The Tri-Coloured Junglecorn is a manmade hybrid between
the Ruthvens Kingsnake ( Lampropeltis ruthveni ) & the
Cornsnake ( Elaphe guttata guttata ). They emerge
from there eggs at around 8-10 inches and thrive on a diet
of defrosted rodents. They can reach breeding size by 18 months
with a good feeding regime. Normal coloured Tri-Coloured Junglecorns
have rich rusty brown saddles or bands edged in black on a
straw coloured background.
Albino Tri-Coloured Junglecorns have
deep red/orange saddles or red/orange/yellow
bands and a orange/yellow background. First
bred in the UK by Pete Quinlan of UnusualAlbinos.com
Albino Tri-Coloured Butter Junglecorns
are the result of crossing an Albino Ruthvens
Kingsnake to a Butter Cornsnake. They
have a creamy coloured background and either
orange/red/yellow bands or orange saddles.
These are heterozygous for Caramel ( Axanthic
).
Using an Amelanistic Motley Cornsnake & Albino
Ruthvens, through line breeding we were able
to produce a few Albino Motleys this year (2002
). First bred in the UK by Pete Quinlan of
UnusualAlbinos.com
Food & Water
Junglecorns can be maintained on a diet of rodents. As with all reptiles
a supply of fresh drinking water is a must.
Non-aggressive
A thermal gradient with a hot spot of 84 degrees F and a cooler end in
the mid 70's.
Junglecorns should be kept separately because of the inherited tendency
towards cannibalism.
Hatchling Junglecorns should be kept in a small container with a paper
towel substrate, provided with a hide and fresh drinking water.
Adults & Juveniles can be housed in aquarium type enclosures, vivarium
or a racking system, a general rule for deciding the size of a snakes
home is length approximately equal to three quarters your snake's length.
The cage's width should be about a third of your snake's length. A hide
should be provided at both ends of the vivarium. Good husbandry and overall
cleanliness are essential to your Junglecorns general state of good health.
If the enclosure is dirty, too wet or dry, or too hot or cold, this will
cause skin or respitory problems or both.
Hatchlings are best kept on paper towels.
Adults & Juveniles can be kept on a sterilized bark/wood chippings
or aspen bedding, newspaper and paper towels are often used in racking
systems but are not very pleasing to the eye when used in other forms
of housing. Pine & Cedar shaving should never be used as these can
be potentially dangerous to the snakes as they could digest some when
they are being fed, and the fumes from the shavings can be toxic and
could cause respitory problems. ( See Article on Respiratory toxicity
of cedar and pine wood http://www.trifl.org/cedar.html )
To hibernate a Junglecorn for the winter, make sure it has had no food
for two weeks and that the temperature is normal during this time allowing
the snake to fully digest it's last meal and empty it's guts. After this
the temperature should be lowered gradually over a few weeks until its
55-60 degree F . The snake should not be fed during this period but fresh
drinking water should be available at all times. After 10-12 weeks the
snake can gradually be warmed up over a two-week period and can then
be offered food again.
After hibernation the female will enter a shed once she has gone through
this process she will be ready to breed Female Junglecorns should only
be bred from if they are healthy and feeding well. A female that has
eaten well from a hatchling may be sexually mature by 18 months of age.
The female should be introduced into the males cage. Males will sometimes
not eat at this time being more interested in breeding than eating. Courtship
is quite intense, and the male shows typical Kingsnake behavior at this
time, restraining the female by biting her on the back of the neck, not
something usually witnessed with cornsnakes. Pairing lasts anything up
to several hours. I personally keep the pair together for approx three
weeks to ensure good fertility. You may consider it more favorable to
introduce the female several times through out the breeding season, if
you are worried that she may eat him. I have not experienced any problems
with cannibalism in the breeding season. That's not to say that you won't!
Once several copulations have been witnessed or the female looks fatter
mid body they should be separated. The female should be given a laying
box. A plastic container big enough for her to coil loosely in filled
with damp sphagnum moss. She may refuse food during her pregnancy, or
may only except smaller prey items than usual. Expect her to lay her
eggs from 5-14 days after she has shed. The eggs, which could number
between 5 and 30, should be removed to another container two thirds filled
with damp vermiculite (when a handful is squeezed in the palm of the
hand only a small amount of water should be produced.). Do not rotate
the eggs, and don't unnecessarily handle them. The box should have a
fitted lid, and the humidity inside should be 100%, some condensation
will form on the lid if this is too much and is dripping on the eggs,
the vermiculite is too wet and a little dry should be sprinkled over
the surface to take up the moisture. I usually have the egg boxes ready
in the incubator a few days before I expect her to lay, this way the
vermiculite is at the right temperature and any mistakes made in making
up the vermiculite mixture can be rectified. The eggs should be checked
weekly removing the lid will give a good exchange of air. The Eggs should
be incubated at 80-83 degrees F, expect them to hatch after 52-66 days.
The female should be offered food after she has laid, although some will
refuse until they have had there post laying shed. It is a good idea
then to feed her twice a week on smaller prey items until she has recovered
her weight lose.
The hatchlings should be housed separately, and should start eating pinkie
mice after their neonate shed which will occur anywhere from 5-10 days
from leaving their egg.
© Sue
Knight 2002
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