Reptile & Amphibian Forums

No nothing is wrong with Rocky, he is perfectly fine other then the fact that I don't know his true gender.

Yes it has to do with herps.

I want another herp and idk what to get. Either another CRB, black rat snake, or black racer.

I bet most of you will say CRB out of pure biased opinion...but thought I'd ask anyway. I feel I don't want a CRB as much as the other two...
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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)

Scott... I say none of those.... get a Thayeri Kingsnake!

Here are just SOME of the color/pattern variations this species comes in:

But, of course my opinion is VERY bias, as Thayeri are my other favorite snakes!
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©

I still want a black rat snake, black racer, or CRB.

Nice snakes though. I like alternas over those tho...cuz they're the originals.
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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)

...just get what you will enjoy.

It will not be worth it to get an animal because you think you should and every time you take care of it be regretting you didn't get what you really wanted.

When you are excited about a mate for rocky you'll pick up another CRB. Till then get what you will enjoy and appreciate the most. Just my two cents though.

Sean.

IDK...this might be another one of those phases where I really want something then it wears off after awhile.

However...often when my raving for a herp comes...I have no idea how many times it has gone to black rats and black racers...but I've craved them an awful lot throughout my life.

My I can convince my parents I'm destined to keep them? 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)

the rat snake a little more than the racer but they both look very cool. I yahooed both of them I caught a sentence about the rat snake that mentioned it might a rattling sound with it's tai-then I was sold but of course you should get what you want and if you get a rat snake you must change that screen name to Elapheking lol
Bob

Well I have kept both black rat snakes and Northern Black Racers. The rat snakes are easier to feed and handle, but racers are more interesting in my opinion behaviorally, but getting racers to feed on lab mice takes a little work usually. But it can be done. I used to rub green frogs (Rana clamatins melanota) on f/t mice, the racer eventually ate them without the rubbing of frog slime on them. Also some will take the mice live after they settle in, if you are going for a "wild caught racer" get a subadults, adults are rather set in their ways and may injure themselves trying to escape the vivarium.
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Thanks,

Frank Roberts
Roberts' Realm Of Reptile Research

my friend Paul that keeps those Tiger het. albinos btw had one pass away a week ago. He told me that two days before she died that she was experiencing a swaying motion when lifting her head up so I said "stargazing" and IBD. She was never upside down during this but never showed symptons before her last two days. Never had problems shedding, never had mites, never regurged etc., etc.. You think that was IBD or what? Any way to prevent something like that? He orders from Rodentpro sometimes but usually drives to Miss. to a bunny farm and keeps them in a chest freezer so what is your thoughts on the matter if you don't mind? Thermostat controlled room at 80-81 I believe if it matters
Bob

Although in pythons IBD is usually a quick and sudden death, there usually are symptoms other then head swaying, he should have gotten a necropsy done to rule out IBD, such a thing as a spontaneous occurrence of death does happen occasionally with unknown reasons in this hobby, I have had a few snakes over the years die as neonates for no apparent reason with food in their stomachs and a dark green spot visible on the ventral scales right where the prey animal was, temperatures where ideal and they had something go wrong during digestion and died within two days of eating, all of them being albino corns with the exception of one eastern hognose. His temperatures sound ok as long as he had a spot for the snake to reach at least 85 degrees, but this wouldn't cause a quick and sudden death as he experienced, usually with IBD there are respiratory infections and other underlying conditions such as anorexia. I have read a lot about IBD and have seen lots of pictures but never had this condition in my collection, I have personally seen what people where calling "burm disease" the snakes had untreatable res infections that would not respond to antibiotic therapy and usually ended up chocking to death on the massive amounts of green phlegm it produced. In this case there is no way of knowing what happened without the snake being necropsied by an experienced vet, or more like a clinical expert at a lab who isolates the inclusion bodies in the liver etc...wish I could have been more help. But there is usually a little more than head swaying in pythons with IBD, from what I have read it kills pythons very quickly though, but is usually very symptomatic and neurological symptoms are usually noticed before the snake dies, body jerking and inability to right themselves etc...
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Thanks,

Frank Roberts
Roberts' Realm Of Reptile Research

caudal (situated in or directed toward the hind part of the body) half of the body.
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Thanks,

Frank Roberts
Roberts' Realm Of Reptile Research

she was about 2 years old and the only good thing he got out of the unfortunate situation was an able body for good shots in the sun without it moving. I feel sorry for him but he has either 1 or 2 more Tiger hets at his house left so all is not lost along with his beautiful Arus (I think)- green trees that I love and have to play with every time I am over there. I feel bad for him cuz he also lost his purple albino to Hurricane Katrina, it survived the hurricane but was to traumatized to eat afer though. Thanks again for the info Frank cuz you have lots of it in that head of urs
Bob

when you say tramatized how so???
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Thanks,

Frank Roberts
Roberts' Realm Of Reptile Research

Hurricane Katrina brought 3.5 feet of water in his house, thank God his cages were off the ground but the snake wasn't totally submerged in water (quite possibly some sewage in the water also had water marks on his wooden cage stack) but still in water for no telling how long and when we were able to return I think 4-5 weeks later for a weekend he tried to get it to eat but it wouldn't so he took it Kentucky or Tennessee where he was staying for the evacuation but never could get it to eat again. The snake was about 12-13 ft and had it for 3 years I think maybe a bit longer
Bob

just how many peoples animals died, probably a ton.
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Thanks,

Frank Roberts
Roberts' Realm Of Reptile Research

I've always thought racers were cool...but like I've mentioned before...though I am COLUBERking...I've never seen a racer...wild nor captive(Actually I am pretty sure I saw a wild one many years ago...but I was young...yet I still get a perfect image f that snake and it was a racer I believe...but enough rambling lol).

My parents say no more snakes....I hope they can still love me after sneaking one in 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)

they still loved me, now you can not have them in NJ, got rid of mine to friend that wanted to someday breed them, but the one killed and ate mine lol lol
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Thanks,

Frank Roberts
Roberts' Realm Of Reptile Research

Rats and racers BOTH rattle their tails whe threatened.
-----
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)

say black ratsnake pimp. Frank said they are more manageable too so that is another plus in my book cuz it is no fun to have a snake if ur not gonna take it out but if u get a black racer and it's aggressive and u don't mind the love bites then get the racer and fullfill that screen name man lol
Bob

Scot,
..That semi-open field you showed in a previous PIC where you were snake hunsting did not look very snaky to me. I used to find Southern Black Racers along drainage ditches and pond edges where there were Leopard Frogs and the best time of day was always during hot sunny midday. When they are out moving during the heat of the day they are often along edge environments. Edges of fields where they can come out into the sun but escape into denser cover are good. At other times of day I found them hiding under pieces of sheet metal and cardboard and wood. They like hiding places that are not so tight to the ground as many other snakes. Northern Black Racers have similar habits. They are big time frog and lizard eaters.
Good luck,
Jeff

>>No nothing is wrong with Rocky, he is perfectly fine other then the fact that I don't know his true gender.
>>
>>Yes it has to do with herps.
>>
>>I want another herp and idk what to get. Either another CRB, black rat snake, or black racer.
>>
>>I bet most of you will say CRB out of pure biased opinion...but thought I'd ask anyway. I feel I don't want a CRB as much as the other two...
>>-----
>>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)

Well I think I did mention the pond where green frogs, bullfrogs, and gray treefrogs were breeding.

So there's food.

There was also a big trash pile and plenty of things to flip.

Hiding.

If not racers, some kind of snakes MUST be nearby under the logs and junk.

I've also heard reports of kingsnakes being found in the area...but that's probably the surrounding woods.

I can't WAIT to get out of school next week and go herping there!
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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)

Here's the trash pile...you can't see it but it slopes back like a good 10 feet or so. I dont think you can really see it in the photo but there were tons of big square boards (and metal sheets) to flip. How can there be NOTHING in that!?! lol. I think I might have just gone at the wrong time of day(afternoon...metal was too hot..herps such as racers would be hunting...etc).

About northern blacks being big time herpivores...

couldn't that depend on location? I mean they live through out NJ. NJ has only 3 lizard species, and the most common frogs I've seen were(during what should be the active racer season there) bullfrogs and green frogs, both rather large frogs tough for any racer to tackle, unless young.

It is my belief that northern black racers, from particular spots in the country, are theoretically more prone to feed on rodents and thus easier to get to feed in captivity. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to prove this, let alone work with a racer. Yet I will stick with my theory.
-----
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)

np
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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)