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Your comment about rat snakes changing throughout their life got me to thinking about how much mine has changed. So I went looking at the sheds and never really realized how much in size difference they get!! I guess by handling them everyday you just dont notice it. So here is a picture of my black rat snake of when he was probably 4 or 5 months old and from last month, at a little over 2 years in age.

He was around 12-15" as a hatchling, and now he is pushing 4.5 or maybe close to 5' at 2 years old.

I also compared his 1st shed with the albino, yellow and glades, and Ill tell you what, the black rat was lots bigger than the other 3 were! Dont know if that will be indicative of his potential size, but my brother-in-law said the adult black rat he has hanging around his house is a good 6 or 6.5 feet in length and thick bodied. Thats were I caught my black rat was at his house, so I would assume this may be the offspring from the black rat he has there.

I will do the same thing with the other hatchlings I have as well. Pretty cool to see how they will turn out!!
Take care
Brian

I remember you posting a pic of your black rat snake a little after you collected him. Then you posted a pic of your tank set up. Then you posted a pic of the branch you put in the tank for him to crawl up on. Let's see, then he escaped, if I remember right, and was found in the hamper. You kept us updated really well Brian. It's fun to share the experience through pics like that. The other thing I've seen is how much you've learned and shared with all of us about the Kentucky black rat snake and the varied color and pattern that is seen in the different areas of the state. Not only did you learn allot, but you have shared it when someone posted a question.

I didn't realize that your black rat snake was acually getting that much lighter. Mine got darker and I had thought they get darker as they grow, but yours is getting lighter.

Sounds and looks like he is going to be a big black rat snake. I'm envious. He's definitely showing allot of potential to get and be a nice large black rat snake.

Terry Parks

>>Your comment about rat snakes changing throughout their life got me to thinking about how much mine has changed. So I went looking at the sheds and never really realized how much in size difference they get!! I guess by handling them everyday you just dont notice it. So here is a picture of my black rat snake of when he was probably 4 or 5 months old and from last month, at a little over 2 years in age.
>>
>>He was around 12-15" as a hatchling, and now he is pushing 4.5 or maybe close to 5' at 2 years old.
>>
>>I also compared his 1st shed with the albino, yellow and glades, and Ill tell you what, the black rat was lots bigger than the other 3 were! Dont know if that will be indicative of his potential size, but my brother-in-law said the adult black rat he has hanging around his house is a good 6 or 6.5 feet in length and thick bodied. Thats were I caught my black rat was at his house, so I would assume this may be the offspring from the black rat he has there.
>>
>>I will do the same thing with the other hatchlings I have as well. Pretty cool to see how they will turn out!!
>>Take care
>>Brian
>>