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They are easy to keep with the right set up, though rarely seen. Plumb a fish tank so you can pump heated water into it and a drain, so that about 2 inches of water circulates through the tank. Put in a false bottom using eggcrate and window screen. Make sure it’s siliconed in so they can’t get past it. The false bottom should be just above the water level. Add 6 to 12 inches of substrate, echo earth does well. In the container that you are pumping the water from add a heater.set it to about 86f. Add a bowl of water at the surface level with the top of the substrate, a secure top and a basking light. This set up is good for pipe snakes and terrestrial caecilians. It will keep the substrate at the correct humidity and ambient temperature without stagnant water which causes mold and bacterial growth. Pipe snakes in the wild eat caecilians, but in captivity they will take fish. The way to feed them is to find one of their tunnels against the glass and make an opening, and drop the live fish in. Tap on the glass when you do this. They will learn to come looking for the fish. If they don’t eat it, remove it the next day. Eventually they will come to the opening you made when they are hungry and will take the fish from your hands. If you have an imported pipe snake, they may come in with white spot disease. If this is the case add Pimafix to the substrate and bowl at twice the fish dosage, it will clear up in three days, but continue to add pimafix daily for a week. They will not eat fish from the bowl, you must feed them as described. Females are more aggressive then males so the males will starve if you keep them together. Best to keep them individually. I use 20 longs this is a good size for one snake and the glass is generally not tempered so it can be drilled. To plumb the tank drill with a dremil and grinding stone keep a fine layer of cold water on the surface of the glass while drilling, this will keep it from cracking and keep the glass dust from becoming air borne. Good luck!
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