Hi y’all!! I wanted to introduce everyone to a species of house snake that is (as far as I’m aware) new to the U.S. hobby! These two beauties are Boaedon perisilvestris - the taxonomic name means “near-forest” (“peri” = around, about, or nearby; “silvestris” = forested, wooded). These are gorgeous black snakes, but they are NOT the black fuliginosis we already have in the hobby!
Christen (Stygian Exotics) and myself imported these from a breeder in Slovakia. These are F1 animals, produced from WC adults that are in the breeder’s possession. These are Cameroon-locality near-forest black house snakes, so a completely different species than the black African house snakes (Boaedon fuliginosis) that are already established in the hobby.
The reason I’m really excited about these as an alternative to the black fuliginosis is that they seem to, according to the Slovakian breeder, adapt much better to captivity. Black fuliginosis babies are known to be difficult to start (often start on live pinkies or even fish-scented live pinkies) as well as difficult to keep on frozen-thawed - as aduls they often prefer live mice and will switch back to preferring live even if they have taken frozen thawed in the past. These near-forest black house snakes, Boaedon perisilvestris, are more reliable eaters - these babies started on frozen thawed pinkies and the WC adults also reliably eat frozen thawed rodents. B. perisilvestris are also more robust than the black fuliginosis, reaching closer to Cape house snake size (4ft for females, 3ft for males). I’m really excited to work with these and hopefully get them established in the hobby as an alternative to the black fuliginosis, which are often still wild caught and are not particularly reliable feeders.
Here are my two beauties - Anubis and Persephone. I’ll keep this thread updated as they grow on how their temperament, feeding habits, and size are progressing!
Oh my Kayla! Next time we have dinner together ((which hopefully will be soon) we will definitely have to discuss these guys, which by the way are AWESOME!!! We make a good team btw!!!
Edit to add: As I said in another thread, I am so glad you are bringing new and interesting species of animals into this community!
Figured I’d keep everyone here updated with trials and tribulations. So far, only the female has eaten for me, the male hasn’t taken any food. He was eating f/t for the breeder and for Christen, so I’m guessing something is off with my husbandry. Being from central Africa I assumed these guys wanted a hotter climate, so I had their hotspot set at 88, but I’ve found them consistently on the cool side. Christen is keeping hers around 82 and hers are eating fine, so I lowered, my hotspot to 84 to see if that makes a difference.
Other than not eating, they’re healthy and active and doing great.
That’s interesting Kayla. I wonder if your house is warmer thus making their overall environment warmer? Either way as long as you can get him to eat you do what you gotta do! I bet he starts eating for you soon!
Maybe you should read to him like you do Kimble…….
Oh these are so neat, definitely going to keep an eye on how this project progresses!
If these guys really do so much better in captivity, I’ll definitely want one in the future
They’re doing great! Unfortunately I have had a little bit of trouble getting them on frozen thawed - supposedly they were on f/t from the breeder but they don’t seem to want to take it for me. I’m feeding them live currently until they get a little bit more size and then will try to switch them again once they have some more reserves built up. But they reliably eat live every time.
In case anyone wondered how big of a meal house snakes can take… this is the boy after having eaten two fuzzies (he’s normally on pinkies but the store was out of pinkies).
