Mandarins
 

I am considering adding some Mandarins to my collection, but am having a hard time finding detailed care instructions. Most people seem to agree that cool temps are required, but what exactly is cool? Also, I feed all my animals(35 of 'em) frozen/thawed, will Mandarins require live? I also have found conflicting info on humidity, some say the whole substrate should be moist whereas others advocate a moist hidebox. Any info from people currently keeping Mandarins would be helpful, so would web address's for care sheets or other info.
Thanks,
Tim Retzlaff

Well, here's what has worked for me and a few friends of mine in the past. I've kept them under the same care that I have for Corns and most other Elaphe. The exceptions were, keeping them on the bottom of my rack so the temps would be coolest near the floor. I don't think the temps are as much of an issue in CB animals but I would shoot for 70s with them. I gave mine a water dish, less holes in the cage allowing humidity to be higher. I also gave a normal hide and a hide like an old butter container filled with damp moss and a hole in the top. When kept like this mine were almost never out of the moss filled hide.

As for the food. I think live will help but mine would eat frozen/thawed without too much trouble. However, if I wanted them eating often I had to go with live.

Good luck,
Adam Block

Yup, my two like their live mice too. They're pretty much like other rats, they just like it a little cooler and a little damper (I keep mine on cypress mulch). That, and the hatchlings are really really fast and kind of angry.

E.Benner