Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm thinking of getting a Leucistic Texas Rat snake and was wondering if someone could tell me what makes a rat different from a corn? To me they almost look like the same type of snake. Are their temperments different, size, ect?
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1.0 Albino ball python (high contrast)
0.1 100% het Albino ball (high contrast)
0.1 Normal ball
1.0 Candy cane cornsnake
1.0 Golden Retriever pup
1.0 Ferret

The reason the corns look like a rat snake, is because they are a rat snake! The corn snake is in the same species as all the other rat snakes. Elaphe (or Pantherophis if you go by the new name).

As far as temperaments go, everyone says the corns are the most mellow, however, I think it is just in how you raise them. I have a few rat snakes (corn included) and they all are really mellow. I dont have a Texas rat, and I think they have a bum rap. I know quite a few people who have them, and they are no different than any of the other rats.

You will always have that one individual, no matter what species of snake, that is just the meanest S.O.B. But as a general rule of thumb, the rats are a very mellow snake and make good pets. Very hardy and quick to feed on F/T mice/rats.

All rats as hatchlings will be pretty squirmy, but calm down with regular handling.

I would say go ahead and get yourself a texas rat, but be warned, you will want another, and another, and.....

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1.0 Corn snake "Warpath" (KY locale)
1.0 Black rat snake "Havok" (KY locale)
1.1 Black rat snakes "Punisher and Mystique" (MO locale)
1.0 Eastern Yellow Belly racer "Nightcrawler" (MO locale)
1.0 Albino Black rat snake "Malakai" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Everglades rat snake "Deadpool" (Dwight Good stock)
0.1 Greenish rat snake "Rogue" (Dwight Good stock)
1.1 California king snake "Bandit and Moonstar" (Coastal phase)
1.0 Prairie king snake "Bishop" (KY locale)
0.1 Black king snake "Domino" (KY locale)
0.0.1 Eastern Milk snake "Cable" (KY locale)
0.0.1 Eastern/Red milk intergrade "Omega Red" (KY locale)

Good luck and Happy Herping
Brian

Brian is right. All corn snakes are rat snakes, but they are members of the same genus but not the same species.

LOL, yeah yeah yeah, genus, shmenus!! Thanks for the correction, I still havent gotten the scientifics of herps down yet!!!! LOL
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1.0 Corn snake "Warpath" (KY locale)
1.0 Black rat snake "Havok" (KY locale)
1.1 Black rat snakes "Punisher and Mystique" (MO locale)
1.0 Eastern Yellow Belly racer "Nightcrawler" (MO locale)
1.0 Albino Black rat snake "Malakai" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Everglades rat snake "Deadpool" (Dwight Good stock)
0.1 Greenish rat snake "Rogue" (Dwight Good stock)
1.1 California king snake "Bandit and Moonstar" (Coastal phase)
1.0 Prairie king snake "Bishop" (KY locale)
0.1 Black king snake "Domino" (KY locale)
0.0.1 Eastern Milk snake "Cable" (KY locale)
0.0.1 Eastern/Red milk intergrade "Omega Red" (KY locale)

Good luck and Happy Herping
Brian

rat snakes are in:

Reptilia class
Lepidosauria sub class
Squamata order
Serpentes suborder
Colubrid family
Elaphe Genus

And are further broken down, for example:
a Slowinski corn is
species Guttata
sub species Slowinskii

Right?
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1.0 Corn snake "Warpath" (KY locale)
1.0 Black rat snake "Havok" (KY locale)
1.1 Black rat snakes "Punisher and Mystique" (MO locale)
1.0 Eastern Yellow Belly racer "Nightcrawler" (MO locale)
1.0 Albino Black rat snake "Malakai" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Everglades rat snake "Deadpool" (Dwight Good stock)
0.1 Greenish rat snake "Rogue" (Dwight Good stock)
1.1 California king snake "Bandit and Moonstar" (Coastal phase)
1.0 Prairie king snake "Bishop" (KY locale)
0.1 Black king snake "Domino" (KY locale)
0.0.1 Eastern Milk snake "Cable" (KY locale)
0.0.1 Eastern/Red milk intergrade "Omega Red" (KY locale)

Good luck and Happy Herping
Brian

Ok, you are now a biology major. LOL

If you learn the genus and species, you are doing very well. But, if you think snakes are hard, try fish or insects. OMG!!!

>>Ok, you are now a biology major. LOL
>>
>>If you learn the genus and species, you are doing very well. But, if you think snakes are hard, try fish or insects. OMG!!!
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1.0 Corn snake "Warpath" (KY locale)
1.0 Black rat snake "Havok" (KY locale)
1.1 Black rat snakes "Punisher and Mystique" (MO locale)
1.0 Eastern Yellow Belly racer "Nightcrawler" (MO locale)
1.0 Albino Black rat snake "Malakai" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Everglades rat snake "Deadpool" (Dwight Good stock)
0.1 Greenish rat snake "Rogue" (Dwight Good stock)
1.1 California king snake "Bandit and Moonstar" (Coastal phase)
1.0 Prairie king snake "Bishop" (KY locale)
0.1 Black king snake "Domino" (KY locale)
0.0.1 Eastern Milk snake "Cable" (KY locale)
0.0.1 Eastern/Red milk intergrade "Omega Red" (KY locale)

Good luck and Happy Herping
Brian

>>And are further broken down, for example:
>>a Slowinski corn is
>>species Guttata
>>sub species Slowinskii

That is taxonomically accurate, but not exactly correct. The specific epithet is guttata, the species name is Pantherophis guttata. All species names are binomial and include the genus and the specific epithet.

Also, you never captilize the specific or subspecific epithet, even if it is named after a person.

So it is Pantherophis guttata slowinskii.

Class dismissed. LOL
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Chris Harrison

>>That is taxonomically accurate, but not exactly correct. The specific epithet is guttata, the species name is Pantherophis guttata. All species names are binomial and include the genus and the specific epithet.

I caught this last night but was too tired to post. This is a very common mistake but you are absolutely correct. The "species" name is always the binomial name (genus specific epithet).

I've actually won a few bucks over this in friendly bets.

To review:

Genus: Pantherophis

specific epithet: guttata

species name: Pantherophis guttata
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Current snakes:

1.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

3.4 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

2.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

if you are going to nitpick at least get it right! The spelling of the specific name, guttata changes to guttatus when used with Pantherophis.

Personally I'm sticking to Elaphe until Collins and crew at the CNAH decide to make the change official. (Which is probably in the works)

kk

Absolutely. I totally forgot about gender agreement.
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Current snakes:

1.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

3.4 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

2.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

>>>>And are further broken down, for example:
>>>>a Slowinski corn is
>>>>species Guttata
>>>>sub species Slowinskii
>>
>>That is taxonomically accurate, but not exactly correct. The specific epithet is guttata, the species name is Pantherophis guttata. All species names are binomial and include the genus and the specific epithet.
>>
>>Also, you never captilize the specific or subspecific epithet, even if it is named after a person.
>>
>>So it is Pantherophis guttata slowinskii.
>>
>>Class dismissed. LOL
>>-----
>>Chris Harrison
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1.0 Corn snake "Warpath" (KY locale)
1.0 Black rat snake "Havok" (KY locale)
1.1 Black rat snakes "Punisher and Mystique" (MO locale)
1.0 Eastern Yellow Belly racer "Nightcrawler" (MO locale)
1.0 Albino Black rat snake "Malakai" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Everglades rat snake "Deadpool" (Dwight Good stock)
0.1 Greenish rat snake "Rogue" (Dwight Good stock)
1.1 California king snake "Bandit and Moonstar" (Coastal phase)
1.0 Prairie king snake "Bishop" (KY locale)
0.1 Black king snake "Domino" (KY locale)
0.0.1 Eastern Milk snake "Cable" (KY locale)
0.0.1 Eastern/Red milk intergrade "Omega Red" (KY locale)

Good luck and Happy Herping
Brian

>>I would say go ahead and get yourself a texas rat, but be warned, >>you will want another, and another, and.....

That's for sure! I started with a licorice stick black rat. The two types of leucys (commonly available) are texas and black rats. I have been told that the black leucy is more docile, but I have a licorice stick black rat and its so docile its almost boring. I have two texas bairdi's...they have an attitude...both of 'em. I agree just get one see how you like it, rat snakes are great for starters and you found (in my opinion and no im not paid by kingsnake in any way lol) i've been on a lot of forums and the rest seem to be a lot of kids getting snakes with very immature ideas...so yea i've gotten lots of help from here..given some as well...but if you get one (which id highly reccomend if you want a snake) keep in touch with this board.
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The reason mainstream thought is thought of as a stream is because it's so shallow. -George Carlin

Battling ignorance one stupid person at a time.

Current snakes:
0.1 Licorice Stick Black Rat (Lola)
1.0 Neonate Black Rat (het for Lic Stk's) (Frankie)
1.1 Texas Bairds (Jose and Rosa)