Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I study B.C.C.'s and old world vipers mostly, but i run the reptile room at my local pet shop, and someone gave us a 2 year old red rat. Well this snake IS 2 yrs old and he is about 2' tops. he eats great and drinks. He is 100% healthy. i was just wondering if anyone has ever heard of a dwarf rat snake? Because he must be. Any information would be great!! im from Florida and his colors seem to be a S. Fla local, but im not 100% sure. Thanks for reading.

Vinny D

2 feet isn't really too small for a two year old corn. It's definitely not big, but it's not THAT tiny. I have a corn who's 4 years old, and only about 3 feet.

However, I would say the snake has probably been underfed at some point. If it's eating now, watch it, and see how fast it grows. If it starts growing, it was underfed. If it stays small, it's just a genetically small snake.

You said something like "his colors seem to be south Florida locale." If by that you mean that it looks like a Miami phase, you sholud keep in mind that Miami's are often smaller than red rats from other locations.

be gone for any size here after. I don't think I'll get an argument on this > the potential of growth on any reptile and exclusive on a snake whether it is python, boid, colubrid or whatever is from neonate to juvenile. if this snake was underfed it will probably not grow as large as potential growth is some what stunted. There has been scientific ( I can't link this at this time ) evidence on this. Implanted juvenile snakes of wild was re-found and was much, much smaller than the same age of captive kept. Not saying a wild corn/rat snake can't be found at 4 or more foot but at what age compared to a 3 year old captive at over 4 or over. Also because of size factor, many wild species are 1 to several years older before they breed and or having young compared to a 2 to 3 year old captive that is capable of breeding.
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I may be old , cantankerous, crabby, and cynical, but......

>>I study B.C.C.'s and old world vipers mostly, but i run the reptile room at my local pet shop, and someone gave us a 2 year old red rat. Well this snake IS 2 yrs old and he is about 2' tops. he eats great and drinks. He is 100% healthy. i was just wondering if anyone has ever heard of a dwarf rat snake? Because he must be. Any information would be great!! im from Florida and his colors seem to be a S. Fla local, but im not 100% sure. Thanks for reading.
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>>Vinny D

Some just grow smaller then others.
I have a four year old snow that is probably only about 32 to 34 inches.
She eats every week but simply will not eat an adult mouse.
She will only eat hoppers. And she will only eat one. Never two.
So, your snake could be just normally small or it could have been fed a minimum diet.
Only fed smaller prey items or possibly not fed on a regular basis.
But, if it's eating and shedding I would just get it on a weekly feeding schedule and let it's size and appetite determine how large of mice to feed it.
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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"resistance is futile"
Jimmy (draybar)

Draybars Snakes

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I have a seven year old female cornsnake, only snake I've EVER bought from a pet store instead of a breeder, and she barely crosses the 3' mark. Eats at least once a week, can take a small adult mouse but she'll take two rat pinkies before she'll touch a mouse, if she has a chance.

She's a proven breeder, very healthy weight for a snake her size. Just bitty, especially when I compare her to my great plains v corn cross male, who's over five feet and THICK...