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Most snake owners recognize the genus Elaphe as encompassing a huge array of snakes from all over the world. The wide variety of colors, temperaments, sizes and habitat requirements makes this one genus truly one of the most variable of any group of snakes. There are snakes for beginners, such as the beloved “Corn Snake”, as well as snakes best kept by advanced hobbyists. Those of us in North American seem to have the advantage because many of the easier, well-known species are from right here. But now our Asian and Old World counterparts are showing us how it’s done on their side of the water.

Within the last few years, many hobbyists have begun keeping Elaphe species that originate from Asia and Europe. These species range from the lovely Green Bush Ratsnake, Elaphe prasina - a small arboreal species from Southeast Asia, to the various species found on the islands that comprise Japan. While most captive ratsnakes are fed a diet of rodents, some of these ratsnakes eat other snakes, birds, lizards, amphibians, etc. Whatever their diet, most of these species are fairly new to the hobby within the last decade, and are often more exacting in their care than those of North America.

Some of the most beautiful of the Elaphe genus are from southeast Asia. Most hobbyists recognize the fantastic black, grey, and yellow of the Mandarin Ratsnake, Elaphe mandarina. These snakes are being bred in captivity now with excellent results, which has brought the price down considerably from 5 years ago. Still, at $400-500 for a captive-bred specimen, they are not recommended for a beginner.

Another of the southeast Asian species is the Beauty snake group – Elaphe taeniura. There are several subspecies within this group, but they all have one noticeable trait in common: an eye stripe. This stripe is usually a dark black, grey, or green stripe with appears to elongate the eye to the neck area. It is believed that this stripe may be for fooling predators into believing that their chosen prey is much larger than they thought. Another unique trait for the Beauty snakes is that they have three distinct patterns. Their head is one base color, which extends several inches down the body. Then a pattern of saddles and blotches of a different color extends about 2/3 of the way down the body. The third area of pattern is a stripe that extends to the tail tip. These three patterns break up the snake, and each pattern may play a role in defense as part of camouflage in different settings.

The European ratsnakes are equally interesting, if not as varied as those from Asia. One of the most popular at this point is the Leopard Ratsnake, Elaphe situla, which is native to central Europe. This lovely snake has a series of reddish saddles on a grey/tan background. While it sounds similar to the North American species, it has a distinctly different look due to a different size and placement of the saddles. The exotic-looking lateral spots give it the common name, and help lend a hand in the quickly growing popularity of these snakes.

There is a controversy right now in the herping world as to the taxonomy of the Elaphe genus. A recently published study renames a number of the most popular species with other Genus names. Many of the North American species are listed as Pantherophis, rather than Elaphe. However, the majority of the Asian and European snakes retained the Elaphe label. Time will tell if this new nomenclature is accepted by other scientists, or by hobbyists. For now, many people still use the traditional genus of Elaphe until more information is available.

All in all, though, the Elaphe genus has some of the most beautiful, and easiest to care for, species of snakes. While many of them were unfamiliar species a few years ago, many are making their way now into the reptile trade, and will become staples of future reptile shows. If you’re looking into these species, be careful – imports don’t fare well, as with most reptiles. Find a reputable breeder with captive bred stock, and don’t rush into things. Ask questions, look around, and find the snake that is right for your three budgets – time, money, and care requirements. Regardless of which species of Elaphe you end up with, you’ll be glad you did.

Text copyright 2004 by Bonnie Keller. Used with permission. Pictures courtesy of http://www.ratsnakes.com/species.html. Used with permission.

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