Species Description

Arctic Ice Python :)  

The Arctic Ice Python although not rare in the wild, is perhaps the least well known of all commonly kept Boids. There are at least two species known (Freezius Eskimo Eskimo and Arcticus Iceus Freezmynutsoffius, although their taxonomy is disputed). One which grows to about 9 feet and is an egglayer and so presumably is classified as a python. The other which grows much bigger, is a live-bearer and is classified as a boa. Specimens as large as 50 feet have been seen. Both species are rather similar in appearance (except for size). They are a beautiful translucent white, with a hint of blue in their fur. These snake have huge claws. This fact together with their size makes them unsuitable for beginners. Experienced keepers report that they are very docile except when feeding. These two snake stand alongside the green tree python and emerald tree boa as one on the wonders of convergent evolution.
Housing is very easy. An appropriately sized fridge or walk in freezer is ideal, but holes must be made to ensure that the snake gets plenty of ventilation. A word of warning though; Make sure that the freezer you choose is NOT white. It can be very difficult to see the snake against a white background, especially if the snake is shy and stays still. The snake must be kept below freezing during the winter to do well, and they will not eat at all if the temperature rises above 4C. Water needn't be supplied, but some ice-cubes can be offered occasionally. During the summer the snake can be kept in a normal vivarium as the temperature can be allowed to come up to about 60F. If the temperature goes too high, a good air conditioner is advised, as this will keep the snake cool. Although most people refer to this summer warming as 'sumnation' it is more correctly termed 'aestivation' as it does not involve raising the temperature so high that the snake will perspire.
The photoperiod is very important. Lighting must be on continually for three months during the winter and off for three months during the summer. The day length must be graduated gradually during spring and autumn. UV light must not be used. The snake is can be kept on any substrate that resists the cold. Expanded polystyrene chips are good. The usual precautions must be made to prevent ingestion whilst the snake is eating.
Breeding is usually quite easy with these species, although the smaller species has been known to get aggressive at breeding time, and can get a taste for human blood. Both species require an elaborate mating ritual (dance), and many ice-rinks will be only too willing to let you rent there facilities for a weekend to get the snakes into breeding condition. Sometimes it is even possible to club together with other serious keepers to rent artificial ski-slopes and the like. The sight of three or four Ice Pythons dancing serenely on the ice is a beauty to behold, and I suspect that this is the main reason why this species is kept.

Feeding is sometimes quite difficult. Fish fingers are a favourite, but are rather small fare for the larger species. You can also offer penguins, but it's best to pre-killed them, and add a small amount of sodium chloride. The beaks can cause a lot of damage if is the bird is not constricted properly. Pinky polar bears and pinky seals are a good first food for the hatchlings of the larger species, and often it is as well to stick to this diet. The largest snakes can consume a full grown polar bear or two (which must also be offered pre-killed). Although the snakes love shark, these should only be offered when all else fails. If it is necessary to feed shark, an appropriate amount of vitamin/calcium supplement must be sprinkled on the shark to create a more balanced diet (because sharks are cartillagenous, they are very low in calcium).
There is one problem with these snakes, and that is that they are very prone to getting arc-tics. These white insects are very easy to get rid of however. You either wait until summer, when they will melt, or you spray the snake with nitrous oxide. This causes the arc-tics to lose there grip and fall off. It can be a little messy because they generally split in two along their lateral lines.

Interestingly there are stories of a southern species (the Antarctic Polar Boa or frezius eskimo ocelsius), but these stories can almost certainly be dismissed as this species is thought to have been extinct for hundreds of years. It is possible that a subspecies of the antarctic polar boa is still kept on the island of Hokkaido in Northern Japan. This snake was prized for it's blood which contains a glycol based anti-freeze, similar to some species of land tortoise. It is because of this that the people of Hokkaido would capture the animals, chop off their heads, and drain the blood into their car radiators. Another more sinister use of the blood is to ferment it and produce a very strong but nasty smelling (of rat) beer. This practise has been stopped in recent years after a scare, connected with a rather inexperienced keeper in Austria, when unfermented glycol was found in some bottles of wine.

This entry, based loosely on a thread on the SLITHER mailing list, is NOT to be taken seriously. My thanks go to Laura, Alan Moss, Gary Shergold, Erik Stenstrom, Göran Jonsson Bristen Bourque, Al Curtis, Python, Ravens Toy, Drew Zaun, Paul Webster, Ray Langley, Pythoness, Tony Zipple, LD Shore, Graham Nichols, Jenifer Nelson and especially Kevin Cordery for their contributions, making the world a happier place. If I have missed anyone out, please accept my apologies.

I just finished reading your entry on the Freezius Eskimo Eskimo and the Articus Iceus Freezmynutsoffius. I wanted to thank you for bringing this fascinating creature to the publics attention, for although it is not well known to most, those of us in Alaska are quite familiar with the species. My partner and I have been dealing with these beautiful Boids for several years now, as they are a part of our natural environment. I thought I should share some of my knowlege with you, and correct a few of the errors you made on your page (unknowingly I am sure!). First of all the snake has been known to eat in temperatures above 4C. The location of the snake and its personality has much to do with this. Second, water can and should be supplied, but not the usual fresh water we think of. A good salt water mixture similar to ocean water is preferred. If the water has the correct salt content, and constant movement, it should not freeze in the tank. One common misconception about these Boids is that they are ice dwellers. In actuality they are water snakes much of the time. This is why they are exclusively found along the Bering Sea and the Arctic Ocean. Southeast Alaska, which contains many of the ice fields, is expected to have these Boids naturally, but what many people think is a Boid is actually a burrowing type called the Ice-Worm. Third, both of the Arctic snakes are capable of withstanding temperatures up to 80F but you are correct in keeping it below 60F, which keeps them from going into deep hibernation. Your photoperiod is incorrect, I think you were just a little confused. Lighting must be OFF for 3 mo. in winter and ON for 3 mo. in summer. You just had that part backwards! As far as feeding goes, you are mistaken about the snakes eating penguins. There are no penguins in the Arctic (they are in Antarctica) naturally. This is a common misconception with people from Outside Alaska. You may have been thinking of puffins which are common and slightly similar to penguins. However, offering too much poultry is unhealthy - it's the equivalent of chocolate to us. A common food source is the young of blue, sperm, and gray whales. As well as several varieties of fish including black cod and halibut. Thank you for reading this, and again I appreciate you bringing these wonderful creatures to the attention of the internet. I hope this information helps you in dealing with your snakes from this region. Sincerely, Amy

Amy sent me this delightfully mail. Thank you for joining in the fun:))