Ladder snake, Rhinechis scalaris

Description

Do Ladder snakes make good pets?

Ladder snake, Rhinechis scalaris are an Old World colubrid species endemic to Western and Southern Europe. They have similar husbandry requirements to the more popular New World colubrids such as corn snakes and king snakes, and have similar temperaments, making them great for both beginners, and more experienced keepers looking for something a little different.

At Swell Reptiles, all of our Ladder snakes are captive bred in the UK, meaning you can be safe in the knowledge that your new snake will be free of parasites and diseases, whilst having minimal impact on their native ecosystem.

What size vivarium does a Ladder snake need?

Ladder snakes are an extremely active species, covering large distances in their natural habitats. Therefore, despite being quite a small snake, they should be provided with plenty of space to explore and roam. We recommend a minimum adult enclosure size of 120 x 60 x 60cm (4 x 2 x 2ft) for this species, making the VivExotic Repti-Home Bearded Dragon Vivarium Large a great option.

Do Ladder snakes need heating?

Ladder snakes should be provided with a thermogradient that runs from warm to cool from one end of the enclosure to the other to allow them to properly regulate their internal body temperature. This gradient should have a warm, basking temperature between 30-32°C (86-89°F) in one end, and a cool end temperature of around 22°C (71°F).

This should be provided using an overhead heating system such as a basking lamp or a ceramic heat emitter. To ensure they do not overheat, all heating equipment should be attached to a compatible thermostat. For basking lamps, this would be a dimming thermostat, whereas, for ceramic heaters, this would be a pulse thermostat.