Pituophis catenifer sayi (Bullsnake)

Origin: Canada, United States, and Mexico (this subspecies in Canada)
Length: They can reach between 150 and 180 cm
Age: Between 12 and 15 years old.
The skin color is yellow-gray, with a row of continuous black spots on the back that resemble a chain, from which the snake derives its name catenifer (chain-bearing). There is also a row of separate spots on each flank.
Care
Experience: Average snake keeper
Food: Live or dead prey animals. The primary prey animals given are rodents such as mice and rats, but poultry is also welcome.

Feeding adults: Once every 14 days.
Feeding young: Every 7 days.
Water bowl: Yes
Water change: 3 times a week
Feeding
There is a choice to offer the prey animals live or dead. It is recommended to offer dead food. This is more practical and prevents the prey animal from injuring your snake. Additionally, it is advised to offer the prey animal using feeding tongs and to feed your snake outside the enclosure. This ensures that your hand is not associated with food and prevents the snake from grabbing your hand during feeding. If you do choose live food, you must supervise during feeding. This is because when two snakes take the same prey, they can injure each other and sometimes even eat each other. The ideal prey animal is approximately as wide as the widest part of the snake.

Water
A spacious water bowl, large enough for all snakes to lie in at the same time, serves as a drinking and bathing area and sometimes also as a toilet. Therefore, ensure that the water is changed when it is dirty, as they drink that water as well.

Cleaning
To keep your snakes healthy, a hygienic living environment is important. To achieve this, the enclosure must be cleaned regularly. Cleaning once a week is sufficient. Additionally, to prevent the buildup of bacteria, the entire enclosure must be cleaned and disinfected a few times a year. Handling

To feed the bull snake and clean the enclosure, your snake will need to be handled. Naturally, this must be done properly so that both the snake and you are safe. Handle the snake with a snake hook or lift it with two hands. Do not hang your snake around your neck, because if the snake falls, it will constrict around your neck. Additionally, there are some important things to watch out for when handling a spotted python. First, ensure that your snake realizes you are going to handle it and move calmly when handling it. Also, ensure that your hands are washed and do not smell of food. Finally: do not handle your snake when it is shedding and do not handle it in the dark. Housing
Minimum enclosure size for 1 snake: 100 x 50 x 50
Lying surface area: 50% of the tank
Daytime temperature on the warmer side: 29-32C
Daytime temperature on the cooler side: 22-25C
Nighttime temperature: 18-20 degrees
Light hours: In summer, the lighting may be on for a maximum of fourteen hours per day; in winter, the lighting may be switched off for a few weeks. Ensure a gradual transition between these phases.
Humidity level: 40 to 60%
Substrate:

Moss or a mixture of peat moss and sand are very suitable as a substrate. Alternatives include newspaper or paper towels, dust-free sawdust, bark chips, and coconut fiber. The most important condition for a good substrate is that it is dry. Substrate that is too wet and/or dirty can lead to skin problems.

Behavior

Hunting method: Constrictor.

Lifestyle: They inhabit drier, lightly vegetated mountain regions, which can also be found in agricultural areas. Their habitat consists of moist tropical and subtropical forests, temperate forests, scrubland, and deserts.

Character
They are quite forage-oriented snakes and will bite quickly. A bite can be experienced as very painful and bloody. This snake species is not venomous. If you accustom them to human contact from a young age and handle the snake regularly, they can be made quite tame. However, always be very careful with this species.

Points of attention
When purchasing, preferably choose young captive-bred animals. Wild-caught animals are often infected with (internal and/or external) parasites, frequently carry diseases, and are very sensitive to stress.

Costs and Purchase

Legislation: No CITES legislation. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assigned conservation status to seven species. Six species are considered 'safe' (Least Concern or LC), and the species Pituophis ruthveni is considered 'endangered' (Engaging or EN).

One-off costs: These include the costs for the enclosure, lighting, heating, water bowl, and decoration. Together, these can cost anywhere from 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 cost of food, which is a few tens of euros per year.

Unexpected costs: Costs are incurred if your snake happens to get sick or your equipment breaks down.