(Dasypeltis medici)

 

by Paula Bolyard

Species Description:

The East-African Egg-Eater (Dasypeltis medici) is a fascinating Colubrid, whose name is derived from its diet.  It eats only eggs, swallowing them whole and with the shell on. It is one of three African snakes that eat only eggs.  The adult size is 50-60 cm., 90 cm. maximum and about the width of a man's finger.  Above, a pink/brown color with about 5 darker V-markings from the head onto the neck (these are less distinct in a younger snake).  There is a brown vertebral stripe with a series of white patches (or dots in a hatchling).  In an adult snake there are narrow dark vertical bars and the underside is a cream or pink color with gray to brown stippling.  There is a wide variation of these colors depending on the habitat.  This snake is active at night when it raids the nests of birds for eggs.  These snakes are found only in Africa from Northern Zululand through Mozambique into eastern Zimbabwe and further north.

General Care Requirements:

Ambient day/night temperature range is 73-80 degrees F., dropping a few degrees at night.  Humidity should be maintained at 75-100%.  Winter temperature range is 68-75 degrees F. A basking light is not necessary.  It is recommended that a heat gradient be provided that exceeds both ends of the scale until the snake’s preferences are known. A photoperiod of 14 hours of light should be provided.  A 20-gallon long aquarium should be sufficient. A taller type of enclosure would be preferred as these snakes are often arboreal and like to climb.  Care should be taken to provide a top that has no escape holes, as these snakes are known to be escape artists. A Terra-Top, which is a screen with Velcro around the edges, is an excellent choice.   A shallow water bowl should be provided at all times.   Branches and artificial plants for climbing are excellent for enrichment.  An old bird's nest or a small container of the same shape/size (with some type of bird's nest material or substrate) is often the preferred hide area, particularly if it is elevated on a branch of some sort.  In the wild, they will often fall asleep in the nest after raiding it.  They may have some difficulty shedding.    In this case the snake can be put into a plastic box (with holes for air) with wet, warm paper towels. 

Feeding:

These snakes will only eat the eggs of birds.   They have very rudimentary teeth and are not equipped to eat anything other than eggs. They are able to consume eggs approximately 3 times the diameter of their heads. An adult snake may be able to eat a small chicken egg.   They swallow the eggs whole and have bony projections on the neck area of the spine, which they use to saw through the eggs.  After the contents of the egg are moved to the stomach, the shell is compacted and then regurgitated in one piece.  They will generally eat only very fresh eggs, and they should be provided at room temperature.  An egg should be left in for a day or two.   Eggs can be refrigerated for storage and then set out for about an hour until they are at room temperature.  A hatchling can only manage very tiny eggs, such as those from a finch.  Often in captivity hatchlings are tube fed.  Adults are known to gorge on a large number of eggs and then have a long fast, even when offered eggs.  If the snake needs to be force fed, it can be done with a stomach tube and a syringe (this should only be done by a veterinarian or someone with experience as this is a very small snake and the stomach can be punctured).  They can also be fed fresh egg that has been brought to room temperature and lightly scrambled.  It can be fed with a syringe placed directly into the mouth to about the area of the neck that the egg would be when consuming one.   If one desires to keep an egg-eater, they should have several egg suppliers lined up before they obtain the snake, as they can be picky about the eggs at times.  

Breeding:

Egg-eaters are known to breed readily in captivity. In one instance a pair bred in just a few minutes while sharing a pillowcase while being transported, much to the surprise of the owners!  They should be cooled to the winter temperature range and the humidity should also drop.  They are able to breed all year, although spring is the usual time.   They are sometimes able to have two clutches in captivity. They are oviparous and 6-25 eggs are laid.  Gestation is 80-90 days. 

Miscellaneous:

There is not a lot known about the East African Egg-eater, either in captivity or in the wild.   Most information has been culled from the more common egg-eaters, such as the Rhombic or Common Egg-Eater (Dasypeltis scabra), which has similar care requirements.  Egg-eaters are very docile snakes. Because they don't have any useful teeth, it is impossible for them to bite.  They are often mistaken for adders or other venomous snakes because of their habit of rubbing their scales together by coiling and uncoiling when threatened, and make a hissing or rasping sound, imitating an adder. They will sometimes strike out aggressively, but they are completely harmless and this is only a bluff.