Striped house snake

- Boaedon lineatus

The Striped house snake (Boaedon lineatus) it is a small harmless snake that is found in almost all of Africa, except in the desert sand.
The English name refers to the fact that they are very often found in the vicinity of human dwellings., and even within them.

The females reach approximately one meter in length and are more robust than the males.. The latter are usually half as thick and reach 60-80 cm.. Background color ranges from dark brown to light brown, and the lighter colored specimens usually present a pattern of spots on the anterior third of the body. A characteristic feature is the presence of a light colored stripe on both sides of the head. This stripe can continue almost halfway down the body in some specimens..

The Striped house snake inhabits pastures, savannah and cultivated land, sinanthrope, under fallen leaves or rocks, in holes or termite mounds, not in dense forests

The Striped house snake It is nocturnal, but sometimes she is also seen sunbathing during the day. They are placid snakes that only attack rarely. If you take it easy, they will not try to attack, but the exceptions confirm the rule also in this case. The Striped house snake feeds on mice, Therefore, it is very easy to care for.

As many people fear snakes, many of them are killed on sight. Those who know them as harmless appreciate that they feed on mice and tolerate their presence. Fortunately, in many African regions there are initiatives to educate the population about the usefulness of snakes. Teams of tutors travel through their countries and do not just show photos, they show people that live specimens have nothing to fear.

Fairly quiet, nocturnal, easy to handle. Good species for beginners.

the care of the Striped house snake in a terrarium it is quite simple, since it does not pose special demands in terms of humidity levels or temperature. Your terrarium should not be less than 80 x 40 x 40 cm. , but larger terrariums are advantageous, maybe of 100 x 40 x 50 cm. . Although the Striped house snake not exactly known for her climbing skills, this does not mean that climbing branches are not needed to equip a terrarium for her. From time to time, you will find them wandering around the top of their terrariums, as this is where the overhead lamps create the warmest zone. Temperatures should not drop below 18-20°C at night and hover around 25-28°C during the day. A localized hot spot offering about 35°C under a spotlight is a useful adjunct. A cork tube and a water container complete the terrarium equipment. For aesthetic reasons and to maintain the humidity level, a climbing plant should also be placed (for example, a philodendron) in the tank.

From copulation to egg laying no more than two months pass. It can be made up of 7 and 13 eggs. Placed in an incubator at 25-28°C, after a while quite considerable offspring emerge. They already look like their parents and are up to 15 cm length. This size makes it easy to rear in most cases., because they are already able to feed on mouse pups. Individuals that refuse to feed are rare, but they happen from time to time. Baby snakes should always be fed individually, since they are very voracious. If they are allowed to feed in a group without supervision, it can happen that a snake consumes a brother along with a pink mouse. This is often referred to as an "accident", but it is actually a consequence of poor husbandry practices for the young. Apart from that, create offspring of Striped house snake It is easy.

The price of a "Striped house snake" at the exotic animal market, ranges between 80 – 140 EUR.

1. Striped house snake (English).
2. Serpent des maisons (French).
3. Gestreifte Hausschlange (German).
4. Cobra listrada (Portuguese).
5. "Serpiente de casa rayada", Culebra ratonera lineatus (español).