8 keelbacks hiding together

[cadwallader]

Hey,
So i went on a study break today and went out looking for animals and lifted up a rock near one of the water holes and there was 8 keel backs. i never knew they did this. well the pound they were near was filled with cane toad tadpoles say 2-3 weeks ago and now there is hardly many and they have still not fully morphed. so my question i don't know if anyone can really answer it but as keelbacks eat can toad tadpole with no ill effect, what percentage of the tadpole can make up there diet?
cheers

 

[Brodie]

I know nothing of their dietary habits. Sorry mate...

But, when I used to work out at Fog Dam, there was a well known (well amongst us) communal nesting site. 500 plus eggs, every year. Nothing cuter than a baby keelback...

Edit:

Oh, and at the same research facility, we had about 100 keelbacks, they always seemed to prefer small toads over taddys.

 

[cadwallader]

i was so surprised ay like have found single one we get a few around here and when i lifted up the rock i was so surprised made my week was soo careful putting it back how it was after i watch for a bit.
thanks heaps brodie. anyone else know a bit about them
good to see some of Australia's wildlife adapting to eat the toads

 

[nico77]

i know they can eat toads but thats all i really know about them .

cheers nico

 

[Spot_the_mac]

cool find , blokes at work were digging up footpath slabs and found 6 yellow faced whip snakes all together. i thought snakes were generally solitary animals but there you go !

 

[cadwallader]

yer i wouldn't have thought hence my surprise when i seen them

 

[Jk888]

wow you would have been nice an supprised , i also would be too

 

[Scleropages]

Take some photos next time , I love keelbacks!

 

[pythons73]

8 in the same spot is impressive..

 

[scorps]

Always had a soft spot for keelbacks, there an interesting animal to keep

 

[cadwallader]

ill try and put one up to night got a few what is everyone thoughts on free handling keelbacks?

 

[SomeGuy]

It is not uncommon to get aggregations of many snakes species, sometimes different species mixed in, I am unsure of the reason they do it though. 8 keelbacks sounds like a nice find mate.

Freehandling a keelback is fine, do what you want

 

[pythons73]

If in Doubt,its defiantly a Keelback...I moved from NSW to QLD last week,within 15mins at the motel i caught my first one..From what i hear there really common,and on many occasions its not that hard to come across a few in a night...

 

[cadwallader]

has anyone been bitten by a rough scaled before?
of know of someone?

 

[cement]

Don't underestimate Rough-scales, they are right up there for toxicity.

 

[cadwallader]

this is one little guy we have found before

 

[waruikazi]

While they can eat toads and have a tolerance to the toxin they are not immune to it. Large doses will still kill them and they can't live off toads as a staple.

Hey,
So i went on a study break today and went out looking for animals and lifted up a rock near one of the water holes and there was 8 keel backs. i never knew they did this. well the pound they were near was filled with cane toad tadpoles say 2-3 weeks ago and now there is hardly many and they have still not fully morphed. so my question i don't know if anyone can really answer it but as keelbacks eat can toad tadpole with no ill effect, what percentage of the tadpole can make up there diet?
cheers

 

[scorps]

ill try and put one up to night got a few what is everyone thoughts on free handling keelbacks?

Keelbacks are completly fine, just make sure its not a roughy

 

[cadwallader]

lol yer not too keen to get tagged by one of them... that guy was so calm i was surprised compared to other keel backs ive held..

 

[Jonno from ERD]

While they can eat toads and have a tolerance to the toxin they are not immune to it. Large doses will still kill them and they can't live off toads as a staple.

I know a keeper here in QLD who has been feeding their captive Keelbacks solely on Cane Toads for a couple of years now. I was surprised too.