Alternative Name
Taiwanese Beauty Ratsnake, Taiwan Beauty Ratsnake, Taiwanese Beauty Ratsnake
Scientific Name: Elaphe taeniura
Basic Info
The Taiwanese Beauty Rat Snake lives up to its name. It's a large snake, usually measuring up to six feet long and splashed with yellow and brown spots. It is a beautifully colored snake, they have stripes and bands in specific places on the body. These patterns will become clearer and more well defined as the snake ages.
Health
Breeding
Generally, Taiwanese Beauty Rat Snakes mate in the spring and produce about 15 eggs near the beginning of August. Young Taiwanese Beauty Rat Snakes are usually ready feeders on pinky mice.
Habitat
They live in the forests of Taiwan and are very common there
Behavior
A fascinating snake to watch, the Taiwanese Beauty Rat Snake is an excellent pet.
Taiwanese Beauty Rat Snakes are relatively large ratsnakes and thus need a large cage. Get a big terrarium, since they grow rapidly. If you feed them enough they can reach lengths of up to three feet long in just under half a year. In captiivty, the Taiwanese Beauty Rat Snake needs fresh water at all times. As juveniles, they can be a little skittish and standoffish, and you may need to handle them often to get them used to you. This Rat Snake will let you know when it feels threatened by "rattling" the end of its tail and drawing itself up into an "S" shaped loop. In the wild they live in the forests of Taiwan and are very common there. Though they are not arboreal snakes they can climb trees. The Taiwan Beauty Rat Snake does not require much maintenance and if you care for them properly they will live a long life. If you're looking for a good-sized snake that's calm and beautiful, the Taiwanese Beauty Rat Snake may be the species for you.
They are heavily hunted for their hides, which are frequently turned into luggage, boots and other accessories, and may be used for meat. They are also commonly kept near houses of local people to control pests like rats or mice! Overall, the Taiwanese Beauty Rat Snake is an important link in the food chain, both in the forests and in the cities of Taiwan.
Origin
Southeast Asia
History
Taiwanese Beauty Rat Snakes are native to the forests of Taiwan.
Common Foods
N/A