Reptile & Amphibian Forums

After working for a good while with mostly Asian and American Rats, I guess this must be the year of the Europeans! Not only did I get some E. scalaris, but also a trio of Bulgarian Rats (E. quatuorlineata sauromates). They're not as flashy as most of the Asians and Americans, but I am really liking them nonetheless.

Ophidiophile Farms

They seem rather rare in collections. I didn't see or hear of any breedings in the US this year, although here you added some to your collection. I will be looking into getting some Bulgarian rat snakes in the near future. I really like my scalaris too. I think the European rat snakes could put up a good case for being more popular. They aren't flashy like you mention, but they are neat snakes.

Terry Parks

>>After working for a good while with mostly Asian and American Rats, I guess this must be the year of the Europeans! Not only did I get some E. scalaris, but also a trio of Bulgarian Rats (E. quatuorlineata sauromates). They're not as flashy as most of the Asians and Americans, but I am really liking them nonetheless.
>>
>>Ophidiophile Farms

Hi
I know you are calling them Bugarian because no better name has been found, but according to tje picture I believe your animal is from Russia
Best wishes
Søe

>>Hi
>>I know you are calling them Bugarian because no better name has been found, but according to tje picture I believe your animal is from Russia
>>Best wishes
>>Søe

That's entirely possible as I don't have locality data for them but they were sold to me as "CR from Bulgaria." Also the photo in Schulz that most closely resembles them is Plate 27B which is a sauromates from Bulgaria. None look anything like Plates 26G or 27A which are animals from the Caucasus. Plate 26F from the Caucasus is closer to mine and almost a match but the previously mentioned 27B is definitely the closest.

I guess the answer is "who knows"? I do know for sure that all 1.2 are E. [q.] sauromates from the same locality -- wherever that is...

Ophidiophile Farms

Hi again
I believe that your animals are still young looking at the picture. They tend to change a lot with age and you will have the full colors at about 5 years of age.Your animals looks like mine when they were young.
I haven`t heard of any animals comming out of Bulgaria for many years, but they are still exported from Russia. All of them are nice and beautiful animals though and I wish you all the luck. They seems to be rather difficult to breed and I haven`t bred any animals below 9 years of age yet.
Best wishes
Søe

Reptilia-Denmark

Søe,

Thanks for the info. 9 years until breeding? Wow - that's incredible. By the way, I have 1.2 and they are all currently about 100 cm in length.

-David