Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Welcome to kingsnake.com's message board system. Here you may share and discuss information with others about your favorite reptile and amphibian related topics such as care and feeding, caging requirements, permits and licenses, and more. Launched in 1997, the kingsnake.com message board system is one of the oldest and largest systems on the internet.

Click here for Dragon Serpents
https://www.crepnw.com/
Click for 65% off Shipping with Reptiles 2 You

What is a Greenish Rat (pic of one I might get)

Lyn Apr 09, 2004 01:52 PM

A friend of a friend has a Greenish Rat available. Looks like a neat snake. I was told it was a natural hybrid (integrade) between two types of Rats but he couldn't remember which two. I'm getting a Southern Water Snake from the same guy (unsure exactly what sub species) and am trying to choose between this Greenish Rat, a Pine that may or may not be mixed with Gopher, or a chubby 3 foot male Ball Python. I know it sounds like a strange group to choose from. As for some of the snakes being integrades I have no plans to breed, they will only be pets, so it's ok. I tried to search online and on this forum for info on Greenish Rats but couldn't find anything. I'd love any info you have.

Here is a pic of the Greenish Rat

Here is the pic of the Northern Pine x Gopher

I don't have a pic of my new Water Snake. He's being treated for an eye problem so I'm not sure when he'll be coming home. He had a blister overy his eye and it popped. Wish him luck for a speedy recovery.

I don't have a pic of the BP either, they have a couple and they just look like normal BPs.

This has nothing to do with snakes, but here is a pic I took while hiking a couple weeks ago. I'm going back there tonight, I find the woods to be just so beautiful and relaxing.

One other non snake thing I just have to toss in because I'm just so excited. One of my Leos laid eggs last week on my birthday. I've had eggs from assorted geckos and snakes in the past but none were ever fertile. I peeked in on the eggs about 1/2 hour ago and couldn't believe my eyes. They have veins! My first fertile eggs, and as birthday presents at that! I am so excited.
-----
www.LynsLair.com
Western New York Herpetological Society
0.1 Cat (Mia)
4.2 Ferrets (Wolf, Shadow, Verdell, Sullivan, Boo, Peach)
1.0 Carpet Python (Bear)
1.0 Malagasy Blonde Hognose (Wilbur)
1.0 Yellow / Everglades Ratsnake (Pumpkin)
0.0.1 Southern Water Snake (Ripley) coming soon!
1.0 Whites Tree Frog (Trevor)
1.0 Albino American Bullfrog (Prince)
1.0 AFT Gecko (Cocoa)
5.9 Leopard Geckos (Trouble, Scooter, Simba, Firenze, Teddy, Buttercup, Nala, Mystique, Jewel, Freckles, Dotty, Zipper, Princess Leo, Twister)

Replies (6)

duffy Apr 09, 2004 04:50 PM

Yes, it is an intergrade that can be found where the ranges of the Black Rat and Yellow Rat overlap (or where pet blacks and yellows are tossed in together!) I have an albino greenish rat as one of my 9 ratsnakes. As a lover of the North American Ratsnakes, it would be my favorite of your choices...but I am biased. Great snakes. Duffy

guttersnacks Apr 10, 2004 02:27 PM

An albino greenish is also know as a bubblegum right?

duffy Apr 10, 2004 04:22 PM

The term "bubblegum" usually refers to an amelanistic ratsnake with the combined lineage of black, yellow, and everglades. So, yeah, actually you were pretty close. Quite frankly, I think that most of the amelanistic forms of these snakes wind up very similar-looking, only varying by a few shades. My albino greenish really has a lot of yellow highlights dorsally and is almost a salmon-pinkish/orange while my albino black rat is more typical "pinky-colored".... A book of mine describes the bubblegum as developing "pink blotches on an almost white ground color, with variable highlights of yellow or pale orange" :D

Conrad Apr 09, 2004 06:56 PM

Yes, greenish rats, by the definition of those of us who actually like these often considered "junk" snakes, is the "natural" intergrade between a black ratsnake and a yellow ratsnake. However, you can "doctor one up" to say, by breeding a yellow and black in captivity, but if are familiar with the wild strain, you have to give the cooked up ones a big thumbs down. I've been working with wild strain greenish for a couple of years now, and in the next couple of years I'm trying to prove out a naturally light or possibly hypomelanistic gene found in a large male collected by myself locally. I'm hoping that I get some good wild strains going. The picture I've posted is a local snake I found...the picture is dark to begin with, and the snake was probably preparing to shed as well.

-----
Conrad
Too Fast Reptiles
www.toofastreptiles.bravehost.com

Elaphefan Apr 10, 2004 12:45 PM

First, what Duffy told you could very well be correct. Your snake looks like what they used to call an Outer Banks Rat Snake (Elaphe obsoleta parallela). That is a snake found on the Outer Banks of N.C. that is dark olive like your snake. Since Black Rats are also found in that area, it was thought to be from interbreeding. It is now considered just a Yellow Rat Snake with dark coloring. They have dropped it as a subspecies. I think yours is a very nice looking snake.

There is such a thing as a Green Rat Snake (Senticolis triaspis) from the Southwestern U.S. down to South America, but that is not what you have.

Sonya Apr 10, 2004 01:49 PM

I have a couple that are Dwight Good's work.
They are late 02s

here is the male

Image
-----
Sonya

Haven't we warned you about tampering with the structure of a chaotic system?
Mrs. Neutron

Site Tools