Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi. I probably won't be getting a new snake for a while, (my husband says no more snakes at LEAST until 2004), but I would like some opinions on what type of snake I should look into.

I currently have 4 cornsnakes and while I love corns, they are SO mellow. I'm at the point where I would like to try my hand at keeping a more difficult/more aggressive species. However, I would still like to be able to handle it from time to time. I don't want an animal that is JUST for display. Also a mouse/rat eater is a must. I don't want to have to feed fish or amphibians, etc.

A few snakes that have caught my eye are Texas Rat Snakes, Tiger Rat Snakes (Spilotes pullatus), Red-tailed Green Rat Snakes (Gonyosoma oxycephela) and Cave Dwelling Ratsnakes (Elaphe taeniura ridleyi). Maybe a carpet python, but I'd prefer to stay in the colubrid family.

I would love to hear any/all of your suggestions/opinions.

Thanks.
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alstiver@hotmail.com

1.0 '01 hypo snow
0.1 '02 ghost (pastel)
1.1 '02 bloodred

I think a rat snake would be a good move. I'm only familiar with the Elaphe genus, and thus don't know much about those from overseas.

A Texas Rat or a Black Rat might be worthwhile, but from my experience they are one of the most variable species of snakes I've ever encountered as far as agressiveness. (See my post on the Rat Snake forum - disposition of Elaphe obsoleta.) Some are docile from the start, others tame down after a while, and others just stay agressive. It just depends on the individual snake.

Another aspect of these guys is that they get bigger than corns. Texas Rats and Black Rats (we have only intergrades here) both can go well over 6 feet, with 8 -footers documented (again, see the Rat Snake forum).

MichaelB

Hi,
Of the snakes on your list, I can speak only for the Texas Ratanake. But I also have some other North American Ratsnakes, and think that they are ALL excellent animals.
While Texas Rats have a reputaion for being pretty feisty, what you are likely to encounter is a snake which takes more initial work and patience on your part, but eventually becomes almost as easy to handle as your corns. Enough individual variation, from what I have heard, that you could wind up with anything from placid to devilish, but I am starting to suspect that the variation is as much due to amount and quality of handling. My Texas Rat usually tried to bite me when she was little, but now she almost never does, and she's not even a year old yet. I have a friend who has many Texas Rats, all of which have calmed down eventually. I am assuming captive bred here...wc texas rats seem to have earned their rep.
I think that any of the N. Am. Rats are a great next choice. From your post, however, you might be looking for something more challenging. Good luck whatever you choose. Duffy

Hi,

Since you are familiar with rat snakes, try a Stinking Goddess (Elaphe carinata) also known as an Asian King Rat Snake. They have tons of character, will eat anything rats, lizards, snakes etc..., they tend to be feisty the CB's are not as evil as WC, they get to be from 7 to 9 feet. They start off looking plain as hatchlings (beige), but adults are quite spectacular in appearance (each scale is yellow outlined in black). They also have vertical pupils, unique to non-venomous snakes. Mine hisses and wiggles a lot, but he has never bitten or musked. He is an absolutely great feeder (my little trash compactor). Hope this helps.

Rob

Try a northern pine snake or bullsnake. Both are in the genus Pituophis. Adults are in the 4-8 foot range and eat rodents. GREAT snakes. Most of my bullsnakes have been garbage cans. An unhappy bull can hiss like a ruptured steam pipe. A bullsnake is 1.5-3 times as thick as a corn of equal length. With work, both can get as tame as a good corn.

Paul Hollander