Russian rat snake (Elaphe schrenckii)

Short answers

Russian rat snake: How big does the enclosure need to be?

From 180×90×180 cm for an adult animal (minimum size per the expert-report formula for climbing snakes: 1.0 × 0.5 × 1.0 times total length).

Russian rat snake: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 22–28 °C, basking spot 28–32 °C, at night 18–20 °C.

Russian rat snake: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Not essential.

Russian rat snake: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 15–20 years.

Russian rat snake: Is it suitable for beginners?

Yes – it is considered suitable for beginners (difficulty: Beginner).

Climate

Daytime temperature

22–28 °C

Night temperature

18–20 °C

Basking spot

28–32 °C

Humidity

50–65 %

UVB

Not essential

Enclosure

Minimum size

from 180×90×180 cm for an adult animal (minimum size per the expert-report formula for climbing snakes: 1.0 × 0.5 × 1.0 times total length)

Substrate

Coco humus or bark mulch, hides, sturdy climbing branches

Feeding

Food

Frozen-thawed mice and rats

Feeding interval

adults every 10–14 days

Key facts

Adult size

120–180 cm, individual animals up to 200 cm

Life expectancy

15–20 years

Origin

The Amur region, north-eastern China, Korea

Protection status

Not listed under CITES

Brumation

A winter rest of 12–16 weeks at 5–10 °C (important)

Cohabitation

Keep them singly. Snakes are solitary and do not seek company — a shared hide is competition for the best spot, not social behaviour. The concrete reason is the feeding accident: if two animals grab the same food item, one can swallow the other along with it. On top of that, once they are kept together you can no longer tell which animal has eaten and which is losing weight. For breeding, put them together under supervision and separate them again afterwards.

Notes

A strong, quiet colubrid from a temperate climate. It needs a genuine, cool winter rest – without it its health suffers in the long run. It takes room temperatures well.

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Related species

• Twin-spotted ratsnake (Elaphe bimaculata) – Beginner
• Dione rat snake (Elaphe dione) – Beginner
• King rat snake (Elaphe carinata) – Intermediate
• Four-lined snake (Elaphe quatuorlineata) – Intermediate
• Aesculapian snake (Zamenis longissimus) – Intermediate
• Baird's rat snake (Pantherophis bairdi) – Beginner
• Red bamboo rat snake (Oreocryptophis porphyraceus) – Intermediate
• Western fox snake (Pantherophis vulpinus) – Beginner

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Russian rat snake (Elaphe schrenckii) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (from 180×90×180 cm for an adult animal (minimum size per the expert-report formula for climbing snakes: 1.0 × 0.5 × 1.0 times total length)), substrate (Coco humus or bark mulch, hides, sturdy climbing branches), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.