Reptile & Amphibian Forums

The gray head and orange/burnt orange body color of Mexican bairds is even more of a contrast when seen in person. It's amazing the body of this snake started out with cross bars on a gray gound color the shade of the head and has gone to stripes and made the gray to orange color transition. This one was produced by Don Gallagher.

Terry Parks

My wife rolls her eyes every time I get on here looking at other peoples snakes on here. That is a beautiful ratsnake Terry. Not only is the color change from hatchling to adult amazing, but I was shocked how large Bairdi hatchlings are when compared to a Cornsnake. My Bairdi was double the size of any hatchling corn I ever had.

Steve

My wife doesnt roll her eyes up anymore she just tells me she is going to leave me.Im just wondering how many more I have to get before she does.LOL...Paul

I'm right there with ya buddy!! I have a "no more animals unless we discuss it first" moratorium in effect right now. Unfortunately, I can't even sneak 'em in anymore because my 6-year old daughter will notice and blab. She doesn't miss a thing cuz she's always helping me out with feedings and cleanings. Gotta find a way to bribe her....Hahahahahaha!!!!!! Billy

>>My wife doesnt roll her eyes up anymore she just tells me she is going to leave me.Im just wondering how many more I have to get before she does.LOL...Paul

We have to get this hobby officially classified as an addiction so they understand we can't help it and my health isnurance might kick in and pay for some of it. LOL. My wife keeps saying and telling friends that I actually said, "I only want one". I can't recall ever saying something like that. My wife also thinks that I sneak a snake in every once in awhile. She'll say and think something like, "Is that another new snake on the shelf on the wall in the living room?" I tell her, "No, its one I've had for a couple years; I just moved it from where it was to that shelf. I moved it so people would notice it more often". I don't know how long that will work, but that's my story for now. Just in case anyone calls me. If you mention to her it's concerning snakes, you are automatically on the list "Not" to get a Christmas card. Everyone starts out on the list to get one. Quite a few make it over to the list NOT to get one. LOL. My friend Del Alspaw gets tranferred over to the list Not to get a Christmas card by January 2 each year. I think he made it till January 5 once. My wife actually is pretty good about my snakes. She has to put up with a lot of things other people whose spouse isn't addicted to this hobby don't put up with. It takes up alot of my time. There's rodents in the freezer. She bought me 4 books about snakes last year for Christmas. Really nice books that are good reference for someone who doesn't know about snakes. Actually, she called Del Alspaw and he told her some books that would be nice to have as reference. He didn't do it for free though. She had to put him on the list to get a Christmas card again. She hesitantly did it, but it didn't matter. He was back on the list Not to get a Christmas card 2 days later for coming by and picking me up to go look at some snakes. Del and I took the wives with us and went to Tucson, AZ for 4 days. They weren't really thrilled about the idea. Del and I told them we were going to swing through Las Vegas on the way back. They decided it was a good idea to go with us to Tucson, It took until the third day and they both figured out Las Vegas wasn't going happen. That one cost Del and I. It's not only an addiction to have to get snakes, it is also what it can casue us to do. LOL.

Terry Parks

Terry, I think I have to print this out and show my wife!!! Hahahahaha!!!! You have hit the nail on the head over and over in your post. I got my first garter snake when I was 9 or 10 (I'm almost 37 now) and before that, kept anything that I could catch and stick in a container (baby turtles, salamanders, newts, crayfish, etc.). Since then, I have almost continuously had at least 3 or 4 herps at any given time, and had built up quite a collection consisting of retics, amazon trees, corns, blood pythons, boas and a few monitors by my mid-twenties. Then when we got married, bought a house and had a baby, for the first time in my life, cleaning cages and thawing out rats and rabbits just wasn't fun anymore, so everything went. And she was (secretly) very happy about it. Three years ago, my daughter (3 at the time) started showing a very keen interest in herps and before I knew it, I was very happily, back into it. Now it's more about concentrating on just a few smaller species that really turn me on and don't take up too much space or time. Hopefully, I will get babies from three different species this spring so I can show her that at least it's a productive hobby. I also always use the excuse that at least I'm home and not out drinking with the boys or at sports practice or games, etc. Bottom line is, all our spouses are saints for putting up with our addiction! Billy

>>We have to get this hobby officially classified as an addiction so they understand we can't help it and my health isnurance might kick in and pay for some of it. LOL. My wife keeps saying and telling friends that I actually said, "I only want one". I can't recall ever saying something like that. My wife also thinks that I sneak a snake in every once in awhile. She'll say and think something like, "Is that another new snake on the shelf on the wall in the living room?" I tell her, "No, its one I've had for a couple years; I just moved it from where it was to that shelf. I moved it so people would notice it more often". I don't know how long that will work, but that's my story for now. Just in case anyone calls me. If you mention to her it's concerning snakes, you are automatically on the list "Not" to get a Christmas card. Everyone starts out on the list to get one. Quite a few make it over to the list NOT to get one. LOL. My friend Del Alspaw gets tranferred over to the list Not to get a Christmas card by January 2 each year. I think he made it till January 5 once. My wife actually is pretty good about my snakes. She has to put up with a lot of things other people whose spouse isn't addicted to this hobby don't put up with. It takes up alot of my time. There's rodents in the freezer. She bought me 4 books about snakes last year for Christmas. Really nice books that are good reference for someone who doesn't know about snakes. Actually, she called Del Alspaw and he told her some books that would be nice to have as reference. He didn't do it for free though. She had to put him on the list to get a Christmas card again. She hesitantly did it, but it didn't matter. He was back on the list Not to get a Christmas card 2 days later for coming by and picking me up to go look at some snakes. Del and I took the wives with us and went to Tucson, AZ for 4 days. They weren't really thrilled about the idea. Del and I told them we were going to swing through Las Vegas on the way back. They decided it was a good idea to go with us to Tucson, It took until the third day and they both figured out Las Vegas wasn't going happen. That one cost Del and I. It's not only an addiction to have to get snakes, it is also what it can casue us to do. LOL.
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>>Terry Parks
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I live in an apartment and it cost me 2 rooms of new paint and carpet for 1 bairds.Against all rational thought 1 snake cost me out my ying yang money I will never get back.On the other hand Im saving up for a couple of 10 adult colubrid heated racks and a 30 rack for juvies.Ive convinced her that racks take up less space and she doesnt even have to see my snakes anymore.Plus I only have 4 corns,2 bairds,and Im selling off my guyana redtails.That's going to leave me with 14 open slots to fill.LOL.So far my eight year son keeps his mouth shut for smaller bribes,bb gun,pocketknife,pc games,etc.For having a group of snakes that are worth maybe $300 dollars total,minus the redtails,this hobby has been damn expensive but well worth it to me.LOL...Paul.

Yeah, at this point of the game, a new pair of snakes generally costs me either a new pair of $100 shoes or some jewelry. Hahahahaha!!!!!! What we do for our hobby!! Billy

>>I live in an apartment and it cost me 2 rooms of new paint and carpet for 1 bairds.Against all rational thought 1 snake cost me out my ying yang money I will never get back.On the other hand Im saving up for a couple of 10 adult colubrid heated racks and a 30 rack for juvies.Ive convinced her that racks take up less space and she doesnt even have to see my snakes anymore.Plus I only have 4 corns,2 bairds,and Im selling off my guyana redtails.That's going to leave me with 14 open slots to fill.LOL.So far my eight year son keeps his mouth shut for smaller bribes,bb gun,pocketknife,pc games,etc.For having a group of snakes that are worth maybe $300 dollars total,minus the redtails,this hobby has been damn expensive but well worth it to me.LOL...Paul.
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No doubt a striking critter - very very impressive. Maybe will experience the next popularity boom.

They really surprised me how much I would really love and enjoy Mexican Bairds. They have beauty, great eaters, and don't get very large. An excellent pet snake and one to work with. The Texas bairds have a little more girth than the Mexican bairds. The Mexicans are generally a 4 foot plus snake with some getting over 5 feet on occassion.

Terry Parks

Does the Mexican show color between the scales like the Texas baird or is it all the burnt orange? Either way that is a beautiful snake!
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0.0.1 Amel Motley Corn (Cosmo '03)
0.1 Baird's ratsnake (Sugaree '04)
1.1 Shepherd mix (Dylan 5yrs, Porter 7 months)

Yes, Mexican bairds will have yellows, purples, browns, and a few other scale edge colors on them. I like when they have some yellows. The best way to see a baird rat snake is in indirect sunlight in my opinion. I think Hurley and a couple others have taken pics of their bairds in indirect sunlight and they look like a different snake. Unfortunately for us with pics is that the camera doesn't seem to pic up all the scale edge colors. I love holding a bairds and letting it move up or down my arm and watch all the scale edge colors as they move. It's almost like they change color as they move. It's subtle so you should watch it close as when they are on your arm. I think the orange or burnt orange color of the Mexican bairds and the darker gray of the Davis Mountain Texas bairds depict the fact they may inhabit higher elevations and the darker color absorbs heat for them. Now why the Mexican baird retains the gray color just in the head and loses the eye to eye stripe is a mystery to me. Maybe it still needs the gray head while it rests in rock crevices to ambush its prey and the gray allows that little extra time to pop up without being noticed. That little part of a second it needs to strike and grab it's prey. So it's whole body is a burnt orange or orange to absorb heat in the higher elevations it inhabits and the head remains gray for camoflouge in rocky areas.

Terry Parks

Is this fully grown? I was wondering (I can't really see in that picture) does this snake have the colorings inbetween the scales, like a texas baridi?
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The reason mainstream thought is thought of as a stream is because it's so shallow. -George Carlin

A fool doesn't learn. A smart man learns from his mistakes. A wise man learns from the mistakes of others. Which one are you?

My Website
Rat/Corn snake care sheet I wrote

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)
0.1 Blue Beauty (Brunhilde)

The Mexican baird in the pic is an adult. He is a male 1999 captive bred Mexican Baird that fathered a clutch this past season. He has pretty much reached his adult size. Snakes never really stop growing (maybe there are a few I don't know). Some or most slow down quite a bit when they reach adults. A baird will only gain a little in length as an adult. This one in the pic is approaching 5 feet and has a ways to go. Mexican bairds do have the scale edge colors as Texas bairds do, but they are more subtle. I discussed their colors in my response post on this thread if you don't mind going to it.

Terry Parks

Terry, the colors on that snake are awesome. If I wasn't cutting back and avoiding larger snakes, I'd have to have a pair.

My opinion on what's happening with the color is that they are starting out grayish, and with the Mexican are evolving a new color scheme. Note the babies start gray. There are other snakes that have grayish ground color, and it seems to me it goes along with being extrememly secretive and avoiding the light of day, thus a neutral color. With the Mex. Baird's it might be hiding it's head, but exposing it's body to sunlight for warmth, or whatever. Just a theory and would need some knowledge of natural history to pursue.

Maybe after retirement I'll have more space and time. It's a great looking snake and looks like it would make a good pet too. Good luck with them. TC.

>>The gray head and orange/burnt orange body color of Mexican bairds is even more of a contrast when seen in person. It's amazing the body of this snake started out with cross bars on a gray gound color the shade of the head and has gone to stripes and made the gray to orange color transition. This one was produced by Don Gallagher.
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>>Terry Parks
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Ratsnake Haven: Calico and hypo Chinese stripe-tailed ratsnakes, Mandarin ratsnakes, Chinese twin-spotted ratsnake phases, South Korean Dione's ratsnake, leopard snakes, Great Plains ratsnakes

Maybe this should be a new topic....lol

But mine has all but totally given up on me "not" expanding on my collection.....but check this out: I make her part of the decision making (she will not watch me feed them still ) i show her pictures of animals i'm interested in and "ask" her opinion.
Her opinion doesnt necessarily make a difference, but its a start and she is way more understanding now! AND has stated we NEED to get our son a snake due to his infatuation with them.

In fact, he will sit on my lap while going thru threads in this forum and lookin at pics, each pic he see is "'NAKE, WHOAH!, WOW!, OOOOOH! or COOOOL (with the thumbs up sign) I should mention he is 22 months old only, The next 'lil herper!!!He even helped me convince mommy that i should get a bairds...lol
I had said "hey keith....should daddy get one of these (while pointing at jimmy's pic) and he yells "YEEEAAAAAHHHH.....then looks at mom and says ..."PEEEESE"..

HOW COULD SHE SAY NO?

in fact he has held some of my black rats, My big male (lic. stick)is so sweet he jus sits in his lap (the excitement in his eyes is incredible)......sometimes he runs up to me pointing at his hand, saying "nake "nake......lol

thats enough

maybe i will post some pics of him and the snakes....

keith
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I'm not sure I want popular opinion on my side -- I've noticed those with the most opinions often have the fewest facts.

here is a pic of my lil guy

i will get some with my snakes later

keith

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I'm not sure I want popular opinion on my side -- I've noticed those with the most opinions often have the fewest facts.

Thanks for posting. I'd use his influence on mom to get a few things approved too. Good looking kid. Here's a lavender black rat snake for him to look at next time he's browsing the forums with you.

Terry Parks

wooow BIG 'nake

lil keith

(half asleep, dad jus got home from work)

What a great looking young guy. I can see him in the field right now. You guys will have a lot of fun together.

I think this was a reply to the below thread, but figured I'd chime in anyway. My daughter is the same, and that's how I got back into it after a 2.5 year break from the hobby. In fact, most of my calmer snakes are my daughter's, according to her. The nippy or hyper ones are all mine, lol. Nothing beats having your little ones interested in the hobby too. I just hope she still feels the same way in a few years when she discovers boys.....lord help me then!! Billy

>>Maybe this should be a new topic....lol
>>
>>But mine has all but totally given up on me "not" expanding on my collection.....but check this out: I make her part of the decision making (she will not watch me feed them still ) i show her pictures of animals i'm interested in and "ask" her opinion.
>>Her opinion doesnt necessarily make a difference, but its a start and she is way more understanding now! AND has stated we NEED to get our son a snake due to his infatuation with them.
>>
>>In fact, he will sit on my lap while going thru threads in this forum and lookin at pics, each pic he see is "'NAKE, WHOAH!, WOW!, OOOOOH! or COOOOL (with the thumbs up sign) I should mention he is 22 months old only, The next 'lil herper!!!He even helped me convince mommy that i should get a bairds...lol
>>I had said "hey keith....should daddy get one of these (while pointing at jimmy's pic) and he yells "YEEEAAAAAHHHH.....then looks at mom and says ..."PEEEESE"..
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>>HOW COULD SHE SAY NO?
>>
>>in fact he has held some of my black rats, My big male (lic. stick)is so sweet he jus sits in his lap (the excitement in his eyes is incredible)......sometimes he runs up to me pointing at his hand, saying "nake "nake......lol
>>
>>thats enough
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>>maybe i will post some pics of him and the snakes....
>>
>>keith
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>>I'm not sure I want popular opinion on my side -- I've noticed those with the most opinions often have the fewest facts.

Thanks for the comments Terry. I responded to jtclark's post on this thread concerning a little of what you mention. I think the burnt orange or orange body color is to absorb heat for warmth. The Mexican bairds and Davis Mountain Texas bairds live in higher elevations than some of the other baird populations. They still inhabit crevices in rocky areas. The grey head would allow them to still pop out their head to strike and grab their prey in addition to keeping them hidden from predators. The camouflaged head might give them that extra split second to brab prey. The burnt orange or orange color and darker gray in the case of the Davis Mountain area Texas bairds would give them some added warmth in higher elevation areas. The entire body has this trait to fully utilize the warmth it can provide. You are correct in collecting and reviewing a lot of natural history to provide data and support of their phenotype colors, patterns, and transition they go through from babies to adults.

Terry Parks

>>Beautiful snake Terry.
Mexicans might be added to my list along with the grey rat...lol

I am lucky when it comes to my wife and my snakes.
She actually likes, and will handle, some of the first ones I got. The ones she has known since they were hatchlings. She trusts them.
She loves animals anyway. We have four bearded dragons and they are basically hers.
not to mention the nine cats and five dogs, ten turtles and one tortoise....lol
As long as I pay the bills and don't let the snakes dig too deeply into the finances she is cool with them.
She didn't even hesitat to say yes when I told her I needed to buy mice in bulk and keep them in the freezer.
Her only demand...."I better not be able to see them, they better not be in clear bags."
That was easy enough.
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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"resistance is futile"
Jimmy (draybar)

I'm pretty lucky myself. My wife has no problem with me having snakes, she loves them herself. A couple of the snakes is hers. She just has more of fixed number in mind as to how many we should have. My mindset is always looking at the next one I want. I've been wanting a Black ratsnake, and low and behold, I got one, from Dwight Good, LOL It is an addiction. As Draybar says at the bottom of his post, "resistance is futile"

Steve