Reptile & Amphibian Forums

caught this guy today while mowing the lawn.
He is about 5' long and has a pretty good attitude.
Haven't decided if I will keep him, yet.
Will probably let him go but I will have to think about it for a few days. I used to have several black rats and really enjoy them.

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Remember, My posts are MY opinion only!
Jimmy (draybar)

It can't get any better than that Jimmy. Geting in some herping while moving the lawn. LOL. Nice looking male if someone was thinking of having them again. If you keep him more than a day, I say you will keep him.

Terry Parks

>>It can't get any better than that Jimmy. Geting in some herping while moving the lawn. LOL. Nice looking male if someone was thinking of having them again. If you keep him more than a day, I say you will keep him.
>>
>>Terry Parks
>>
>>

He is a nice one.
It will be a hard decision
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Remember, My posts are MY opinion only!
Jimmy (draybar)

Jimmy,
Just my 2 cents but if I were you, I'd let him go and maybe buy a nice captive bred black rat. I've found them in the wild on occasion and I always feel 10,000X's better releasing them and knowing that they'll contribute to the future stability of wild populations. BTW, I love all the pics you've been posting lately. I hope my bairds from terry start developing colors like yours sooner than later.lol. I have been interviewing for science teaching jobs all week and finally got one so my herp budget may soon be back up and running once again. I foresee many classroom pets in the near future as well.lol. Well, enjoy your black rat for now but imho it would be better off in the wild.
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Sincerely,
Jason
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>>Hey Jason,
I understand what you are saying about wild vs captive.
That is one of the factors to be weighed in my decision.
I am not overly concerned with the status of the black rat snake populations in this area, but it is something to consider.
Thanks
Jimmy

>>caught this guy today while mowing the lawn.
>>He is about 5' long and has a pretty good attitude.
>>Haven't decided if I will keep him, yet.
>>Will probably let him go but I will have to think about it for a few days. I used to have several black rats and really enjoy them.
>>
>>
>>
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>>Remember, My posts are MY opinion only!
>>Jimmy (draybar)
>>

IMHO age is a key factor. The older the snake it is, it`s generally better to let them go. I have caught (removed) 4 black rats this year from people`s yards and barn. All were adults and all were very easy to handle and did not bite. They even ate the same day I captured them. They were two male and two females. Two were about 4 and a half feet long. One was a 5 footer and the last one was a good six and half feet long. They ALL wonder around a 40 gallon cage searching for escape routes. After 3-4 days of watching their restlessness (even after just eating) I would let them go. Now a couple weeks ago I caught my prize. I much younger black rat who has not turned all dark yet and is about one year old. The difference in attitude is quite amazing. He like the others eats great is really dolice and has taking to his bird (hide) box during the day then comes out at night and looks around. He has been de-mited and has been giving worm medicine. His stools are actually MORE solid than some pet shop snakes I have bought. Over all he seems very content compared to the older snakes. How does your black rat act?
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Like I said; I`m Gonna Getcha Good!

I have to agree, looking that it may be an older snake, I would tend to agree with letting it go, considering it's lived it's life in the wild so long, personally I think it would be cruel to confine it to a small tank. Captive bred's are so easy to come by nowadays...and pretty cheap also.....but thats just my 2 cents.
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The reason mainstream thought is thought of as a stream is because it's so shallow. -Unknown

>>I have to agree, looking that it may be an older snake, I would tend to agree with letting it go, considering it's lived it's life in the wild so long, personally I think it would be cruel to confine it to a small tank. Captive bred's are so easy to come by nowadays...and pretty cheap also.....but thats just my 2 cents.
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>>The reason mainstream thought is thought of as a stream is because it's so shallow. -Unknown

After my experiences this summer when I catch an old snake I keep them maybe for a liitle while in older to spray them for mites and ticks, give them one good meal then let them go. The younger guy I got know is adapting great. First off he seems to realizes he is in no danger. Next he knows he is in a good eating area. Lastly water is pentliful. So far so good. He shows no signs of stress when handled and is alert while always sticking his tongue out and catching signs of movement.
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Like I said; I`m Gonna Getcha Good!

>>Thanks for the imput guys but I have been keeping snakes off and on for over 30 years.
For quite a few years, if you had a snake chances are it was wild caught.
I know a lot more about the pros and cons of keeping wild snakes then you may think.
I also have a lot of experience with wild caught black rats in particular.
They were a large part of my "training" when there were no pet stores with snakes (or at least colubrids), internet or reptile shows. Black rats were and still are very common in my area.
So, thanks but there is very little you can tell me about this subject that I don't already know.
I will let you guys know my decision in a few days.
Thanks
Jimmy
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Remember, My posts are MY opinion only!
Jimmy (draybar)

Thanks for the imput guys but I have been keeping snakes off and on for over 30 years.

>>I am 47 years old tomorow and having been catching and keeping snakes on an off since I was 12. I certainly was not doubting your abilites just expounding upon my years of experiences.

>> I know a lot more about the pros and cons of keeping wild snakes then you may think.

>> Perhaps, but one can never "know too much." Example: Last month I caught a milk snake I would guess at being around two years of age. I went through my SOP with this snake and was pretty amazed at how docile he was and how well he eat in captivity,(for a wild milk). He handled great as good as any black rat I have ever caught. I was about a day away from letting him go back into the wild and was handling him when all a sudden with no known reason I can guess at hit decides to bite my BICEP! Now I have been bitten a few times over the years but never there. He also bit hard enough to draw blood. If you would have told me this would have happen I would have probably laughed out you and cited my many years of experiences. With older wild caught snake YOU or I honestly can never fully know what to expect.

So, thanks but there is very little you can tell me about this subject that I don't already know.

>>One can ALWAYS learn. Problems geneally arise when one "thinks" they know most everything there is to know and there are little if ANY knew experiences left for them to learn.

>>I will let you guys know my decision in a few days.

>> Good luck.

>>Thanks

>>You are welcome.
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Like I said; I`m Gonna Getcha Good!

>>
>> >> Perhaps, but one can never "know too much." Example: Last month I caught a milk snake I would guess at being around two years of age. I went through my SOP with this snake and was pretty amazed at how docile he was and how well he eat in captivity,(for a wild milk). He handled great as good as any black rat I have ever caught. I was about a day away from letting him go back into the wild and was handling him when all a sudden with no known reason I can guess at hit decides to bite my BICEP! Now I have been bitten a few times over the years but never there. He also bit hard enough to draw blood. If you would have told me this would have happen I would have probably laughed out you and cited my many years of experiences. With older wild caught snake YOU or I honestly can never fully know what to expect.
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If you ever get a wild caught snake and DON"T expect to get bit then you are working in reverse.
I had black rats that would go months without ever showing aggression and then just out of the blue, WHACK.
This is a part of the challenge that is most intriguing.

>>
>>So, thanks but there is very little you can tell me about this subject that I don't already know.
>
>> >>One can ALWAYS learn. Problems geneally arise when one "thinks" they know most everything there is to know and there are little if ANY knew experiences left for them to learn.
>>

Now, my statement came off a little different then I meant.
Yes, we can always learn. None of us know everything.
But, I have a serious amount of experience with wild caught black rats and have a pretty good knowledge of what can and can happen.
The physical part...handling, possible health problems, proper housing, feeding, those are all the easy subjects.
The difficult aspect is whether or not to take it from the wild.
Don't get me wrong, though. I don't have a serious problem with removing the occaisional animal from the wild. Especially if said animal is abundant and in no danger.
Therein lies the problem. Considering there have been no studies, can I be certain they are not on the decline?
Habitat is lost daily and although they do well within "people" boundries there are more and more threats within those boundries.

I will keep you posted
thanks for the discussion
Jimmy

...if you are fond of Black Rats, it can't get any better than finding one in your home state (in your case,on your own property!). Five feet is large, but not enormous, hope you get another and breed them. The snake you found will have far more meaning to you than any generic captive born animal. Just my view.

Bart Bruno

I also got most of my early experience with wild caught black rat snakes and have kept them for 20 years. In my opinion, there is no North American colubrid as adaptable as the black rat snake. I have found several of them downtown in urban areas where one would never expect to find a large snake. I have an '01 male who is 5 1/2 feet long and feeding on weaned rats. I absolutely love him. I use him in educational shows with elementary schools, high schools, Boy Scouts, etc. and he is always calm as a puppy dog.

As far as taking wild caught goes, I guess it just depends on where you live. I've found 60 black rats in 2004, so there really isn't an issue about conservation here in the foothills of NC.

The biggest question I have to ask myself every time I think about keeping a wild caught black rat is "Can I afford to feed this thing?" They can really put the rodents away.

Very nice snake. Thanks for sharing.

Michael