Reptile & Amphibian Forums

for those of you that have kept or have this species, what is your view of them. I have decided this is the type I want. I have read they have an undeserved reputation and things to the contrary. Any input will be appreciated.

Thanks
Miller
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0.1 Florida King ('02 Pit & '00 Pearl)
1.1 Eastern Kings (2004 Orca & Sugar Pie)
1.0 Black Milksnake (2005 Bubba)
0.1 Okeetee Corn (Pumpkin)
1.0 Chow Chow (2003 Papi)
0.2 Cats (Shug)
0.0.11 eggs a incubating!

I have kept and bred them in the past, and I would say that their reputation is well deserved. I'm sure there are some calm and tame examples out there, but as a whole the species is pretty aggressive and doesn't take well to handling. They are, however, beautiful and very interesting snakes. They were a lot of fun to watch, but not to handle - even just for regular cage cleaning. If you do decide to get them, I'd recommend getting them as young as you can and start handling as soon as possible (if you are interested in handling at all). Good luck.

Bryan
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Last night I was laying in bed looking up at the stars in the sky and I thought to myself, "Where the hell is my ceiling?"

Ok then maybe I will keep looking. I am debating if I want to go the pytthon route. I was thinking I could get the big snake fill by getting a large colubrid. I really was hoping for something bigger than my kings or black milk with a nice disposition. So the search continues.

Thanks for the reply,
Miller
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0.1 Florida King ('02 Pit & '00 Pearl)
1.1 Eastern Kings (2004 Orca & Sugar Pie)
1.0 Black Milksnake (2005 Bubba)
0.1 Okeetee Corn (Pumpkin)
1.0 Chow Chow (2003 Papi)
0.2 Cats (Shug)
0.0.11 eggs a incubating!

Miller:
Depending on how big a snake you are interested in and how calm it needs to be I think you can still consider the larger obsoleta varieties, schrencki, the larger taeniura and a couple of the other eurasian species. A mature obsoleta is a pretty big animal. Of course attitude varies by individual snake but don't give up on ratsnakes too soon. A large taiwan beauty snake can be well over ten feet long. And there are some really good sized bull and pine snakes out there too (very closely related to the north american ratsnakes). Good luck
John

>>Ok then maybe I will keep looking. I am debating if I want to go the pytthon route. I was thinking I could get the big snake fill by getting a large colubrid. I really was hoping for something bigger than my kings or black milk with a nice disposition. So the search continues.
>>
>>Thanks for the reply,
>>Miller
>>-----
>>0.1 Florida King ('02 Pit & '00 Pearl)
>>1.1 Eastern Kings (2004 Orca & Sugar Pie)
>>1.0 Black Milksnake (2005 Bubba)
>>0.1 Okeetee Corn (Pumpkin)
>>1.0 Chow Chow (2003 Papi)
>>0.2 Cats (Shug)
>>0.0.11 eggs a incubating!

Thanks for the encouragement. I would like a pretty docile snake. I know that they all have their on personalities but of the ones you listed which is known to be more docile. Also, I breed my own rats so want to make sure which ever I choose can eat rats.

Thanks again,
Miller
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0.1 Florida King ('02 Pit & '00 Pearl)
1.1 Eastern Kings (2004 Orca & Sugar Pie)
1.0 Black Milksnake (2005 Bubba)
0.1 Okeetee Corn (Pumpkin)
1.0 Chow Chow (2003 Papi)
0.2 Cats (Shug)
0.0.11 eggs a incubating!

Have you consider any of the indigos?

I've seen a yellow rat as big around as my wrist.
Some US ratsnakes get plenty big.
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...and I think to myself, "What a wonderful world."

I have considered those, It is just hard to decide when you get different oppinions foe each species. I heard they are nippy, Don't know why the American rats have to have such a bad rep!

Miller
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0.1 Florida King ('02 Pit & '00 Pearl)
1.1 Eastern Kings (2004 Orca & Sugar Pie)
1.0 Black Milksnake (2005 Bubba)
0.1 Okeetee Corn (Pumpkin)
1.0 Chow Chow (2003 Papi)
0.2 Cats (Shug)
0.0.11 eggs a incubating!

LOLOL, yes then I think of the price!

Miller
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0.1 Florida King ('02 Pit & '00 Pearl)
1.1 Eastern Kings (2004 Orca & Sugar Pie)
1.0 Black Milksnake (2005 Bubba)
0.1 Okeetee Corn (Pumpkin)
1.0 Chow Chow (2003 Papi)
0.2 Cats (Shug)
0.0.11 eggs a incubating!

How about getting a Cribo?
If you are looking for something that gets big, is active, AND is handleable a Uni Colored, Black Tail, or Yellow Tail Cribo will surely satisfy your needs!

Go with a Taiwan Beauty, large beautiful and are usually pretty docile. Peace!

I agree about the Russian ratsnake, E. s. shrencki. They're black-ish and yellow like the Chinese rat, they get pretty stout and are known for their calm temperament. Mine is all of that. E. bairdi get big and beautiful, mine is a baby, but if you choose the breeder well (like VR) you'll get close to guaranteed tame behavior. But those pythons, they are stealing the show in my collection. Consider M. bredli and the increasingly popular West Papuan carpets (Irian jaya). I have both, medium to big, just beautiful and tame as tame can be.