Tiger rat snake (Spilotes pullatus)

Short answers

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

From 280×140×200 cm (minimum size according to the 1997 expert report, chicken snakes).

Tiger rat snake: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 26–32 °C, basking spot 34 °C, at night 21–25 °C.

Tiger rat snake: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Recommended (UVB 5.0).

Tiger rat snake: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 12–18 years.

Tiger rat snake: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

26–32 °C

Night temperature

21–25 °C

Basking spot

34 °C

Humidity

65–80 %

UVB

Recommended (UVB 5.0)

Enclosure

Minimum size

from 280×140×200 cm (minimum size according to the 1997 expert report, chicken snakes)

Substrate

Coco humus and bark mulch, very sturdy climbing branches, a large water dish

Feeding

Food

Frozen-thawed mice and rats, day-old chicks

Feeding interval

1×/week

Key facts

Adult size

200–280 cm

Life expectancy

12–18 years

Origin

Mexico to Argentina

Protection status

Not listed under CITES

Brumation

None

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

Boldly black and yellow, diurnal and very fond of climbing. When threatened it inflates its neck sideways and strikes – non-venomous, but decidedly defensive. It needs plenty of height.

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

• Common egg-eating snake (Dasypeltis scabra) – Intermediate
• African house snake (Boaedon fuliginosus) – Beginner
• False water cobra (Hydrodynastes gigas) – Experts
• Spotted house snake (Boaedon maculatus) – Beginner
• Western whip snake (Hierophis viridiflavus) – Intermediate
• Striped house snake (Boaedon lineatus) – Beginner
• Smooth green snake (Opheodrys vernalis) – Expert
• Rough green snake (Opheodrys aestivus) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Tiger rat snake (Spilotes pullatus) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (from 280×140×200 cm (minimum size according to the 1997 expert report, chicken snakes)), substrate (Coco humus and bark mulch, very sturdy climbing branches, a large water dish), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.