Reptile & Amphibian Forums

...what do you guys think of black rat snakes? I saw one yesterday being handled and I suddenly have the urger to get one.
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Scott

Reptiles
--------
1 Colombian Rainbow Boa (Rocky)
1.0 Ball Python (Sultan)
0.1 California Kingsnake (Leota)
1.0 Eastern Painted Turtle (Yugi)
0.1 Red/Gold Bearded Dragon* (Irwin, R.I.P.)

Other
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1.0 Betta Fish (Tyrone)
1.0 Hooded Rat* (Clubber, R.I.P.)
0.1 Albino Rat (Isis)

those are great looking snakes but after seeing the shipment of baby ball pythons at my local pet store I'd go with them over anything else. They were only four weeks old and were the most adorable and sweet little things in the world.
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Tim

0.1 Colombian Rainbow Boa
1.0 Albino Motley Corn
1.0 Black cat

Where are pics of your CRB!?! Let's see her!

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Scott

Reptiles
--------
1 Colombian Rainbow Boa (Rocky)
1.0 Ball Python (Sultan)
0.1 California Kingsnake (Leota)
1.0 Eastern Painted Turtle (Yugi)
0.1 Red/Gold Bearded Dragon* (Irwin, R.I.P.)

Other
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1.0 Betta Fish (Tyrone)
1.0 Hooded Rat* (Clubber, R.I.P.)
0.1 Albino Rat (Isis)

I wish I had some pics for you to see she is very lovely but sadly I don't have a camera of any sorts to take pictures of her with As soon as I get my poor college hands on a camera I will be posting pictures of her.
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Tim

0.1 Colombian Rainbow Boa
1.0 Albino Motley Corn
1.0 Black cat

I do not have an opinion on black rat snakes, but was at a show on Saturday, and a Hypo Redtail Boa caught my eye....

I feel like I want one or two of everything....
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Mike

1.1 BRB
1.0 Spotted Python
1.0 Cal. King

Hey Mike, if you're looking for two of everything, my vote is for another spotted python. Awesome snakes. I'd like to have some myself down the line.
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Mike Lockwood
www.tooscaley.com

I went one futher, as I bought a pair of females for my male. I could not justify spending so much on shipping for an inexpensive snake, so I decided to get two.

I should get them mid-may, as I will be traveling a lot for work.
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Mike

1.1 BRB
1.0 Spotted Python
1.0 Cal. King

Scott,
...I catch and release Black Rats when I am in the Smoky Mountains. They are pretty neat snakes. Most that I catch are thin and rough but I have caught a few that were big (around 5 feet which is not actually real big for them) and heavy and they were impressive. When I was a kid my cousins had one that was a very good pet. In FLorida I kept and bred Yellow Ratsnakes which are a subspecies of the Black Rat. The Yellows are nasty tempered when first caught but tame down easily and eat like pigs and make great pet snakes. They are also very easy to breed. I have also caught and kept Gray Rats and Everglades Rats which are other subspecies of the Black Rats. This species in different subspecies occupies most of the eastern half of the US. They intergrade to some extent at the edges of their ranges and most of the intergrade snakes are less attractive. The Yellow Rats we have here in east Georgia are really ugly greenish dark intergrade snakes compared to the clean bright yellow ones in central Florida. IMO the best looking of all the subspecies are the Gray Rats from Alabama. Some people like the Orange Everglades subspecies though. I caught and kept some of the Texas subspecies and they were the meanest and ugliest of the species. We all go through a phase where we want to keep one or two of everything. After 43 years I am still not through that phase. I consider it to be an addiction that can never be fully cured.
Jeff

>>...what do you guys think of black rat snakes? I saw one yesterday being handled and I suddenly have the urger to get one.
>>-----
>>Scott
>>
>>Reptiles
>>--------
>>1 Colombian Rainbow Boa (Rocky)
>>1.0 Ball Python (Sultan)
>>0.1 California Kingsnake (Leota)
>>1.0 Eastern Painted Turtle (Yugi)
>>0.1 Red/Gold Bearded Dragon* (Irwin, R.I.P.)
>>
>>Other
>>-----
>>1.0 Betta Fish (Tyrone)
>>1.0 Hooded Rat* (Clubber, R.I.P.)
>>0.1 Albino Rat (Isis)

Nice Jeff. I think you'd be interested in hearing I almost acquired a 6 or 7 foot specimen a friend of mine caught. Thing kept getting out of the barrel no matter how much weight was put on the lid....man I wish he held onto it for me to pick up.
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Scott

Reptiles
--------
1 Colombian Rainbow Boa (Rocky)
1.0 Ball Python (Sultan)
0.1 California Kingsnake (Leota)
1.0 Eastern Painted Turtle (Yugi)
0.1 Red/Gold Bearded Dragon* (Irwin, R.I.P.)

Other
-----
1.0 Betta Fish (Tyrone)
1.0 Hooded Rat* (Clubber, R.I.P.)
0.1 Albino Rat (Isis)

...sorry forgot to mention that
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Scott

Reptiles
--------
1 Colombian Rainbow Boa (Rocky)
1.0 Ball Python (Sultan)
0.1 California Kingsnake (Leota)
1.0 Eastern Painted Turtle (Yugi)
0.1 Red/Gold Bearded Dragon* (Irwin, R.I.P.)

Other
-----
1.0 Betta Fish (Tyrone)
1.0 Hooded Rat* (Clubber, R.I.P.)
0.1 Albino Rat (Isis)

I have kept and bred every species in the USA except the green rat snake found out west. I currently only have texas rat snakes 3.4 leucistic texas rat snakes and one Lavender Texas Ratsnake.....

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Thanks,

Frank Roberts
Roberts' Realm Of Reptile Research

long time no type Frank, how u making out man?
Bob

most of the other time, I still lurk when I do not post lol
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Thanks,

Frank Roberts
Roberts' Realm Of Reptile Research

....I did see ya in the rat snake forum! lol
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Scott

Reptiles
--------
1 Colombian Rainbow Boa (Rocky)
1.0 Ball Python (Sultan)
0.1 California Kingsnake (Leota)
1.0 Eastern Painted Turtle (Yugi)
0.1 Red/Gold Bearded Dragon* (Irwin, R.I.P.)

Other
-----
1.0 Betta Fish (Tyrone)
1.0 Hooded Rat* (Clubber, R.I.P.)
0.1 Albino Rat (Isis)

...
-----
Thanks,

Frank Roberts
Roberts' Realm Of Reptile Research

Frank,
...Very impressive that you have bred nearly all of them. I have caught or kept all of them except the two Foxes and the Green. I have had Albino and Leucistic Texas Rats for sale on my table at the Orlando and Daytona shows for years. A friend here in Savannah breeds them. They really are underated snakes. After catching them in Texas and keeping them and getting bitten repeatedly after lots of effort to tame them I was surprised at how tame his are. Glad to see you posting again.
Jeff

>>I have kept and bred every species in the USA except the green rat snake found out west. I currently only have texas rat snakes 3.4 leucistic texas rat snakes and one Lavender Texas Ratsnake.....
>>
>>-----
>>Thanks,
>>
>>Frank Roberts
>>Roberts' Realm Of Reptile Research
>>

Jeff I forgot about the fox snakes, Make that I have not bred the green or the two fox snakes. Then (rat snakes) again they where the easiest snakes I have bred, In all the years I have kept snakes I have always has some type of rat snake, not to make money as most of them have little value, but I love them!! I usually have a black racer in the collection , but haven't had one since 1999. I love them too!!
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Thanks,

Frank Roberts
Roberts' Realm Of Reptile Research

I've fallen for those and can't wait to see one that's reached 6ft. It's also interesting how they start out looking like a nelsons and wind up jet black. One thing this pic doesn't capture is how iridescent they are too.

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-----JAMIE ROTH-----

Jamie,
...I had Black Milks. I got them because they look so much like Eastern Indigos. Many Black Milks top out at less than 6 feet in length. All three of mine grew rapidly to around 4 feet long the first two years and then slowly grew to a little over 5 feet in the next three years. I think you have to get lucky on the genetics to get one that will grow past 6 feet in a reasonable amount of time.
Jeff

>>I've fallen for those and can't wait to see one that's reached 6ft. It's also interesting how they start out looking like a nelsons and wind up jet black. One thing this pic doesn't capture is how iridescent they are too.
>>
>>
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>>-----JAMIE ROTH-----
>>

They really do look like indigos. From what I've heard San Antonio stock will produce a 6 ft specimen in a descent amount of time. Only time will tell
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-----JAMIE ROTH-----