Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok everyone, i never thought that much of rat snakes until i started visiting this forum and i saw the Bairds Rats and now I just HAVE to have one. But beforei rush into this, i have a few questions.

1. I love the colorations on the adults, the ones that are solid silver with sorta reddish colors underneath. The hatchlings i have seen on this forum look nothing like that. Do the colors change as they get older? Or is it only a certain subspecies of Bairds that gets that coloration with age?

2. I have Gopher snakes, king snakes and corn snakes, is Rat snake care similar to that? If not, how is it different. I want my snakes to be as happy as possible.

3. Behaviorly, how are they? Aggressive, mellow? I know each snake is different but just in general. Are they a snake you can handle or one that should be just for show?

4. If their care is similiar to corns, gophers and/or kings, is there anything about the Bairds in particular that i should know before getting one? Food preferance, medical problems they might be prone to...etc..etc..

Thanks so much in acvance for all your help!
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1.0 green iguana-Deitrich
1.1 Common Boa-Un-Named, Ursula
1.0 Ball Python-Anabell (go figure!)
1.0 Red Tegu-Uteg
1.0 Albino Cal King-Pig
0.1 Mexican Black King-Morticia
1.1 Bearded Dragons-Unnamed, Hanabil
1.0 Albino San Diego Gopher-Unnamed
0.1 Hermans tort-Esio
1.1 JCP-Milton, Medusa
1.1 Reverse Okeetee Corn-Unnamed
0.1 Snow Corn-Unnamed
1.0 Hypo Okeetee Corn-Unnamed
0.1 Motley Okeetee-Unnamed
1.0 Western Hoggie-Wyrm
0.0.1 Rose Hair Taruntla-Unnamed
2.0 Leopard Geckos-Reptar, Pogo
4.1 cats-Tucker,Poe,Abhib,Emerald, Felicity
0.1 Bullmastiff-Asha

First off, kudos to you for actually taking the time to ask these questions before rushing into a snake purchase and then realizing you have no idea what to do! lol.

The hatchlings are somewhat "ugly ducklings". They Texas bairdi undergoes the most extreme change of any rat snake. The crossbars fade, and the stripes form. This can take up to 4-5 years to fully go over, from what i've understood. I have a pair of them that are about 5 months old now, and they are starting to slightly show color already...but you have to look at them closely. If you look down at the pictures you will see some that are showing a lot of color and their cross bars are slowly fading, they're in the middle of the process. When looking for a bairdi, Texas bairdi is the one that you see. There is also a Mexican Bairdi. go on further down and you'll see where Terry Parks posted some pictures of them. Instead of silver-ish, they're a more mellow, somewhat yellow.

Corn snakes are rat snakes. Very similar. I have a caresheet in my signature that I wrote which will cover the basics.

The texas strain of rat snakes are somewhat active. I have never been struck at or anything, but they do rattle their tails at me... a LOT! It freaked me out at first, but now I think it's pretty cool. I handle mine daily, and they enjoy getting out and exploring all around.

I did have a problem getting my male to eat, I had to end up scenting his pinky with gecko substrate. These guys LOVE lizards, because that is a primary source of food in the wild. You may have a problem getting yours to eat a pinky, or maybe not. My female has never rejected a f/t pinky. And as far as medical problems, no more than any other rat snake. Basics...no pine, fir, or cedar...etc.

Congrats on your (future) purchase of a bairds! I have to say I think they are my favorite snakes!
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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)