We've been trying to develop a nice group of this locality specific, Great Plains ratsnake, for several years now. Last year I picked up a new pair of hatchlings and we're raising them up. They aren't the best looking Brazos Island rats, but are looking pretty good. Here's the yearling male...



On the Kingsnake Forum we discussed them because of the locality issue. People want to know why we should keep localties? What's the big deal? How is this locality different from others that are nearby? Well, to each his own I guess. I just really like the locality and the snakes that come from it. If others don't see the difference, that's the way it goes, but eventually I hope folks will see how nice these snakes are. The B. I. ratsnakes come from a pretty remote location and really far south. Brazos Island State Park is right on the 26th parallel....



Actually, Brazos Island is a barrier island, but connected to the coast of s. TX, just east of Brownsville and south of Padre Island. There are probably similar snakes on the mainland close by. It's a very sandy and harsh habitat. Reminds me of habitat I like to do field work in along Lake Michigan...



Snakes here are specially adapted for this environment.



On the Corn Snake Forum we have discussed crosses bt. corn snakes and Great Plains ratsnakes. I don't think folks over there like snakes that aren't pure corn snakes very much. The fact is though, several different kinds of corn snake morphs originated from crossing corns and G. P. rats, such as the creamsicle, the cinnamons, and the root beers. I won't go into all that right now, but one morph I am interested in is the cinnamon, and I already have a female that came from a hypo corn X Brazos Island ratsnake cross...



Hopefully, my cinnamons will turn out nice. Hypomelanism is one of my favorite mutations and I love how it looks on most snakes, so I figured I might as well have some hypo guttatus, if I'm going to be working with those.



After much deliberation as to which Forum, or Sub-Forum, I should use to make this post, I finally decided on the good 'ol Ratsnake Forum, where I spend most of my free time. After all, these aren't kingsnakes, and they aren't corn snakes or corn snakes morphs according to most of the regulars on the Corn Forum, but you can't deny that they are ratsnakes. They even are American ratsnakes.



So, here we are looking at the Brazos Island ratsnakes and their environment. I think the whole guttatus complex is cool, especially the Southern Great Plains Ratsnakes, Pantherophis guttatus meahllmorum, and even better, the locality of Brazos Island. Here's a very special snake from that locality which I wasn't able to get hold of, but I hope to duplicate some day...



So, now, if you see me ranting and raving about these critters, you'll have some idea why. Hopefully I'll be able to explain all my reasons over time. Hope you like them....



TC




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Ratsnake Haven: Calico and albino Chinese stripe-tailed ratsnakes, Mandarin ratsnakes, Chinese twin-spotted ratsnakes, South Korean Dione's ratsnake, Great Plains rats and corn snakes

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