Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am going to a reptile show on sunday, I am looking to buy 2 possibly three snakes to add to my collection I am going to buy 2 kings/milks. my third is going to be some kind of rat snake any suggestions? size unimportent, more interested in temperment/handling.

1.0 normal ball
1.1 oketee corn
1.0 applegate albino san diego gopher
0.1 columbian red tail boa
1.0 black lab
0.1 kitty
?.? feeder mice
2.0 chilren
0.1 wife

Short opinion:
Obviously you’ve kept other snakes. Trust the your gut; familiarize yourself with what the adults look like, not the hatchlings; as long as the animal is feeding well, handle it regularly.
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Longer-winded opinion:
Based upon your criteria, almost any NA Rat will do. Most folks who keep Rats see some trends and some exceptions:
For example
1. Texas and Glades Rats can be demons, but many of us have had a “sweatheart” or two that can be trusted with kids who handle snakes gently.
2. Baird’s, Blacks, Rats, are generally docile as adults, but some will eat you up.
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Some of us are biased, based upon handling wild animals, but many normally protective animals seem much less ornery after a few generations of captive breeding (a positive of deli cup herping.)
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The four snake types you already have are poster children for docility. With hatchling Rats, don’t confuse lethargy as docility. Unlike puppies, I’d almost be afraid of a hatchling Rat that didn’t try to defend itself.
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As long as the animal is healthy, feeding well, and handled regularly, it should be fine!
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If you’re considering Asian Rats, you may do well to ask Asian keepers the same question.
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Related, but not to Rats, I’ve found Mexican Milks as adults , are excellent for kids… They’re colorful, feed well, have a special calmness generally not seen in other Milks, and they hang on to your hand like a Boa.
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Let us know how you do…..
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Regards, Bill McGighan

>>I am going to a reptile show on sunday, I am looking to buy 2 possibly three snakes to add to my collection I am going to buy 2 kings/milks. my third is going to be some kind of rat snake any suggestions? size unimportent, more interested in temperment/handling.
>>
>>
>>1.0 normal ball
>>1.1 oketee corn
>>1.0 applegate albino san diego gopher
>>0.1 columbian red tail boa
>>1.0 black lab
>>0.1 kitty
>>?.? feeder mice
>>2.0 chilren
>>0.1 wife

The most popular snake in the world is the corn snake, but you've already got a pair of Okeetee's, so I assume you want something a little different.

I'm partial to Emory's ratsnakes myself. There's a large variety to choose from, if you buy from a private breeder with an interest in localities. There's also mutations, such as albino, etc. However, if you're going to be at a show you're likely to see only the most popular, or common, ratsnakes. Emory's ratsnakes aren't all that common at shows, as far as I know. I don't like going to herp shows. They make great pets though, and are very hardy, and handle really nicely. This is a big criteria in the snakes I work with.

Other ratsnakes in the genus, Pantherophis, will likely be available. I like P. bairdi as one of the best. They are beautiful, hardy, handleable, and not quite as large as the obsoletus types. Good luck picking a winner. Hope it's very healthy for you...

TC
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Conserving reptiles by helping to protect habitat...
www.ratsnakehaven.com
www.scenicsantaritas.org

I like the bairdi myself, quite a variety in looks, from the gunmetal silvers to the deep yellow/orange Mexicans, and lots of in betweens. Very hardy, very beautiful, and very addicting!

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Todd Hughes

Bairdi are awesome - my favorite NA ratsnakes. Hardy, usually docile, and beautiful. They are also relatively uncommon, which is cool too.

As for non-ratsnakes,
Alterna are great

and Mex Mex are one of the most under rated snakes in the pet trade

So many good choices out there. Have fun picking one, and enjoy whatever you bring home.
MZ

Very nice selection of herps all around, the bairdi are smokin'!
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Todd Hughes

That ultra pale Baird's is a knockout. Need a female like that for my male...wanna bring some luck into his world

...and yeah, hard to go wrong with Baird's IMHO.

Believe it or not, the 2 pictures I posted are of the same '07 female, taken about 4 months apart. The first photo was taken in February of 2009, late at night in a dimly lit room, so she appears a little darker than she actually was at the time. The second photo was taken in June of 2009, outdoors on an overcast day, so she appears a little washed out in that photo. Still, she underwent a pretty dramatic color change in a relatively short period of time.

MZ

Show this to her and see if she gets excited...

A rash of missing dogs, which has long been baffling police, has been solved. For the last four years, an average of one small dog per week has disappeared from this sleepy neighborhood, and up until now it has been a complete mystery. Authorities finally traced the disappearances to the Monklet snakeroom…

Just kidding - he's a VERY nice looking beast. Maybe we should arrange for him to meet my girl? I think they would make very nice babies, with very healthy appetites. My only reservation is that he looks like he might be more inclined to eat her than mate with her. LOL

LOL Well, it's hard finding frozen Dachsunds online or in the pet stores so...

Yep, he is a pretty big fellow...closing in on 6'. You wouldn't happen to live in SoCal would you? I really want to get him hooked-up just for his own sake...poor guy.

Holy crap! He's a monster. How old is he? And seriously, what DO you feed him if not Dachshunds?!?

I can only dream of living in SoCal. Unfortunately I'm in the great frozen wasteland of the Midwest. Maybe it's for the best, though. My girl is still pretty young - under 5' and rail thin. Even if she did manage to survive a date with Conan the Barbarian, I suspect she would probably be scarred for life.

MZ

Hahaha...don't believe what she tells you, she'd love it. He's an '07 Vivid line.

Bairdi have the best temperments that I have encountered in ratsnakes, so far.
Cannot be beat & won't set you back financially!

Matthew

Have to agree with everyone on bairdi. I have a pair and love them. Great snakes. Russian ratsnakes have excellent attitudes, though they may get larger then what you were looking for.
One of my favorite ratsnakes is my white oak grey rat. Very docile and not overly large. Steve

Steve I agree, I need to get some White oaks too, I caught one in Alabama a few years back when we stopped at a barbecue place for lunch. It may have been a normal gray but it was light. I poked around under a tin sign on the edge of the property and found a nice big male. I need to get some, lol!
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Todd Hughes

Steve,

Where did you get that White Oak? Its a beauty. I had a pair and let them go. Now I want them back.

Craig
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God Bless Evolution.

Sorry about the delayed response. I got my white oak several years ago from Dwight Good out of Ky. Steve

>>I am going to a reptile show on sunday, I am looking to buy 2 possibly three snakes to add to my collection I am going to buy 2 kings/milks. my third is going to be some kind of rat snake any suggestions? size unimportent, more interested in temperment/handling.
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>>

I missed this thread.
black, yellow everglades, Texas are all good choices but If I'm going to truly recommend what I feel to be the best North American rat snakes (non corns) I will go with Emoryi SECOND they are great snakes...basically same as corns (they were considered a sub species for years) and FIRST is the bairds rat snake.
They are hardy captives, they are beautiful, variable, eating machines, they tame easily and are easy to handle with any amount of regular attention, they are active and curious so they make good display animals and they are inexpensive.
For me it is just hard hard hard to beat a bairds rat snake

did I mention I like bairds rat snakes?

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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"Resistance is futile"
Jimmy Johnson
(Draybar)
Draybars Snakes

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My Baird's will beg for his/her food like a dog! What more could you ask for in a pet snake??

Matthew

>>My Baird's will beg for his/her food like a dog! What more could you ask for in a pet snake??
>>
>> Matthew

they definitely respond at feeding time.....lol

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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"Resistance is futile"
Jimmy Johnson
(Draybar)
Draybars Snakes

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Those pics show off the "Bairdsness" very well. Mine is a perfect 10 in every way, looks, appetite, tameness, display, size, you name it.