Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm looking to get a Rat snake, besides a Bairds, what Rats tend to have good temperaments? I know all snakes have individual personalities, but in which types would I have a better chance of getting a mellow one? Thanks

John

Bairds are great snakes. For an easy to keep second snake, how about classic Red Rat Snake. Wild types are stunning to the eye and they are easy to keep.

BTW, the other common name for a Red Rat Snake is a Corn Snake.

IF you can find one for sale, Russian Ratsnakes are a great choice. I've handled several, and they are a joy to look at and hold. Very curious personalities.
Trans Peco Rats are pretty docile, as well as Red Rats (cornsnakes) and Great Plains rats. All have easy going temperments on average.

Steve

>>I'm looking to get a Rat snake, besides a Bairds, what Rats tend to have good temperaments? I know all snakes have individual personalities, but in which types would I have a better chance of getting a mellow one? Thanks

I already have 6 corns and a newly acquired Bairds rat. I was just looking for another rat. My Bairds is really calm, a nice snake.

What about an albino black rat or albino yellow? I like leucistics, but it sounds like alot of them have attitudes.

John

Most of the larger North American Ratsnakes will usually calm down with regular handling. I have black, greenish & texas and they ALL are great. My leucistic texas rat did, indeed, start out nippy. But he soon grew out of it as most will. Go to a show if you can, and choose an individual (whatever type you choose) that seems fairly calm to start with. This should be a good sign. But even feisty younsters will usually mellow. Duffy

I will cast another vote for Russian Rats (schrenki). They are big docile snakes, and a little unusual as well.

Actually, if you get a captive born baby of any of the obsoleta ratsnakes, they will grow into docile animals. Some of the Texas rats take longer to calm than others, but Black, Yellow, Everglades, and Gray Rats are calm babies that will grow into tractable adults.

Trans-pecos rats are also dog tame, although the babies are occasionally nippy.
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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

I stand 100% behind black rats. They (all of mine) are corn tame, never miss a meal, and are very curious/active. Great display snakes too! Also very gorgeous!

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0.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
1. Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Chunk" (Goonies)
.1 Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Peaches"
0.0.1 MO Locale Black Ratsnake "Molly" (Flogging Molly)

As we say in Missouri, "I ain't goin back to Missouri!"

n/p

otherwise known as a white sided black ratsnake. They seem to be pretty calm.
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phflame
kingsnake.com host