The Dragon Snake is one of three species of Colubrids, the others being the Grass Snake and the Wall Snake. It is also one of two commonly known types of Colubrids: the egg thief, or Hypno-opus, with a green, oval marking on its posterior surface, and the stone chested, or Cerbalus, with a red marking on its frontal area. A third, somewhat peculiar specimen, the Dragon Snake is completely without a posterior mark. The scientific name, which includes both hypno and sac, is due to a resemblance to the dragonfly.
Because the dragons are cold blooded and pre-domesticated reptiles, they require relatively high humidity to keep their body temperature optimal and so are suited to a dry, ventilated enclosure with a medium base and ample space for basking. Because of their lack of vocal cords, they are also adept at hiding their tracks from view. Their natural enemies, primarily birds and lizards, will become more readily detected if you have a cage with a visible substrate.
Although it is relatively easy to breed, and to care for, these snakes are typically indoor species and should be contained during daylight hours. Because they require relatively low temperatures, and because they occur naturally in dry habitats, this also makes them an extremely good choice for starting new species of captive snakes. They do well in captive habitats with low levels of humidity, as long as the enclosures do not contain airborne substrate.
Like all of the captive species of the’Cobra Family’ (Boas, Cooters, Carps and Rattlesnakes), the dragon snake requires an enclosure with a relatively low level of humidity to thrive. For this reason, they are commonly housed in aquariums, with the humidity around 60%. A well suited to tank for a dragon snake would be one with a long and narrow substrate, with a tightly sealed bottom. This would allow the snake to hide in its natural habitat, while still allowing air to circulate within the enclosure. A water bowl would be included, along with a small water dish and a cover lid. You may also want to consider using an air conditioner for this species.
A two feet x 1 feet enclosure size is a very popular size for most snake species. This is generally the size of enclosure, most people begin with, due to it being the easiest to handle and usually having the least health risks. However, this size does have it’s drawbacks. For one, this size does require considerably more space than a typical one-footx4 foot enclosure, and it presents a considerable health risk for the snake in terms of breathing pollutants. Due to their sensitivity to chemicals and fumes, the larger the enclosure size, the more likely you are to end up with a sickly snake.
In the wild, these snakes are usually found in jungles and woodlands and do spend a large part of the year inactive. During times when they are active, they are highly selective about the plants and food they will eat. They are nocturnal in nature, which means they are most active during the night time, from December through March. Snakes that spend most of their daytime inactive are known as cold blooded, which means that they secrete a special kind of hormone into the soil that can keep them warm during extremely cold weather. During extreme summer or winter periods, however, they will seek out areas of high humidity and heat to survive. Snakes that are properly cared for are normally quite healthy, although they may become stressed or ill from improper handling and extreme temperatures.
When caring for your dragon snake, you should also take care to understand how these snakes are related to tadpoles and frogs. Dragon snakes tend to grow slightly larger than most other snakes, with adults reaching up to ten inches in length. Their scales differ from those of most other snakes, as they have rows of scales along their entire length, from head to tail. This provides them with an excellent protection from being eaten by smaller animals, such as birds and frogs.
In addition to providing dragon snake owners with an excellent home for their snakes, these snakes also make very good pets. Due to their unique features, they are easy to domesticate, and will even accept and eat cat food. They will, however, do better if they are around other animals, especially other larger ones. For instance, I would not let my three rows of keeled scales near my four indoor fish, unless I was putting them on fish tanks with live plants and other species of fish that can get onto their scales easily. By purchasing this product, you will be helping to support the wildlife habitat where these creatures exist, and reducing the risk of damage to their natural habitats by letting your pet dragon snake roam freely.
