WARNING TO ALL FILESNAKE KEEPERS

[Wrasse]

Re the filtration question, with mine I use Eheim 2217 canister filters, external. Set up pretty much as expansa1 has, but I found my filesnakes didn't like moving water much, so I have turned the tank inlet spray bars towards the wall of the tanks and submerged them, to reduce noise and surface movement.

 

[Linus]

Do you ever handle them expansa or wrasse? I' guess not but thought I'd ask.

 

[ether]

I think you can Linus, but as soo as they come out of the water their skin becomes all saggy and droopy. Much better to look at when they are in the water.

Cheers Alex

 

[expansa1]

I think you can Linus, but as soo as they come out of the water their skin becomes all saggy and droopy. Much better to look at when they are in the water.

Cheers Alex

Yeah they are handleable and never, ever attempt to bite. We even hand feed them fish. Their skin is rough (hence the name file snake) to help them grip onto slippery fish as they coil them. As alex said, they are like a soggy skin bag out of water.

Expansa1

 

[expansa1]

Re the filtration question, with mine I use Eheim 2217 canister filters, external. Set up pretty much as expansa1 has, but I found my filesnakes didn't like moving water much, so I have turned the tank inlet spray bars towards the wall of the tanks and submerged them, to reduce noise and surface movement.

Our spray bar is also submerged to cut down on noise and water surface movement.

Expansa1

 

[yommy]

file snake info

Foxysnake
when I was trying to research info before getting my file snake there wasn't alot of information out there. I sourced most information out of 'Australian Snakes a natural history' by Richard Shine. Not alot of research had been done on them until 1980. I found this book helped for background info.
But they are an awesome snake to have, i can sit there for hours at night watching him cruise around and hunt.
A note males are smaller then females of the same size, so if size is an issue a male would be the way to go. Also the females are much heavier set in the body.
My only frustration with them was i had never got into aquariums and fish keeping previous to this and that is where most of your time and effort is spent maintaining the fish. The filey is happy in any water environment.

 

[westhamsc]

stop teasing us victorians i want one bad stupid DSE

 

[Brodie]

Hehe i Beg to differ craig, Ive been bitten twice by files

 

[expansa1]

Hehe i Beg to differ craig, Ive been bitten twice by files

Possibly because their eyesight is not that great. Dealt with over 30 file snakes in our time/ including ones cared for by my wife at the zoo and none (captive and captive bred) have ever displayed any signs of aggression. Only time they attempt to bite (the fish) is when live fish are added to the aquarium and the smell sends them into hunting mode.

Craig

 

[Wrasse]

I have only handled my two and neither have shown any inclination to bite at all.

 

[AGAMIDAE]

yeah brody my two have die sinse and they were in plastic tubs with no substrate just hidding logs but both have died

 

[Brodie]

hmm Geeze,

Yeah I have lost a few since ive started keeping them as well. There must be something extra that they need that we dont know about.

I lost my big girl the other week, was very sad.
I do have another one but she is quite a bit smaller so im not sure if i will breed them again this wet.

Craig, these werent feeding bites, but defensive bites. Both times the snake was out of water. I have dealt with a few of hundred of these (they come together in huge numbers in certain creeks early in the year), and seen 2 or 3 more try to bite people. Chris off this site has been tagged as well hehe.

 

[Linus]

Do they have much in the way of teeth Brodie?

Their faces look so friendly. They'd be a good ambassador for all snakes.

 

[yommy]

Also beware that these little guys can climb and escape from the tank just like any other snake can just not quite as quick and my male demonstrated this. Make sure you have a secure top or these fellas will make you look silly when your mates call around to check him out and suprise no file snake, hours of fun had finding him.

 

[orsm]

Can these snakes live outside of water for a few hours/days? Also for those who've bitten by these snakes before, how painful is it?

 

[yommy]

Apparently a few day but it deprnds on the ambient temperature, they can dehydrate quickly if they dry out. Mine has never attempted to bite, maybe someone with a large individual may be able to answer that one, but they are the most placid things you'll ever meet, I'm yet to be proved wrong.

 

[SLACkra]

We swear by the purigen pillows. They remove all ammonia, ammonium and polish the water. They are also re-chargeable so after the initial purchase cost of around $30 you have something that should last year 10 years or more unlike the disposable activated carbon etc. All our turtle aquariums run with purigen in the filters as well!

where do you get this product?

also i am guessing you keep the tank water at a certain temp, however what happens if they want to cool down or warm up? how deep of a tank do they require?

also it would be interesting to see if they would enjoy a land area with a heat lamp and a lil vapor making thingy.

andrew

 

[pugsly]

They look like someone with a sock over there hand and some fake eyes sowen on. lol

 

[Wrasse]

We swear by the purigen pillows. They remove all ammonia, ammonium and polish the water. They are also re-chargeable so after the initial purchase cost of around $30 you have something that should last year 10 years or more unlike the disposable activated carbon etc. All our turtle aquariums run with purigen in the filters as well!

where do you get this product?

also i am guessing you keep the tank water at a certain temp, however what happens if they want to cool down or warm up? how deep of a tank do they require?

also it would be interesting to see if they would enjoy a land area with a heat lamp and a lil vapor making thingy.

andrew

Aquarium shops.

Temps around 30 seem to be preferred. Possibly warmer at times as I often find mine hiding under the heater. Heater guards are a must.

Mine have never shown the slightest desire to exit the water to bask and did not even come close to the heat lamp at any time. I have removed the heat lamp from the tank now as it was serving no purpose.

They do leap out and they travel very quickly despite their gelatinous appearance, however, mine have never shown a preference to get out of the water for anything other than to escape.

 

[expansa1]

We swear by the purigen pillows. They remove all ammonia, ammonium and polish the water. They are also re-chargeable so after the initial purchase cost of around $30 you have something that should last year 10 years or more unlike the disposable activated carbon etc. All our turtle aquariums run with purigen in the filters as well!

where do you get this product?

also i am guessing you keep the tank water at a certain temp, however what happens if they want to cool down or warm up? how deep of a tank do they require?

also it would be interesting to see if they would enjoy a land area with a heat lamp and a lil vapor making thingy.

andrew

Hi Andrew,
Any aquarium shop that sells 'Seachem' products should have or be able to get the purigen pillows for you! We keep ours between 28deg.C and 30 deg.C. We have never lost one and stress that good ventilation is very important. The additional of 1 teaspoon of salt to every 10 litres of water also helps. They definitely don't like land/basking areas. Just keep them in a normal height aquarium (18") or higher if you wish. They are excellent swimmers and really enjoy stretching out in a large aquarium.

Expansa1