Description:
Scientific name: Arizona elegans
Life span: 10-20 years
The medium-sized colubrid snake Arizona elegans is sometimes known as the shiny snake or the fading snake. They resemble gopher snakes in appearance, except they are smaller, have narrow, pointed heads, and have a variety of skin patterns and colors. The term “faded snakes” refers to their appearance, which is “washed-out” or “pale.” Glossy snakes have smooth, glossy skin that has spotted patterns and a ventral surface that is either white or cream in colour without any markings. They come in hues of tan, brown, and grey.
Native Region/Habitat
The southwestern United States, from California in the west to Kansas in the east and as far south as Texas, as well as northern Mexico, are home to glossy snakes. They live in rocky washes, coastal scrub, shrub-covered desert, open, semi-arid grasslands, and shrubland.
Behavior:
The night is when glossy snakes are most active, and they live alone. Since they are skilled burrowers, they favour places with sandy or loamy soils as their home. They dig their own burrows, which they use as a place to sleep during the day or hibernate during the chilly autumn and winter. Yet they might also hide out in small animal burrows that have been abandoned, as well as under rocks and other materials. Glossy snakes are typically peaceful and friendly. Males, however, can strike and bite. When disturbed, they will vibrate their tail, and if captured, they may generate a scent.
Care As a pet/In captivity:
Enclosure: Enclosures that are 30 inches wide, 12 inches deep, and 12 inches high are ideal for adult Arizona glossy snakes. To keep the snake secure inside the tank, add a tight cover or a sturdy screen top. If the snake is longer than 50 inches, purchase a tank that is 20 inches tall.
Temperature and Humidity: The vivarium of the glossy snake requires two temperature zones. Using thermometers, keep the vivarium’s temperature between 75 and 80°F by converting 65% of the space into a cold area. In the remaining 35% of the tank, create a heated area of 90°F using an under-tank reptile heating pad. Put the heating pad under just the tank, not the whole thing.
The glossy snake controls its body temperature by burrowing and travelling between colder and hotter areas. It is content with humidity levels between 0% and 50%. To gauge the humidity inside the tank, use a hygrometer.
Food: Being carnivorous reptiles, glossy serpents need a consistent diet of dead food, which is simple to find in exotic pet shops. Before feeding the snake, thaw out the frozen rodents of varied sizes. Start with rodents that are dead and have a core diameter equal to that of the snake.
One dead rodent at a time, feed the snake until it stops taking the food, then feed it another. Big glossy snakes can consume up to 12 rodents at once. Try feeding the snake living food if it won’t consume dead stuff.
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