Origin: Russia and China

Length: between 180 to 220 centimeters (outliers up to 250cm)

Age:  to 25

Care
Experience: Novice snake keeper
Food: Live or dead prey.
Adult feeding: Every 10 to 20 days
Feeding young: Every 5 to 7 days
Water bowl: Yes
Water change: 3 times a week

Nutrition
There is the choice to present the prey alive or dead. It is recommended to offer dead food. This is more practical and prevents the food animal from injuring your snake. It is also advised to offer the food animal with feeding tongs and to feed your snake outside the enclosure. This ensures that your hand is not associated with food and prevents your snake from reaching for your hand while feeding. If you do go for live food, you must supervise the feeding. The prey animal can also injure the snake. Feed the rat snake separately, because when two snakes catch the same prey, they can injure each other and sometimes eat each other themselves. The ideal prey is about as wide as the widest part of the snake.

Water
This Russian rat snake, like other rat snakes, is a true lover of water. In addition to drinking it, they also bathe in it. The water bowl must therefore be large enough for the snake to bathe in it with its entire body. This bathing can cause the water to become dirty, so it is not a problem if the water is changed more than 3 times a week.

Cleaning
The accommodation must be kept clean to prevent diseases and bacteria build-up. This can be done weekly, in addition, it is wise to thoroughly clean and disinfect the accommodation a few times a year. This prevents the build-up of bacteria. When cleaning, make sure that you also clean the climbing branches and elevations.

Handling
To feed the Russian rat snake and to clean the enclosure, your snake will have to be handled. This must of course be done properly so that the snake and you are safe. Handle the hose with a hose hook or lift it with two hands. Do not hang your snake around your neck, because if the snake falls, it will clamp around your neck. In addition, there are some important things to pay attention to when handling a Russian rat snake. First, make sure that your snake realizes that you are going to handle it and move slowly when handling it. Also make sure your hands are washed and don't smell like food. Finally, do not handle your snake when it is molting and do not handle it in the dark.

Housing
Minimum enclosure size for 1 hose: 100 x 50 x 50
Lying surface: 0.5m2 with at least one raised lounger per hose on which the hose can lie.
Day temperature: 25- 28C
Night temperature: 20-23C
Hours of light: 12 hours
Humidity: 50%-70%
Ground cover: Newspapers, bark, peat, or peat litter

Design
The Russian rat snake occurs in Russia and China, east of the Amur region near Khabarovsk and west to the Chingan Mountains. From there the distribution area extends to Manchuria (Northeast China). . Here the rat snake lives on the ground and in branches. This must therefore be imitated with climbing possibilities, in the form of climbing branches. In addition, shelter must be offered in the form of a cave, cave or piece of wood. Keep in mind that the hiding place is big enough for the snake to be able to lie completely under. Finally, like other rat snakes, they need to be able to bathe. To do this, they need a water bowl large enough for the snake to lie in with its entire body.

Before the stay there are some extra things to pay attention to. The Russian rat snake, for example, are quite good at escaping and it will have to be ensured that they cannot open their door just like that. You can do this by putting a lock on the accommodation. Ventilation is also necessary to keep the air fresh and it is advisable to place the accommodation out of the bright sun and as vibration-free as possible.

Behaviour
Hunting method: Strangler snake
Lifestyle: semi-arboreal & nocturnal
Character. This makes them easy animals to keep for a beginner. But because of their curious behavior they are also fun for experienced snake keepers who want to try something different.
Points of attention
The Russian rat snake is a slender snake and must therefore be handled with care. This is for the welfare and health of the animal.

Cost and Purchase
Legislation: The Russian rat snake falls under CITES II, to own this snake you need CITES or transfer papers. You should receive this with the purchase.
One-off costs: This includes the costs for accommodation, lighting, heating, water bowl and decoration. This can cost a few hundred euros to a few thousand euros. The final amount depends on the quality and size of the products.
Fixed costs: Fixed costs include the costs