A baby southern ringneck wandered into my carport tonight, so it's sitting in a spare 10 gallon right now. I took a slice of the habitat I normally spot them in around my area (loose soil around rotting stumps) and mixed some of the rotting wood and some leaf litter into it after boiling, it's been exploring the new space and seems to like it. I'm going to plant some ivy and other leafy plants throughout the tank for extra hidey holes. This was easily the best care guide I've found, thanks for uploading it!
@@wcsdiaries tadpoles and cut up nightcrawlers. It REALLY liked the tadpoles, and after that started eating the worms. It didn't seem to want the worms until after I successfully offered the tadpole, if that's any indication of how picky they can be. I actually wouldn't recommend them at all if you've never kept a picky snake before.
So glad I found this video. I saved two from a bomb fire and was having the hardest time finding proper care info for them. I've had them about 2 weeks now and they seem to be doing fine. But I want to make sure I'm giving them the best care I can
I recently found a baby that is about 4.5-5 inches long. I've owned garters, earthsnakes, and a green snake so I'm not a beginner but like to know exactly what the snakes naturally like and there is little to no information about their care, just people saying not to keep them sadly. I really appreciate this video ❤
At first I was super excited to try and keep one of these. Found one inside my building at work. But because of this video I believe it would be more humane to release it into my back yard with the thick wooded area there. Thank you for the video
Very informative video! Well done! I can’t wait to see my wife’s face when she comes in the kitchen and I’m using her ninja blender to blend up lizards lol
I just found baby ring neck in a spider’s web. I’m trying to figure out what to feed it. What can I do? Since you breed them I was hoping you could help me out.
@@autumnwallis2558 We just had the same experience cleaning out our barn, found about 5 babies wrapped up in spider's webs, unfortunately about 3 more that it was too late. We're trying to figure out what to feed them. I guess we need to find some little salamanders🤷♂
@@stromam I wish you luck. Still not sure what to do. I have been able to find anything small enough that it will eat. I am beginning to think I need to let the little thing go in the woods and hope for the best.
@@autumnwallis2558 I sent my daughter down to our creek and she was able to catch 5 little salamanders and after much lamenting (she loves salamanders almost as much as snakes), she finally put them in the terrarium with the ringnecks. Next morning the salamanders are all gone and while one appears to have been eaten, spit back out, and then devoured by the isopods (there's only a skeleton left), 4 of the 5 snakes appear fat and happy! I realize this might not be possible for you, but it certainly seems like salamanders are a favorite food of these little guys.
What about the northern ringneck snakes where there are 0 small lizards, infact the only reptiles we have besides snakes in NY state are turtles. For a baby, would you recommend small salamanders?? Or other smaller insects?
Very interesting video! I love the idea of keeping small snakes such as ringnecks. With the Reptilinks products available now, scenting is easy. My only experience with keeping small snakes was with shovelnose snakes for a short period before releasing them where they were found (trapped in a ditch in the desert.. I released them to the area, not the ditch..) They did great in captivity for the few weeks I had them, and I did see them eat at night on a few occasions. Anyway, thanks for sharing your experiences.
I've actually been considering getting a shovel nose. They're not expensive and look neat. I have mainly mid sized to small end large snakes (corn, boa, ball python, etc), so I'd be nice to have a few more small ones in the mix. Najarla here is my smallest snake with the male sand boa coming in 2nd.
Hey! I’ve got 2 baby ring necks (housed together temporarily) and I’ve tried earthworms and crickets. (I breed my own for my axolotls) and they didn’t take to them at all. I’ve only had them 5 days so I don’t expect them to eat right away. How long should I continue with earthworms before I need to try frog/lizard parts (like you mentioned above). A month? Second question, if I do I need switch to frogs, we have many many many ponds and creeks where I live so I can catch wild ones but I was looking into pre-frozen ones and I can’t seem to find any? Do you buy or catch your own? Thanks in advance!!!
Not sure how I missed your comment for so long, I apologize. I do not recommend offering earthworms unless the snake is already eating well on other prey or you've tried all other prey w/o success. Many ringnecks don't seem to take earthworms readily from what I"ve heard from other keepers, though there is some individual snakes that seem to really like them and it may have to do with what state the ringneck came from. Still I always say to offer small reptiles or amphibians initially and regularly. Aside from being more commonly accepted more easily, it's also a lot easier to track whether or not the snake actually ate (earthworms tend to shrivel up, tucked in some corner of the cage & go unnoticed so you think it got ate). As for sourcing lizards and amphibians: Asian food markets sometimes carry frozen frog legs (just make sure there's no salt, butter, flavoring added) that you can cut into appropriate sized strips for your snake. Reed frogs are supposedly easy to breed if your ringneck likes frogs or tadpoles and you want to breed your own supply. Catching wild ones is fine since the ringneck is wild caught too, but you could introduce more parasites by using WC prey (after a while in captivity many animals systems can flush themselves of most parasites they had when you got them). Red-back salamanders (if they're in your area) is an appropriate sized salamander to find outside for ringnecks. Many pet shops carry anoles, long tail grass skinks, and/or house geckos all of which can be offered as a meal and if the snake it small then freeze the lizard and chop it into smaller pieces or I put my f/t in a blender w/ a little water to make a slurry I dip f/t pinkie mice into to make them smell like a lizard (my girl hasn't eaten anything else since). Dropped lizard tails from a breeder could work as meals as well for baby ringnecks.
I found a baby (just hatched) ring neck snake trapped in a spider’s web. I saved it. I am not sure how to feed it. I have had it for a few days now. I am afraid it will die. What would you suggest I do?
I'm planning to do a large natural tank with one or more ringneck as the residents, I've loved them for years and have always wanted a little slice of nature basically haha but I was planning on feeding guppies and tadpoles, as well as making sure there are lots of clean up crew and other little bugs for them to snack on, I really want them to feel as home as possible, I'm even leaning how to do water pump stuff so I can have a little waterfall and pool in the tank But my main question is, do you think cohabiting is safe, and would they be anxious in a larger space? I was planning to plant it with lots of plants for them to hide in, and oak leaves, I also wanted to steal your moss idea too lol I figured if I tried to recreate their habit they'd be happy
Genuinely appreciate this video. It is very hard to find info on these little guys. I've got plenty of snake experience, but never with these and I'm getting my first pair in tomorrow with the intentions of breeding them. They are approximately 4 years of age and have been in captivity for most of that time. If you know of any helpful breeding info, or even as simple as feeding tips on hatchlings, it would be greatly appreciated! I really want to be a part of making a name for these being captive bred.:)
@@siobhanmckee2829 Unfortunately not yet. I bought them as a pair and they were tank mates for a long time. Even after separating and reintroducing, no luck:/ but! I'm still enjoying them for what they are:)
great videoI just got a ring snake and cant find were to get baby lizards or frogs .its about 8inches long what should i feed her ?mice are to big for mine.
Sorry to reply so late. This is gonna be gross but it's what you're probably gonna have to do. Since they usually take lizards/amphibians best you do want to offer lizard or frog 1st then try to get it to switch to lizard/frog scented pinkies. Get an anole, house gecko, or green/brown tree frog -> put it in the fridge for 20mins then into the freezer to kill them or put the travel container into a sealed container with a cup of vinegar + baking soda to make carbon dioxide (the gas used to gas feeder rodents) -> thaw in the refrigerator -> cut the lizard/frog into pieces using sharp scissors and jiggle it from tongs (removing legs w/thigh, the tail on lizards, and the head are the easiest, less messy cuts). If it won't take f/t pieces then a freshly dropped lizard tail as it'll move around on it's own awhile. Once you can get it eating f/t lizard/frog pieces from tongs you can try to transition it to lizard/frog rubbed f/t rodent pieces (hint: rinse the rodent well under water 1st to remove some of it's natural scent b4 scenting it).
I have a baby ring neck and he’s about 4 inches he’s so tiny and the crickets/ earthworms are too big I feel like… so I tried meal worms and he doesn’t want to eat. What do you recommend??
Omg! Me too he/she is so tiny I put really small crickets & mealworms in there but they’ve only drank water so I guess I’ll have to see I just got them today
I have a baby ring neck snake that keeps coming in to my garage… I have no idea experience with snakes but I don’t want this baby to die. How can I help
hi this video was so so helpful! i just recently got a baby ringneck and i’m wondering how often i should feed her, i am starting her red worms to see how she takes them i am gonna try to get her some some reptiles to keep her healthy and happy.
My girl eats once every 14 days, but that's because I have her eating anole scented pinkies, which are higher in fat than their wild diet. On a reptile, amphibian, or earthworm diet they should eat at least once a week or twice weekly if it's a small meal (the readily available feeder lizards are usually a large meal for a ringneck).
Ringnecks only eat insects. Cut them up into manageable pieces. Try tease feeding to get them used to the foods. Remove any uneaten food as to not dirty enclosure
@@dragonrider2.064 I’ve been feeding mine tiny grasshoppers she will not eat meal worms that I can tell but I’ll try earth worms &isopods thank you! Where do you get yours ? Also any suggestions on where to get moss or stuff for its enclosure to help with humidity/temp
Hello I just bought a baby ring neck snake and there seems to be not a lot of information online for how to take care of them- are there any sources you know of where I can learn more?
Not really. This video is culmination of what I found and what has been working for me. Most articles on the species are very short. I spent weeks reading forums, watching youtube, and going through nature databases to formulate my setup.
Hi. I have a baby ring neck snake. She’s tiny. I r had her for two weeks and she hasn’t tried eating anything yet. What do you feed yours? We need some help.
Not sure how tiny, but I've found chopped worms to be the one thing mine's taken (about 1cm pieces, cut with scissors). He's maybe 8 inches long, but half the diameter/width of a pen. Serving the pieces on a little square of paper towel made it easier to monitor
How often do you feed them and exactly what is offered at each feeding? Do they have a pungent smell? After handling them, will your hands/fingers have an odor?
*Feed 3 times a week if eating earthworms 1-2x weekly if eating lizards/amphibians Every 10-14 days for rodent eaters *Ringnecks can musk just like milk, king, and garter snakes. It is very pungent. After 3 washes w/a highly scented soap, I could still smell the musk if I put my hand up to my nose. They don't always musk though; only when annoyed or scared. My ringneck & garter have only done it once each. They do have a bit of a natural smell to their scales, and it's worse if you don't keep their cage well clean that they're slithering through their poop, but this smell cleans off your hands easily and you may not even notice the smell while handling the snake.
@@MJay-ty8ev how often should you clean their cage? Only had mine about two weeks it’s a baby hackling & so far only likes small grasshoppers….any tips are appreciated
Hi I just watched your video and I loved it I just got a ringneck snake yesterday, it is a baby and it was in my pool... Do you have any advice you would give me for how I should proceed to take care of a baby ringneck snake? she isn't hiding and I believe that she is eating the tadpoles I put in there but I do not know for sure..
Same as adults just on a smaller care. Substate that it can burrow under, lots of plant/leaf litter cover, lots of hides, damp + dry areas, lizard or frog/salamander parts as a 1st meal to try, you can try chopped earthworm as well but I found it hard to monitor if they were actually being eaten.
It would be really nice if I could feed this crickets? Any input I just caught one today and don’t think I can find any frogs if he could even eat one.
@PNW Herping oof, say do you have ringnecks? Yesterday I've been given a baby ring neck, barely 2x the size of my 1 month old dekays and it may be that the person that gave me em kept er in a very small glass jar with nothing else in it but it wont give a feeding response although I may need to get a bit of a thicker work XD but yea just wondering
I saved one from my cat he was bitten in the chest, I made a sand bath moist area leaves sticks hideout and worms and water unfortunately I think he was bitten in his lungs and suffered. Any ides where to find these dudes? Beautiful snakes.
They're offered for sale on Morph Market occasionally. They're really easy to miss in the wild because they live under leaf litter, under the bark of rotten logs that are on the ground, under rocks, in mulch, etc so you could have some right next to your feet and never seen them because they're buried or squeezed into something real tight.
You can usually find frozen frog legs at Asian markets. Do a google search for ones in your area. It may be a bit of a drive but being frozen a single bag will probably last about a year for a single snake. Just be sure to check the ingredients as you don't want any added salt, butter, or flavors. You'll probably have to slice the legs lengthwise to make them small enough to swallow. Another option would be to check for dwarf clawed frogs at your local pet store in the aquarium section as these are fully aquatic. I bought 2 and froze them as a cheap way to test if my girl would take frog before investing in going to an Asian market. Petsmart usually carried green tree frogs which will work as well to freeze and chop up to appropriate size. Petsmart usually has anoles & grass lizards as well. This is where I got my anoles to freeze and blend into a smoothie for dipping f/t pinkie mice in to scent them for my girl. Your ringneck may or may not take f/t or scented pinkie right away so dropped anole, grass lizard, or house gecko tail will work as live prey to get you started or chop a frozen lizard to size if it'll take f/t lizard. Live tadpoles can often be found in the summer in your local waterways, but check your state laws about collected tadpoles/eggs.
As far as I've learned some snakes do better if you leave them in their habitat and some do best if they're taken out. You might want to try both and see what your snake prefers.
The supplier I bought my girl from said he's had some cannibalize each other, while other people have kept them in groups. I recommend keeping 1 per cage except for breeding purposes just to be on the safe side. It's fine to catch one yourself as long as your local laws permit it. In my state I needed a license to take any reptile from the wild and many times local subspecies are illegal to keep, so for me I can't have an Eastern Hognose but buying a Western hognose is perfectly okay for example. Ringnecks are small, secretive, great hiders, and very hard to spot in the wild so you may have a hard time actually finding one. When found for sale they're usually inexpensive. I paid top dollar for mine because she was a long term captive (held by seller for 3+ months to establish adjustment to captivity).
@@MJay-ty8ev Hey quick question i’ve been absolutely fascinated with these snakes recently and happen to stumble across your video with loads of information thank you so much for informing people about such a lovely snake but my question is where did you get your snake I have it’s enclosure all set up and ready to go but I can’t find anybody selling these :(
@@RancidRave Sorry to not reply sooner. Some how the notification got lost, anyway, I was lucky enough to be at the right place at the right time basically. I found Najarla (snake's name) at my local reptile show and I've never seen them available there before nor since. Morphmarket.com under other colubrides then other is a good place to keep your eyes peeled for people importing them. I know MJS Reptiles on morph market gets the Southern or Northers in once a year.
hi! i’m planning on getting a ringneck and have started to buy supplies. i’ve seen a few different cites say that a terrarium that is too big will stress a snake out. do you think my ten gallon is too much for a ringneck?
Monitoring it's health & eating habits in a 10G may be very difficult and when you 1st get one you need to monitor them very well until you know it's healthy & eating regularly. You can start one out in a plastic shoe box then move it to the 10 gallon once it's established. As Matthew 2006 said you don't want it too empty; these shy snakes hate wide open space. A cork flat spanning most of the 10 gallon's length & a long , bushy plant set across the floor like I did will do wonders in making one feel hidden enough to really show it's true personality. You'll want a loose substrate it can burrow into as well & don't forget to offer both damp & dry zones. Options, options, options & plenty of cover are the key, along with finding what kind of diet it prefers (as mentioned lizards or amphibians should be the 1st meals offered as this seems to be the most commonly readily accepted foods across ringnecks).
M. Jay thank you so much! i’ve continued to do research and haven’t gotten my snake yet (i think i’m gonna name it rigatoni though) i’ve gotten coconut like what you had in the video as well as phlegm moss, sand and potting soil. also a few hides, and i’ll get a plant too! thank you for the tip about a plastic shoe box, i haven’t seen anything recommending that and it was very helpful!
The seller kept her bio-active. It's a great option for these snakes. I'm only now just starting to dabble with bio-active setups. She was originally setup with the moss to make it easier to spot an uneaten prey so I could more easily monitor her feeding. She's well established now, knows the feeding routine, and hasn't left a meal sit to rot now in a long time so I'd now be comfortable moving her into a bio-active.
Try isopods, little baby ones, try earthworms and cut them in half and try setting it in an empty container with the prey so they can go at it in their own time and leave them for about 30 minutes, if they still aren't eating there may be some other issue
just caught mine in maryland, not far from a fish spot. imma try minnows, as an alternative food source, day 2 with snake, hasn't eaten yet, only got a couple earth worms in thre with him. i think he's too open like you said Thank you I'm gonna buy some moss this firday
The Eastern & Northern species, from what I've noticed talking to owners, seem to prefer amphibians so if it continues to not eat after adding cage cover try some small salamanders like Red Backs or any small tadpoles you can catch locally ( check state legalities). They may take earthworms, but the ones I've heard of keepers getting to take earthworms and fish have been South Eastern subspecies. These snakes feeding response is similar to a garter. You should see short, rapid tongue flicks and excited head twitches if it likes the prey you're offering. After adding cover & a two week settle in period after that (you can still put in earthworms and fish during this time), try an amphibian and see what kinda response you get if the earthworms/fish haven't been eaten. After that try anoles/house geckos. While people have gotten them to eat earthworms it doesn't seem to be any species preferred flavor of food and fish seems to be something even more rarely taken. Just please if it continues not eating for months and starts loosing weight, please release it back where you found it and try again with a different individual.
Look around online. Morph Market under other colubrides is a great place to start. They're usually sold spring through early fall with the most ads popping up usually late spring-mid summer. You'll just have to keep checking back on the website til some pop up as they're still not a common offering. faunaclassifieds & Kingsnake.com are other great places to just keep checking for ads about someone selling some. MJS Reptiles in Allentown PA area gets them in usually at least once a year as well (he's on Morph Market so when he has some in you'll find them on that site - I've bought from the seller & recommend him)
Yes. Pretty much all in the hobby or for sale anywhere are WC. She's a non-native, not caught by me. I purchased her from a reptile dealer as a short term, established captive (meaning she was held for quarantine, health check, and was eating prior to being sold).
A year or more by the time I made the video, as I wanted to be sure my methods were working before I made a care video about them. I still have her and she's going strong. Today she was out sun bathing in a corner of her cage.
She gets 1 anole scented pinkie every 14 days. She doesn't go off food over the winter like some snakes, but I still do random feedings throughout spring/summer where I'll give her 2 anole scented pinkies. Ringnecks on a lower fat diet of earthworms, lizards, fish, or amphibians should be fed appropriate sized meals at least once a week and up to twice a week as needed to maintain a healthy weight/body condition. Usually worm or fish eaters need fed more often than lizard or amphibian eaters.
im sure you mean well but we dont need to introduce this snake into the pet trade. you must not know about how damaging the reptile trade is for populations and ecosystems. alot of people rarely see ringnecks as it is because of pollution and habitat and prey loss. less than 10 years ago i was able to find them everywhere but not anymore..
Here's my take on it. People are going to capture them out of curiosity regardless of any care info or not. Without the proper info they will just keep dying so people will keep taking more, but with care info they can go on to be bred in captivity. As people come to love them because they have a chance to have them, they will care more about the wild population and preserving their habitat as well as care about breeding them. Not to mention if people have a chance to be hands on in a pet shop they're more likely to not just kill any random snake they see that wanders past them on a hiking trail. In my state, our native populations of many snakes have declined since I was a kid due to people mistaking harmless species (black rat snake, water snake, garter snake) for venomous rattlesnakes and killing every snake they saw because they didn't no any better. Our native species may not be collected for the pet trade, by the individual as a personal pet, nor have any hunting seasons and people don't take them as pets they'd much rather buy a snake if they want a pet one. The reptile community does put great emphasis on the importance of always getting CB when possible and the importance of breeding not commonly available species. More people have started breeding ringnecks since this video and I've come to find out they breed well in captivity. Collection of reptiles for the trade helps take some pressure off the ecosystem where a species is very abundant. Too many of 1 species can eat another into extinction while too little of a species can starve others into extinction. The sale of collection/hunting/trapping/fishing licenses provide a source of cash for funding conservation efforts that in many cases does lead to increased population of a wild species through habitat preservation & public education, while the hunters/fishers/the pet trade still get what they want. One helps the other is other words. Take limits, open season specifications, and limited licenses sales all help to prevent over removal of a species while revenue for conservation is still coming in. Countries need to make and enforce better capture laws while doing more active habitat preservation instead of them just seeing their wild life as $ signs. There needs to be regulations pertaining to importation conditions and the manner in which species are transported to better their well being during that time as well. The problem is not just the pet trade, it's an over all lax of laws and disinterest in active preservation. Stopping collection/hunting/fishing alone won't solve the problem, in fact I believe it would make things even worse. A black market will still exist and then the animals will be kept/transported in even worse conditions, $0 will come out of it for use in conservation, people will have little reason to love a species so will have less interest in protecting it, and there will be even less.
@@MJay-ty8evI had learned this when I would go to an aviary! The black market or under hand markets will ALWAYS exist! No matter how much we try to stop sales or interests!! Also thank you for this video! I caught a couple and I'm going to try so hard to care for these little companions!
In my case, I may not keep my native subspecies of ringneck (the Northern Ringneck). Many states do not allow you to keep the subspecies native to your area but you may non-native ringnecks.
This sadly made me realize that this snake probably isn’t for me but good luck to anyone who get one they are beautiful
A baby southern ringneck wandered into my carport tonight, so it's sitting in a spare 10 gallon right now. I took a slice of the habitat I normally spot them in around my area (loose soil around rotting stumps) and mixed some of the rotting wood and some leaf litter into it after boiling, it's been exploring the new space and seems to like it. I'm going to plant some ivy and other leafy plants throughout the tank for extra hidey holes. This was easily the best care guide I've found, thanks for uploading it!
bruh update???
@@stevejobs7346 my house burned down a while back, only my cats survived
@@BeetleBuns wow, im sorry to hear that. I hope you’re doing okay.
@@BeetleBuns what did you feeed yours?
@@wcsdiaries tadpoles and cut up nightcrawlers. It REALLY liked the tadpoles, and after that started eating the worms. It didn't seem to want the worms until after I successfully offered the tadpole, if that's any indication of how picky they can be. I actually wouldn't recommend them at all if you've never kept a picky snake before.
So glad I found this video. I saved two from a bomb fire and was having the hardest time finding proper care info for them. I've had them about 2 weeks now and they seem to be doing fine. But I want to make sure I'm giving them the best care I can
OMG thank you!!! I really needed this guide because we recently found a ringneck snake and needed help carding for it! Thank you!
Thank for this video, there is little to no information on how to care for these snakes. Awesome information!
Thank you.
I LOVE these snakes. They are like tiny living jewels
Same I caught one once that was a foot long and he coiled up in my hand
I recently found a baby that is about 4.5-5 inches long. I've owned garters, earthsnakes, and a green snake so I'm not a beginner but like to know exactly what the snakes naturally like and there is little to no information about their care, just people saying not to keep them sadly. I really appreciate this video ❤
At first I was super excited to try and keep one of these. Found one inside my building at work. But because of this video I believe it would be more humane to release it into my back yard with the thick wooded area there. Thank you for the video
Very informative video! Well done! I can’t wait to see my wife’s face when she comes in the kitchen and I’m using her ninja blender to blend up lizards lol
i came back to see your channel its crazy because this is where i got my care for my ringnecks!!!! I am now in a small group of breeders in the usa :)
I just found baby ring neck in a spider’s web. I’m trying to figure out what to feed it. What can I do? Since you breed them I was hoping you could help me out.
@@autumnwallis2558 We just had the same experience cleaning out our barn, found about 5 babies wrapped up in spider's webs, unfortunately about 3 more that it was too late. We're trying to figure out what to feed them. I guess we need to find some little salamanders🤷♂
@@stromam I wish you luck. Still not sure what to do. I have been able to find anything small enough that it will eat. I am beginning to think I need to let the little thing go in the woods and hope for the best.
@@autumnwallis2558 It would probably be the best, I think we'll let them go pretty soon.
@@autumnwallis2558 I sent my daughter down to our creek and she was able to catch 5 little salamanders and after much lamenting (she loves salamanders almost as much as snakes), she finally put them in the terrarium with the ringnecks. Next morning the salamanders are all gone and while one appears to have been eaten, spit back out, and then devoured by the isopods (there's only a skeleton left), 4 of the 5 snakes appear fat and happy! I realize this might not be possible for you, but it certainly seems like salamanders are a favorite food of these little guys.
What about the northern ringneck snakes where there are 0 small lizards, infact the only reptiles we have besides snakes in NY state are turtles. For a baby, would you recommend small salamanders?? Or other smaller insects?
Very interesting video! I love the idea of keeping small snakes such as ringnecks. With the Reptilinks products available now, scenting is easy. My only experience with keeping small snakes was with shovelnose snakes for a short period before releasing them where they were found (trapped in a ditch in the desert.. I released them to the area, not the ditch..) They did great in captivity for the few weeks I had them, and I did see them eat at night on a few occasions. Anyway, thanks for sharing your experiences.
I've actually been considering getting a shovel nose. They're not expensive and look neat. I have mainly mid sized to small end large snakes (corn, boa, ball python, etc), so I'd be nice to have a few more small ones in the mix. Najarla here is my smallest snake with the male sand boa coming in 2nd.
Hey! I’ve got 2 baby ring necks (housed together temporarily) and I’ve tried earthworms and crickets. (I breed my own for my axolotls) and they didn’t take to them at all. I’ve only had them 5 days so I don’t expect them to eat right away. How long should I continue with earthworms before I need to try frog/lizard parts (like you mentioned above). A month? Second question, if I do I need switch to frogs, we have many many many ponds and creeks where I live so I can catch wild ones but I was looking into pre-frozen ones and I can’t seem to find any? Do you buy or catch your own? Thanks in advance!!!
Not sure how I missed your comment for so long, I apologize. I do not recommend offering earthworms unless the snake is already eating well on other prey or you've tried all other prey w/o success. Many ringnecks don't seem to take earthworms readily from what I"ve heard from other keepers, though there is some individual snakes that seem to really like them and it may have to do with what state the ringneck came from. Still I always say to offer small reptiles or amphibians initially and regularly. Aside from being more commonly accepted more easily, it's also a lot easier to track whether or not the snake actually ate (earthworms tend to shrivel up, tucked in some corner of the cage & go unnoticed so you think it got ate). As for sourcing lizards and amphibians: Asian food markets sometimes carry frozen frog legs (just make sure there's no salt, butter, flavoring added) that you can cut into appropriate sized strips for your snake. Reed frogs are supposedly easy to breed if your ringneck likes frogs or tadpoles and you want to breed your own supply. Catching wild ones is fine since the ringneck is wild caught too, but you could introduce more parasites by using WC prey (after a while in captivity many animals systems can flush themselves of most parasites they had when you got them). Red-back salamanders (if they're in your area) is an appropriate sized salamander to find outside for ringnecks. Many pet shops carry anoles, long tail grass skinks, and/or house geckos all of which can be offered as a meal and if the snake it small then freeze the lizard and chop it into smaller pieces or I put my f/t in a blender w/ a little water to make a slurry I dip f/t pinkie mice into to make them smell like a lizard (my girl hasn't eaten anything else since). Dropped lizard tails from a breeder could work as meals as well for baby ringnecks.
Awesome video, loved it.
Can i just keep live lizards, and the snake in a large 30 gallons tank so the snake can just eat the live as it wishes?
I found a baby (just hatched) ring neck snake trapped in a spider’s web. I saved it. I am not sure how to feed it. I have had it for a few days now. I am afraid it will die. What would you suggest I do?
Do you know roughly what theyre humidity % is? Thank you!
I'm planning to do a large natural tank with one or more ringneck as the residents, I've loved them for years and have always wanted a little slice of nature basically haha but I was planning on feeding guppies and tadpoles, as well as making sure there are lots of clean up crew and other little bugs for them to snack on, I really want them to feel as home as possible, I'm even leaning how to do water pump stuff so I can have a little waterfall and pool in the tank
But my main question is, do you think cohabiting is safe, and would they be anxious in a larger space? I was planning to plant it with lots of plants for them to hide in, and oak leaves, I also wanted to steal your moss idea too lol
I figured if I tried to recreate their habit they'd be happy
Genuinely appreciate this video. It is very hard to find info on these little guys. I've got plenty of snake experience, but never with these and I'm getting my first pair in tomorrow with the intentions of breeding them. They are approximately 4 years of age and have been in captivity for most of that time. If you know of any helpful breeding info, or even as simple as feeding tips on hatchlings, it would be greatly appreciated! I really want to be a part of making a name for these being captive bred.:)
Did you have any luck with breeding them?
@@siobhanmckee2829 Unfortunately not yet. I bought them as a pair and they were tank mates for a long time. Even after separating and reintroducing, no luck:/ but! I'm still enjoying them for what they are:)
great videoI just got a ring snake and cant find were to get baby lizards or frogs .its about 8inches long what should i feed her ?mice are to big for mine.
Sorry to reply so late. This is gonna be gross but it's what you're probably gonna have to do. Since they usually take lizards/amphibians best you do want to offer lizard or frog 1st then try to get it to switch to lizard/frog scented pinkies. Get an anole, house gecko, or green/brown tree frog -> put it in the fridge for 20mins then into the freezer to kill them or put the travel container into a sealed container with a cup of vinegar + baking soda to make carbon dioxide (the gas used to gas feeder rodents) -> thaw in the refrigerator -> cut the lizard/frog into pieces using sharp scissors and jiggle it from tongs (removing legs w/thigh, the tail on lizards, and the head are the easiest, less messy cuts). If it won't take f/t pieces then a freshly dropped lizard tail as it'll move around on it's own awhile. Once you can get it eating f/t lizard/frog pieces from tongs you can try to transition it to lizard/frog rubbed f/t rodent pieces (hint: rinse the rodent well under water 1st to remove some of it's natural scent b4 scenting it).
I would just breed native worms. They are worm eaters but they also eat baby lizards and toads, I would recommend breeding your own food.
@@rattlerboi4034 does anyone know how many worms to feed and how often, I have seen 2 to 4 weeks to feed but how much?
@@MJay-ty8ev does anyone know how many worms to feed and how often, I have seen 2 to 4 weeks to feed but how much?
@@snsroot did you ever figure it out?? I have a baby I got just today
I have a baby ring neck and he’s about 4 inches he’s so tiny and the crickets/ earthworms are too big I feel like… so I tried meal worms and he doesn’t want to eat. What do you recommend??
Omg! Me too he/she is so tiny I put really small crickets & mealworms in there but they’ve only drank water so I guess I’ll have to see I just got them today
Update mine doesn’t like mealworms but eats every single cricket (5) without 2 days
Thank you!
Hello I have a question, do you need or maybe should add a light into there cage?
Thank you ur the best
I have a baby ring neck snake that keeps coming in to my garage… I have no idea experience with snakes but I don’t want this baby to die. How can I help
hi this video was so so helpful! i just recently got a baby ringneck and i’m wondering how often i should feed her, i am starting her red worms to see how she takes them i am gonna try to get her some some reptiles to keep her healthy and happy.
My girl eats once every 14 days, but that's because I have her eating anole scented pinkies, which are higher in fat than their wild diet. On a reptile, amphibian, or earthworm diet they should eat at least once a week or twice weekly if it's a small meal (the readily available feeder lizards are usually a large meal for a ringneck).
thank you so much that’s very helpful!
I just got a tiny ringback snake she's so tiny I don't know what to feed it a lizard or frog is to big even a worm is large
Ringnecks only eat insects. Cut them up into manageable pieces. Try tease feeding to get them used to the foods. Remove any uneaten food as to not dirty enclosure
Same here I have a baby did you ever figure it out???
They eat insects like isopods and worms and meal worms but I've had luck with isopods so far
@@dragonrider2.064 I’ve been feeding mine tiny grasshoppers she will not eat meal worms that I can tell but I’ll try earth worms &isopods thank you! Where do you get yours ? Also any suggestions on where to get moss or stuff for its enclosure to help with humidity/temp
@@Hashslingingslasherrrrrrpet store❤
Hello I just bought a baby ring neck snake and there seems to be not a lot of information online for how to take care of them- are there any sources you know of where I can learn more?
Not really. This video is culmination of what I found and what has been working for me. Most articles on the species are very short. I spent weeks reading forums, watching youtube, and going through nature databases to formulate my setup.
Hi. I have a baby ring neck snake. She’s tiny. I r had her for two weeks and she hasn’t tried eating anything yet. What do you feed yours? We need some help.
Not sure how tiny, but I've found chopped worms to be the one thing mine's taken (about 1cm pieces, cut with scissors). He's maybe 8 inches long, but half the diameter/width of a pen. Serving the pieces on a little square of paper towel made it easier to monitor
How often do you feed them and exactly what is offered at each feeding? Do they have a pungent smell? After handling them, will your hands/fingers have an odor?
*Feed 3 times a week if eating earthworms
1-2x weekly if eating lizards/amphibians
Every 10-14 days for rodent eaters
*Ringnecks can musk just like milk, king, and garter snakes. It is very pungent. After 3 washes w/a highly scented soap, I could still smell the musk if I put my hand up to my nose. They don't always musk though; only when annoyed or scared. My ringneck & garter have only done it once each. They do have a bit of a natural smell to their scales, and it's worse if you don't keep their cage well clean that they're slithering through their poop, but this smell cleans off your hands easily and you may not even notice the smell while handling the snake.
@@MJay-ty8ev how often should you clean their cage? Only had mine about two weeks it’s a baby hackling & so far only likes small grasshoppers….any tips are appreciated
@@Hashslingingslasherrrrrrwhat else did you end up feeding it besides grasshoppers?
Hi I just watched your video and I loved it I just got a ringneck snake yesterday, it is a baby and it was in my pool... Do you have any advice you would give me for how I should proceed to take care of a baby ringneck snake? she isn't hiding and I believe that she is eating the tadpoles I put in there but I do not know for sure..
Same as adults just on a smaller care. Substate that it can burrow under, lots of plant/leaf litter cover, lots of hides, damp + dry areas, lizard or frog/salamander parts as a 1st meal to try, you can try chopped earthworm as well but I found it hard to monitor if they were actually being eaten.
@@MJay-ty8ev thank you! I'll ask if I have any other questions! 🙂😊
It would be really nice if I could feed this crickets? Any input I just caught one today and don’t think I can find any frogs if he could even eat one.
@PNW Herping although in the video she had mentioned that they sometimes wont eat worms
@PNW Herping oof, say do you have ringnecks? Yesterday I've been given a baby ring neck, barely 2x the size of my 1 month old dekays and it may be that the person that gave me em kept er in a very small glass jar with nothing else in it but it wont give a feeding response although I may need to get a bit of a thicker work XD but yea just wondering
@@rashellerentfrow7365 did you ever figure it out I have a baby one just got today
Be careful with wild caught prey, it could make your snake sick. I've heard other owners say that their snakes like crickets
Or, you could just appreciate them in their natural habitat.
I saved one from my cat he was bitten in the chest, I made a sand bath moist area leaves sticks hideout and worms and water unfortunately I think he was bitten in his lungs and suffered. Any ides where to find these dudes? Beautiful snakes.
They're offered for sale on Morph Market occasionally. They're really easy to miss in the wild because they live under leaf litter, under the bark of rotten logs that are on the ground, under rocks, in mulch, etc so you could have some right next to your feet and never seen them because they're buried or squeezed into something real tight.
I was given a baby that entered a friends house, what type of food can i give it if i don't have access to tadpoles and anoles?
Chopped up earthworms
You can usually find frozen frog legs at Asian markets. Do a google search for ones in your area. It may be a bit of a drive but being frozen a single bag will probably last about a year for a single snake. Just be sure to check the ingredients as you don't want any added salt, butter, or flavors. You'll probably have to slice the legs lengthwise to make them small enough to swallow. Another option would be to check for dwarf clawed frogs at your local pet store in the aquarium section as these are fully aquatic. I bought 2 and froze them as a cheap way to test if my girl would take frog before investing in going to an Asian market. Petsmart usually carried green tree frogs which will work as well to freeze and chop up to appropriate size. Petsmart usually has anoles & grass lizards as well. This is where I got my anoles to freeze and blend into a smoothie for dipping f/t pinkie mice in to scent them for my girl. Your ringneck may or may not take f/t or scented pinkie right away so dropped anole, grass lizard, or house gecko tail will work as live prey to get you started or chop a frozen lizard to size if it'll take f/t lizard. Live tadpoles can often be found in the summer in your local waterways, but check your state laws about collected tadpoles/eggs.
Did you ever find out?? I have a tiny baby right now
Question, do I take the snake out of his cage to feed or just leave him in?
As far as I've learned some snakes do better if you leave them in their habitat and some do best if they're taken out. You might want to try both and see what your snake prefers.
love this video! very helpful! just two questions though, should you house more than one ringneck? is it fine to catch them yourself? thanks!
The supplier I bought my girl from said he's had some cannibalize each other, while other people have kept them in groups. I recommend keeping 1 per cage except for breeding purposes just to be on the safe side. It's fine to catch one yourself as long as your local laws permit it. In my state I needed a license to take any reptile from the wild and many times local subspecies are illegal to keep, so for me I can't have an Eastern Hognose but buying a Western hognose is perfectly okay for example. Ringnecks are small, secretive, great hiders, and very hard to spot in the wild so you may have a hard time actually finding one. When found for sale they're usually inexpensive. I paid top dollar for mine because she was a long term captive (held by seller for 3+ months to establish adjustment to captivity).
@@MJay-ty8ev Hey quick question i’ve been absolutely fascinated with these snakes recently and happen to stumble across your video with loads of information thank you so much for informing people about such a lovely snake but my question is where did you get your snake I have it’s enclosure all set up and ready to go but I can’t find anybody selling these :(
@@RancidRave Sorry to not reply sooner. Some how the notification got lost, anyway, I was lucky enough to be at the right place at the right time basically. I found Najarla (snake's name) at my local reptile show and I've never seen them available there before nor since. Morphmarket.com under other colubrides then other is a good place to keep your eyes peeled for people importing them. I know MJS Reptiles on morph market gets the Southern or Northers in once a year.
hi! i’m planning on getting a ringneck and have started to buy supplies. i’ve seen a few different cites say that a terrarium that is too big will stress a snake out. do you think my ten gallon is too much for a ringneck?
To big is only a problem if you can't find it. There is only a to empty
Monitoring it's health & eating habits in a 10G may be very difficult and when you 1st get one you need to monitor them very well until you know it's healthy & eating regularly. You can start one out in a plastic shoe box then move it to the 10 gallon once it's established. As Matthew 2006 said you don't want it too empty; these shy snakes hate wide open space. A cork flat spanning most of the 10 gallon's length & a long , bushy plant set across the floor like I did will do wonders in making one feel hidden enough to really show it's true personality. You'll want a loose substrate it can burrow into as well & don't forget to offer both damp & dry zones. Options, options, options & plenty of cover are the key, along with finding what kind of diet it prefers (as mentioned lizards or amphibians should be the 1st meals offered as this seems to be the most commonly readily accepted foods across ringnecks).
M. Jay thank you so much! i’ve continued to do research and haven’t gotten my snake yet (i think i’m gonna name it rigatoni though) i’ve gotten coconut like what you had in the video as well as phlegm moss, sand and potting soil. also a few hides, and i’ll get a plant too! thank you for the tip about a plastic shoe box, i haven’t seen anything recommending that and it was very helpful!
If I get one I'ma just make a bio active one for it
The seller kept her bio-active. It's a great option for these snakes. I'm only now just starting to dabble with bio-active setups. She was originally setup with the moss to make it easier to spot an uneaten prey so I could more easily monitor her feeding. She's well established now, knows the feeding routine, and hasn't left a meal sit to rot now in a long time so I'd now be comfortable moving her into a bio-active.
Hey I have a baby and it won’t. Take what I feed do you have a sujestoon
Try isopods, little baby ones, try earthworms and cut them in half and try setting it in an empty container with the prey so they can go at it in their own time and leave them for about 30 minutes, if they still aren't eating there may be some other issue
So the ringneck i have is tinier than a bobby pin, what do i feed it if its that small?
@PNW Herping although they sometimes dont eat worms as of i have my baby ringneck vibein on the keyboard of ma laptop right now lol
I just found a baby one he/she drank water but hasn’t eaten any food but it’s only day one so we’ll see
just caught mine in maryland, not far from a fish spot. imma try minnows, as an alternative food source, day 2 with snake, hasn't eaten yet, only got a couple earth worms in thre with him. i think he's too open like you said Thank you I'm gonna buy some moss this firday
The Eastern & Northern species, from what I've noticed talking to owners, seem to prefer amphibians so if it continues to not eat after adding cage cover try some small salamanders like Red Backs or any small tadpoles you can catch locally ( check state legalities). They may take earthworms, but the ones I've heard of keepers getting to take earthworms and fish have been South Eastern subspecies. These snakes feeding response is similar to a garter. You should see short, rapid tongue flicks and excited head twitches if it likes the prey you're offering. After adding cover & a two week settle in period after that (you can still put in earthworms and fish during this time), try an amphibian and see what kinda response you get if the earthworms/fish haven't been eaten. After that try anoles/house geckos. While people have gotten them to eat earthworms it doesn't seem to be any species preferred flavor of food and fish seems to be something even more rarely taken. Just please if it continues not eating for months and starts loosing weight, please release it back where you found it and try again with a different individual.
@@MJay-ty8ev Is the red Kansas ring snake considered southern or northern?
@@SweettnothingsI want to know this too!!
I have been trying to get of a ring neck snake but they don’t have any in my area anyway you might be able to help
Look around online. Morph Market under other colubrides is a great place to start. They're usually sold spring through early fall with the most ads popping up usually late spring-mid summer. You'll just have to keep checking back on the website til some pop up as they're still not a common offering. faunaclassifieds & Kingsnake.com are other great places to just keep checking for ads about someone selling some. MJS Reptiles in Allentown PA area gets them in usually at least once a year as well (he's on Morph Market so when he has some in you'll find them on that site - I've bought from the seller & recommend him)
Is your ringneck wild caught?
Yes. Pretty much all in the hobby or for sale anywhere are WC. She's a non-native, not caught by me. I purchased her from a reptile dealer as a short term, established captive (meaning she was held for quarantine, health check, and was eating prior to being sold).
Is yours a southern or northern?
Also do you know how to check the gender?
Was wondering if u knew any sources on where to buy one? Interested but I don’t want get one from the wild
Lol
Not very commonly captive bred, so search around on the internet or maybe locally, if you’re lucky
Do you think that an adult ringneck would eat Dubia roaches? Awesome video btw!
Ringneck 😍
How long have you had this snake?
A year or more by the time I made the video, as I wanted to be sure my methods were working before I made a care video about them. I still have her and she's going strong. Today she was out sun bathing in a corner of her cage.
@@MJay-ty8evdo you have any lighting? UV lighting? Dust food w supplements like you do for amphibians?
How often do you feed them
She gets 1 anole scented pinkie every 14 days. She doesn't go off food over the winter like some snakes, but I still do random feedings throughout spring/summer where I'll give her 2 anole scented pinkies. Ringnecks on a lower fat diet of earthworms, lizards, fish, or amphibians should be fed appropriate sized meals at least once a week and up to twice a week as needed to maintain a healthy weight/body condition. Usually worm or fish eaters need fed more often than lizard or amphibian eaters.
Is coconut fiber ok as a substrate
I don't see why not. I use it for lots of my other snakes. It can be somewhat dusty though.
M. Jay it’s only dusty if it’s dry. The substrate should be moist.
Can they eat tadpoles 0:37
that's too hot rain necked water bottle
im sure you mean well but we dont need to introduce this snake into the pet trade. you must not know about how damaging the reptile trade is for populations and ecosystems. alot of people rarely see ringnecks as it is because of pollution and habitat and prey loss. less than 10 years ago i was able to find them everywhere but not anymore..
Here's my take on it. People are going to capture them out of curiosity regardless of any care info or not. Without the proper info they will just keep dying so people will keep taking more, but with care info they can go on to be bred in captivity. As people come to love them because they have a chance to have them, they will care more about the wild population and preserving their habitat as well as care about breeding them. Not to mention if people have a chance to be hands on in a pet shop they're more likely to not just kill any random snake they see that wanders past them on a hiking trail. In my state, our native populations of many snakes have declined since I was a kid due to people mistaking harmless species (black rat snake, water snake, garter snake) for venomous rattlesnakes and killing every snake they saw because they didn't no any better. Our native species may not be collected for the pet trade, by the individual as a personal pet, nor have any hunting seasons and people don't take them as pets they'd much rather buy a snake if they want a pet one. The reptile community does put great emphasis on the importance of always getting CB when possible and the importance of breeding not commonly available species. More people have started breeding ringnecks since this video and I've come to find out they breed well in captivity. Collection of reptiles for the trade helps take some pressure off the ecosystem where a species is very abundant. Too many of 1 species can eat another into extinction while too little of a species can starve others into extinction. The sale of collection/hunting/trapping/fishing licenses provide a source of cash for funding conservation efforts that in many cases does lead to increased population of a wild species through habitat preservation & public education, while the hunters/fishers/the pet trade still get what they want. One helps the other is other words. Take limits, open season specifications, and limited licenses sales all help to prevent over removal of a species while revenue for conservation is still coming in. Countries need to make and enforce better capture laws while doing more active habitat preservation instead of them just seeing their wild life as $ signs. There needs to be regulations pertaining to importation conditions and the manner in which species are transported to better their well being during that time as well. The problem is not just the pet trade, it's an over all lax of laws and disinterest in active preservation. Stopping collection/hunting/fishing alone won't solve the problem, in fact I believe it would make things even worse. A black market will still exist and then the animals will be kept/transported in even worse conditions, $0 will come out of it for use in conservation, people will have little reason to love a species so will have less interest in protecting it, and there will be even less.
@@MJay-ty8evI had learned this when I would go to an aviary! The black market or under hand markets will ALWAYS exist! No matter how much we try to stop sales or interests!! Also thank you for this video! I caught a couple and I'm going to try so hard to care for these little companions!
wait i though it was illegle to own ringneck's and redbellied snakes...
ZoeyLeb it depends on where you are located! It’s legal in most places
In my case, I may not keep my native subspecies of ringneck (the Northern Ringneck). Many states do not allow you to keep the subspecies native to your area but you may non-native ringnecks.