. As substrate I use a lot of earth with real plants on the bottom. A shelter is needed. You can use artificial plants and a few branches. It must be a jungle terrarium with a lot green stuff. The Gonyosma is a treesnake. A large small water dish makes it complete.

 

Breeding: They can lay eggs the whole year trough. Dry and wet periods can advance to mate. The incubation time will take from 90 till 95 days, at an average temperature of 27/29 degrees. After two years the hatchlings become adults.