Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Anyone keep these guys?? Seems that they aren't too popular anywhere.
-----
~Katt

when someone says Russian ratsnakes. Terry Cox and Rick Cunningham to name 2. Rick is one of the sponsors of this forum. His link is at the top of this forum. Cunningham's elaphe. Terry Cox has many posts on this forum through which you can contact him. As with almost all the Old World ratsnakes; they are real popular with the people who have them and apprehensive with those that don't. I don't know why. A lot of my Old World are better eaters and easier to care for than some of my North American ratsnakes. My diones and Russians always eat, never regurge, are hardy, and love to be out of the hidebox more than most of my North American ratsnakes.

Terry Parks

>>Anyone keep these guys?? Seems that they aren't too popular anywhere.
>>-----
>>~Katt

I have an adult pair I recently received. I got them b/c they were in my opinion quite nice and friendly. My boyfriend was the original lover of these snakes, but now I have begun to like them quite a bit and decided that I had to have them. Being adults, I'd like to try to breed them, as we did raise a pair of babies for a year before having to sell them (we made a long distance move) and have heard that low temps are what's needed. Low temps will not be hard to achieve, as I live in prairie part of Canada. There aren't a lot up here and I'm severely jealous of Dean's breeding colony, now I only wish we had bought them when he offered them! (How's the WS BTW??)
Any how thanks for the responses guys. Now I'll have to take one of them out to play with. I'm really glad I got them.
-----
~Katt

Hi Katt,

I'm probably the wrong person to answer this because my experiences have not always been optimum with "Boris", my 2 year old Russian Rat. He's a difficult feeder, eats voraciously for about 2 months out of the year, and then tries to fast the rest of the year. Last year he went off feed completely for about 6 months. He didnt lose much weight at all so I didn't worry but he grows pretty slow as a result. He almost always tail rattles and strikes when I open his drawer, but usually calms down when I get him in my hands.

OK, now the positives...

I'm told that his behavior is very very unusual for his species, and I have seen gentle, almost affectionate adults. He is calming down slowly over time and is growing fond of rat pinkys. When he does chill out, he is a pleasure to hold (except for the occasional spontaneous, unpredectable escape attempt). What makes this animal interesting though is its INTELLIGENCE (or at least appearance of such). It's hard to put your finger on exactly why, but these animals seem so smart. When I walk in the room he is up against the plastic watching me. I have milks, kings, boas, and pythons and Boris is in another class. I really enjoy our encounters, even if he sometimes doesn't.

I hope I haven't dissuaded you from getting one because of any negative comments I made. They really are great animals and I am told mine is not typical. They are fairly inexpensive, have easy housing requirements, and are fairly hardy. Incidently I purchased mine from East Bay Vivarium.

I got my pair of russians from Jim Sargent at Split Rock Reptiles andthey can go off feed sometimes and they do get large but they are very interesting to watch (as they watch you!). And they are really nice looking in a dark colored way
John

A lot of the pics of Russian Rats really don't do them justice. Thats a nice pic - shows the typical contrast, bright lemon yellow, pretty eyes too!

I'm surprised to read how long they fast for people. Mine have typically eaten through the winter. Although today they refused food.

Joe

Hi Katt,

I have had at least one Russian for the last 7 years. They are beautiful, large and strong snakes with a demeanor that is, in my opinion, more docile than even a corn snake.

The only difference I have found with Russians and American snakes is that they thrive far better at cooler temps than Americans( 75F ambient )... too hot and they tend to get a little agressive, and they love smaller food items, two or three mice instead of a rat.

They do like a long hibernation though and tend to go off food on their own when they want to hibernate. They can usually be tempted with small mice/fuzzies even then though.

Hope this helps,

Steve.

Got started with a trio from Pat Dring, have 2 gals I got from Terry Cox, the ole boy he sent passed on & I have a pair from Dave Powell. Now I have 1.4 of them & am adding another 1.1 soon.

I find when mine are hungry their HUNGRY......... bot otherwise food don't even get their attention, they climb up on a arms on a regular basis & seem to enjoy being handled, very calm & docile. The downside is after they eat it's like somebody put a Canada Goose in their terrarium....... it's wet, it's dark & IT STINKS to high heaven......... LOL people always rant & rave how Drymarchon are so messy, I have 2.1 Eastern Indigos, their crap is just wet & wattery & doesn't smell nearly as bad as the Russians...........

Right now mine get gorged once every 5 weeks & seem to do best on that regime, this year I'm REALLY gonna cool the buggers down, mind you I have a big female thats lookin awfully fat down there......... here's hoping

have a good day

Dean

I finally got some more room for snakes so i have been looking for something to fill the void. I think these guys might be a winner. I was reading up on them in Schulz, and it was very clear on most aspects of care, however it didn't mention humidity. What do they require. 60%?? more. . . less??
-----
1.0 Black Rat
0.0.1 Normal Corn
0.1 Leucistic Texas Rat
1.1 blue beauty

They're as tolerant of low humidity as most American ratsnakes. Mine can stand it down to 30%, but prefer 50-60%.

Interesting what you say about the temps. That could explain the aggression I see. I keep mine in an unheated part of the rack but it's hard to keep house temps under 80 degress F. where I live during the summer months. Great for for boids, not so great for shrenki...

Thanks

I have mine in a 4ftx2ftx2ft Viv with a 60 watt spot bulb in the corner providing a 80-85F basking spot. As the ambient room temp is around 70-75F that is all I require for him ( It rarely gets above 85F in the UK !! )

He generally spends most of the time down the cooler end unless he is shedding when he curls up right under the light. I have had no feeding problems with any of them. I had 4 adults at one time but am now down to 1 as I sold the others on but kept my first.. lol

My remaining Russian is 6.5 feet, eats on demand and craps like a cart horse. The only time he has ever bitten or struck at me was during a heatwave when the ambient temperature was up to 85F for a week or two. He wasn't happy !

Steve

I've kept Russians since 1988, when I got my first pair from Mark Bell, back when he was living in Michigan. The original male was ten yrs. old when I sold him and some others to Dean G. At this time I'm down to one pair of four year olds that we're sired by one of my original males and a gorgeous, huge female I got on breeding loan.

My Russians do very well at herp room temps of 72 to 78*F, sometimes reaching 80*F. during hot spells in summer. They get uncomfortable at temps over that. They are very mild mannered and usually eat well until October when I put them down for about four or five months of brumation at about 50*F. The Russians are my favorite snake for demonstrations in the classrooms of Elementary students. They make great pets.

TC

I have a huge male and he is far from docile, in fact he is down right hostile, no matter how much I try to hold him. beautiful snake, great eater, sheds well, but he is flat out mean....

I have a huge male and he is far from docile, in fact he is down right hostile, no matter how much I try to hold him. beautiful snake, great eater, sheds well, but he is flat out mean....

That is the first one I ever hear of being aggressive. Isn't he a Korean rat? They tend to be nippy.

Marcel

>>I have a huge male and he is far from docile, in fact he is down right hostile, no matter how much I try to hold him. beautiful snake, great eater, sheds well, but he is flat out mean....
-----
Marcel Poots (Holland)
'Where is your crown King Nothing?' James Hettfield