Ladder snake (Rhinechis scalaris)

Short answers

Ladder snake: How big does the enclosure need to be?

120×60×60 cm (adult; ground-dwelling, plenty of hides).

Ladder snake: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 26–28 °C, basking spot 32–35 °C (local hot spot), at night 20–22 °C.

Ladder snake: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB not essential, weak UVB recommended (sun-loving).

Ladder snake: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 15–20 years in captivity.

Ladder snake: Is it suitable for beginners?

Rather not – it is considered an intermediate species (difficulty: Intermediate).

Climate

Daytime temperature

26–28 °C

Night temperature

20–22 °C

Basking spot

32–35 °C (local hot spot)

Humidity

50–60 %

UVB

UVB not essential, weak UVB recommended (sun-loving)

Enclosure

Minimum size

120×60×60 cm (adult; ground-dwelling, plenty of hides)

Substrate

A sand-loam mix or soil, cork tubes, sturdy branches, bark; a water section

Feeding

Food

Frozen-thawed mice; adults also take larger rodents

Feeding interval

adults every 7–14 days, juveniles every 5–7 days

Key facts

Adult size

120–150 cm (rarely up to 160 cm)

Life expectancy

15–20 years in captivity

Origin

The Iberian Peninsula, southern France, the Mediterranean islands

Protection status

Specially protected – German Federal Species Protection Ordinance Annex 1, Bern Convention Appendix III; keeping it must be registered with the nature conservation authority, and proof of origin is recommended

Brumation

A winter rest of about 3–4 months at about 8–12 °C (lowering the temperature from October or November)

Cohabitation

Single keeping. The ladder snake is a roaming loner (home range about 4,500 sq m, up to 100 m a day) with no known group bonds; only brief maternal care of the young for a few days is described. For breeding, bring animals together only briefly and under supervision and separate them again afterwards; keeping a pair or group permanently is not documented for the species.

Notes

A powerful, mainly ground-dwelling colubrid; often nervous and bitey, but it usually calms down. A distinct winter rest matters for health and breeding. Keep only registered captive-bred animals.

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Related species

• Russian rat snake (Elaphe schrenckii) – Beginner
• Aesculapian snake (Zamenis longissimus) – Intermediate
• Baird's rat snake (Pantherophis bairdi) – Beginner
• Red bamboo rat snake (Oreocryptophis porphyraceus) – Intermediate
• Twin-spotted ratsnake (Elaphe bimaculata) – Beginner
• Western fox snake (Pantherophis vulpinus) – Beginner
• Rhinoceros rat snake (Gonyosoma boulengeri) – Intermediate
• Green rat snake (Senticolis triaspis) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Ladder snake (Rhinechis scalaris) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (120×60×60 cm (adult; ground-dwelling, plenty of hides)), substrate (A sand-loam mix or soil, cork tubes, sturdy branches, bark; a water section), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.