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I am offering up this pic to everyone as a token of appreciation for your opinions. Im sorry it's not a rat snake. I dont have any rat snakes, which brings me to my question.

Question: I am thinking of buying a pair of rat snakes...I have narrowed it down to two choices
1. Blue Beauties
2. Cave Dwelling Ratsnakes

Things im interested in are size, temperment, and care requirements. Also any other comments, remarks or your own experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Sonoran gopher snake. And is that an albino?

In my opinion, a gopher snake is as much, or more of a ratsnake than a beauty snake is.

Gophers and bulls eat mice and rats, right? Beauties do too. A gopher is a powerful constrictor as a beauty is also. The thing that is different about Pituophis from more typical ratsnakes, is that ratsnakes generally are semi-arboreal. Pituophis doesn't climb much as far as I know.

However, taeniura, with all its subspecies doesn't climb a whole lot either. Both the blue beauty and the cave rat do climb occasionally though. The beauty snakes usually are somewhat racer like. The species typically hides in burrows and moves quickly from place to place when on the prowl. Of course, this varies bt. the ssps.

Both the blue and the cave rat get quite large. I would say similar to the Sonoran gopher, maybe up to 7 ft., or more. They grow pretty quickly and can eat a lot and can eat quite large meals when adults.

I have never kept the cave or blue beauty, but from experience with several other ssps, I'd say they are a little on the nervous side. I've never been bitten, but they can be very aggressive at feeding time. You'd have to be careful with your hands.

Comparing again to gophers, I'd say gophers might be a little easier to handle, and not quite as stiff bodied.

The different beauty snakes are remarkable animals and very unique, definately worth experimenting with. Hope you like them.

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Just looking, clicking, curious, studying, laughing, having fun, meeting cool folks, sharing. Live your dream, relax, smile, don't worry so much, love life. See ya there...TC.

np

np

You win a new car.....Thats actually not my snake i posted the wrong pic accidentally.

I love both the blue beauties and the caves. They are pretty close to each other as far as care. The blues are generally a bit more aggressive and larger girth. The caves you won't see as much if you want to see them alot. I used to favor the blues until I got a cave. You've narrowed it down to 2 snakes that are very close so I would say it/s your call or gut feel. Good luck and let us know what you get.

>>I am offering up this pic to everyone as a token of appreciation for your opinions. Im sorry it's not a rat snake. I dont have any rat snakes, which brings me to my question.
>>
>> Question: I am thinking of buying a pair of rat snakes...I have narrowed it down to two choices
>> 1. Blue Beauties
>> 2. Cave Dwelling Ratsnakes
>>
>>Things im interested in are size, temperment, and care requirements. Also any other comments, remarks or your own experiences would be greatly appreciated.
>>

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