Mandarin Rat Snake — Care Sheet & Morphs

Q: How big does an adult Mandarin Rat Snake get?

An adult Mandarin Rat Snake typically measures 1–1.4 m.

Husbandry requirements

Mandarin Rat Snake — origin: Asia: southern and central China, Myanmar, northern Vietnam. Mountain forests, forest edges and highland meadows (roughly 300 to 3000 m), in a cool, humid climate..

Terrarium temperature gradient

Night min15 °C

Cool side18–22 °C

Warm side24–26 °C

CRITICAL: a cool-climate species. NEVER exceed 27°C; temperatures above ~28°C can be FATAL. No intense hot spot (basking) required. Maintain a gentle gradient; control the room's ambient temperature in summer. A winter brumation (roughly 10-15°C for 6 to 10 weeks) is necessary to trigger breeding.

Enclosure (adult)

100 × 50 × 50 cm

A secure, well-ventilated terrestrial terrarium with deep substrate allowing burrowing and several hides (warm side and cool side).

Indicative minimum for an adult; 90-120 cm in length is suitable. Lockable closure (a secretive and escape-prone species). Favour floor area and hides over height.

Humidity

50–70 %

Moderate humidity; raise it occasionally (up to ~70-80%) and provide a humid hide during shedding periods. Avoid a waterlogged, stagnant atmosphere.

Substrate

Coconut fibre / untreated topsoilAspen shavingsSphagnum (humid areas / humid hide)Leaf litter

Loose, deep substrate (at least 8-15 cm) to allow natural burrowing behaviour. Keep it slightly damp without soaking it.

UVB

Optional

Not essential (a crepuscular/nocturnal species). Low-intensity UVB (UV index ~2-3, a low-output T5 tube or subdued lighting) remains beneficial and allows a day/night cycle; provide plenty of shaded areas.

Water source

Always available

A large bowl of clean, fresh water available at all times; the animal occasionally bathes in it. Renew it regularly to prevent bacterial proliferation.

Origin

Colubridae

Asia: southern and central China, Myanmar, northern Vietnam. Mountain forests, forest edges and highland meadows (roughly 300 to 3000 m), in a cool, humid climate.

Feeding & health

Diet

Carnivore (rodents) — Mice sized to the snake's girth (pinkies to adult mice depending on size).

Feed thawed prey of a width close to the thickest part of the body. Neonates are often reluctant feeders and may require lizard scenting, small live prey or stimulation techniques. Feed at cool temperatures; do not handle for 48 h after a meal.

Breeding

Oviparous

Clutch 3–10 eggs/young. Small clutches of relatively large eggs. A winter cooling period (brumation/diapause, ~10-15°C for 6 to 10 weeks) is essential to stimulate breeding. Incubation generally around 24-26°C; avoid any overheating of the eggs.

Health watch points

Heat stress / hyperthermia (fatal above ~27-28°C): the leading cause of failure in captivity
Respiratory infections (unsuitable temperature or humidity)
Internal parasitism (nematodes), very common in wild-caught specimens
Anorexia / chronic feeding refusal (neonates and wild animals)
Dysecdysis (difficult shedding) and dehydration

Morphs & genetics

Registry of 4 documented genes and 2 named combos for Mandarin Rat Snake.

Axanthic (Anery) anerythristicRec
Hypomelanistic hypoRec
Albino (Amelanistic) amelRec
ScalelessRec

Named combos — 2 documented combined morphs

GhostSnow

Pairing calculator

Pick each parent's genotype — clutch probabilities update live. Free, no sign-up.

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Mandarin Rat Snake × Mandarin Rat Snake

Probabilities per gene (independent loci).

Expected clutchSelect at least one gene on a parent.

Frequently asked questions

Answers to the most common questions about keeping the mandarin rat snake.

How big does an adult Mandarin Rat Snake get?▾

An adult Mandarin Rat Snake typically measures 1–1.4 m (adult total length; some exceptional individuals reach ~150 cm. a medium-sized, slender species.).

What temperature and humidity does a Mandarin Rat Snake need?▾

A gradient of roughly 18–22 °C on the cool side to 24–26 °C on the warm side. Humidity 50–70 %.

What does a Mandarin Rat Snake eat?▾

Carnivore (rodents): Mice sized to the snake's girth (pinkies to adult mice depending on size)..

Is the Mandarin Rat Snake a good reptile for beginners?▾

Intermediate level. Shy, secretive and fossorial; generally docile but nervous, it very rarely bites and prefers to take refuge under the substrate. NON-VENOMOUS (a colubrid harmless to humans). A species NOT listed on CITES to date, but locally protected in some countries of origin. Strongly favour captive-bred animals: wild-caught specimens are fragile, highly stressed, often heavily parasitised and frequently refuse to feed. Plan ahead: a lifespan of 15–20 yrs.

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