Desert Rosy Boa
Hi r/snakes. I have a question about what do with a wild snake which was caught by someone then, as the story usually goes, the poor guy was passed from owner to owner.
I eventually ended up with him and he's been a pretty finicky eater. Usually just eating once every couple months. Now he hasn't eaten for almost a year and seems more concerned with escape than eating. I've always fed him frozen, tried live once but honestly I liked the mouse more than the snake and ended up with an awesome pet mouse.
Now, I don't have the money for a vet, so I was debating on releasing him back to the wild. Would that be a viable option or would it just be a death sentence?
Posted Jun 9, 2015, 5:06 AM UTC
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If you live in the area where the snake was originally caught (its natural habitat), you can release it back into the wild. Wild-caught snakes can be really difficult to acclimate to captivity and tend to get really stressed out.
Thanks, I do know where he came from and I think its time to grant him his wish for freedom
This is some pretty bad advice. Assuming this snake has been in captivity for quite some time, it (or any captive snake) should not be released into a wild setting, particularly if it's been "passed from owner to owner." Even if they are originally wild-caught and placed back into their native distribution, captive snakes (especially those housed in collections with non-native species) can harbor pathogens that may or may not be found locally. Besides potential infectious agents and they're impacts on wild populations, the snake would likely die soon after being released into an unfamiliar area, as individuals of many species display rather high mortality rates following relocation outside of their home range.
These were the same concerns I had so aside from posting here I contacted a reptile rescue and they recommended a few different things I will try before giving up all hope.
Good to hear. Best of luck with the snake.