By Far the Coolest Thing I've Ever Kept!

I see big filters in your future……

I have 2 penguin 400 filters rated for 100g's each so I think I'm set on the filters, but I don't think they'll be put to use anytime soon because she seems to hate her tank! It isn't planted yet but there's a hide box with some plants in it which she seems to avoid. When she gets put in the tank she swims around for a minute then makes a dash to the downtube of the filter, she also refuses to eat when shes in the tank so I've been putting her back in the 6qt sterilite for the night where she eats like a cow and swims around. I noticed something interesting about them too, they dont seem to see very well. I've noticed about 90% of her reactions are to touch. She can (and has) ran head on into fish and not grabbed them, but when that same fish touches the side of her neck she launches for it. She also has a neat habit of grabbing fish with her tail and wrapping them up without biting it, then she just opens her mouth and engulfs it ALIVE! So cool seeing her stomach bump because of flailing fish tails She really is an amazing snake. She also grows insanely fast I think shes put on about 5 inches length wise and an inch width wise since I got her 23 days ago! Now I can see how these snakes get 8 foot plus!

OK, Now I have a question for you - I've been watching sea snakes when diving to see if they still utilise their tongue flick underwater.

Can you see whether she does that?

Originally Posted by Pythonbreeder99

I've been putting her back in the 6qt sterilite for the night where she eats like a cow and swims around.

Maybe a noctural feeder?

Yeah, they're almost fully nocturnal, I think they must go into the shallows to sleep because they would most likely want the least possible effort to go up and take a breath, swimming all the way to the top and then back down every 20 minutes seems like wasted energy. And yes she uses her tongue quite a bit while submerged, not sure what she's picking up with it but it does get put to good use.

Originally Posted by Pythonbreeder99

Yeah, they're almost fully nocturnal, I think they must go into the shallows to sleep because they would most likely want the least possible effort to go up and take a breath, swimming all the way to the top and then back down every 20 minutes seems like wasted energy.

Sea snakes will sleep for a long time without going up for a breath - I presume they do not need to breathe so often when they have a low sleeping metabolism. Turtles can absorb enough oxygen though their skin while sleeping - I wonder if this snake can do that? If you have anything like a Go-Pro camera it would be fascinating to do time-lapse photography on her at night and see how often she surfaces.... I know, I'm a geek

Originally Posted by Pythonbreeder99

And yes she uses her tongue quite a bit while submerged, not sure what she's picking up with it but it does get put to good use.

I'd LOVE to know more about that - maybe they are tasting prey in the water column.

Very Cool!!!
I never seen or heard of these snakes before. Thanks for sharing!!!

Helen I'd sure like to know more about that, maybe come tax return I'll purchase myself a go pro camera, I'm also debating an Asian vine snake but the gecko diet is a bit deterring.

And thanks Daniel! I'm sure glad I found her.

I know absolutely nothing about snakes that eat fish. However, you may want to set up a smaller tank to house your feeder fish yourself. The "feeder" goldfish tanks at pet store are usually extremely overcrowded at best and at worst in some stores the "feeder" fish aren't fed regularly, quarantined from new arrivals or treated for bacteria-ich-or fungus because they are feeder fish and it is considered a waste of money.
Next question is what will she eat when she is 6 feet long? Wow! Cool snake!