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I'm new to this forum and I am thinking about getting a Baird's rat snake. This will be my first snake.

My first question is will a full grown bairdi fit into a 20 gallon long tank.

My second question is do I need anything for heating as I do live in Minnesota and our house temp. averages sort of low.

The last qeustion that I have is at what size do most of you upgrade the food that you feed them. Like fuzzies to hoppers and hoppers to full grown mice.

Thank you for any replies.

Posted by: herpdude20 at Tue Jul 11 10:13:19 2006 [ Report Abuse ] [ Email Message ]

I'm new to this forum and I am thinking about getting a Baird's rat snake. This will be my first snake.

My first question is will a full grown bairdi fit into a 20 gallon long tank.

My second question is do I need anything for heating as I do live in Minnesota and our house temp. averages sort of low.

The last qeustion that I have is at what size do most of you upgrade the food that you feed them. Like fuzzies to hoppers and hoppers to full grown mice.

Thank you for any replies.

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Most bairds will fit in a 20 long just fine.I use a undertank heat mat with a hide over it.I also have a hide on the cool side so the snake can regulate its temp.My night time temps get down to 60 degrees and I dont have any problems.
As for food size look at the girth of your snake and buy a prey item slighty larger.Dont powerfeed a bairdi or they will regurge .
They are hands down my favorite ratsnake.Easy to care for,brilliant colors,slighty flighty as juvies but calm down fast.Ive never had one rear up and try to strike me.

I have 5 year-old snakes that would have to squeeze into a 20 long. I think they need a bit more room than that eventually.

Some people have bairdi hatchlings already, but most lay in June and hatch in Aug, if left to their own devices.
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...and I think to myself, "What a wonderful world."

I do have a large male I keep in a 55.

My first question is will a full grown bairdi fit into a 20 gallon long tank.

Probably not. A big adult male can reach 5 feet. I would say a 30 long is probably better if you are going to use an aquarium for a cage.
You could keep a bairdi in a 20 long for the first 2-3 years, at least.

My second question is do I need anything for heating as I do live in Minnesota and our house temp. averages sort of low.

You will certainly need a heat pad under one end of the cage.

The last qeustion that I have is at what size do most of you upgrade the food that you feed them. Like fuzzies to hoppers and hoppers to full grown mice.

My adults eat weanling rats or 2-3 adult mice in a sitting. The meal usually comes out to about 40-50 grams total weight. But I only feed them twice a month.
For younger snakes you would need to feed more often.

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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

Man,now I wish I had bought one of the ones I saw at the Orlando show this weekend to add to my pair and eggs. Love these guys, but I avoided the temptation.

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Lloyd Heilbrunn

Palm Beach Gardens, Fl.

Thanks for all the replies. Is there a certain brand of heating pad that any of you guys use or would recommend? I do have one more question though. Should I get anything for lighting like an incandescent or a florescent light? Thanks.

>>I'm new to this forum and I am thinking about getting a Baird's rat snake. This will be my first snake.

Bairds rat snakes are GREAT snakes.
If you aren't going to start with a corn then a bairds rat snake is a good place to start..

>>
>>My first question is will a full grown bairdi fit into a 20 gallon long tank.

A twenty long is as small as you would want to go with a bairdi. They are pretty active so they need a little more roaming room.
I would say up to about two to two and a half years would be about it. If you stay with a twenty long you would want to add a shelf or climbing vines to give it extra exercise area.

>>
>>My second question is do I need anything for heating as I do live in Minnesota and our house temp. averages sort of low.

Yes, you should get an Under Tank Heater for one end of the tank. You would want a hide at that end of the tank and one at the onther (cool) end.

>>
>>The last qeustion that I have is at what size do most of you upgrade the food that you feed them. Like fuzzies to hoppers and hoppers to full grown mice.
>>

I let each individual snake guide me.
I start with one pinkie (hatchlings of course)
when it gets to the point that one pinkie no longer leaves a noticeable bulge I will switch to two pinkies.
When two pinkies fail to leave a noticeable bulge I go to one fuzzie.
When one fuzzie fails to leave a bulge I move to two fuzzies.
To one hopper.
to two hoppers...etc etc

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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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Those are some very nice pictures. Thank for the info also.

All of the above is good advice.

My male Bairds is around 5 ft - I recently moved him to a 55 flat. He wanders about a lot, so the extra room is good.
When I get some time I want to build a large display setup.
He eats 2 or 3 full size mice at a setting. He will also eat chicken wings! He is easy to handle, has never offered to bite, and an enthusiastic feeder. And an accomplished mouse assassin!

All in all, these are excellent ratsnakes for beginners and experts alike. They are not as commonly available as corns and kings, so your best bet would be getting one from a breeder.

I highly recommend them!

Regards,
John D

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I am so not lesdysxic!

0.1 Creamsicle Cornsake "Yolanda"
1.0 Bairds Ratsnake "Steely Dan"
0.1 Desert Kingsnake "FATTY"