Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi Guys, I am looking to expand my collection. I was looking for something very cool looking/colorful. I love the looks of vipers but i cant take on something like that yet. Please post pics or info regarding cool looking snakes!
Thanks!
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-Doug Daly

0.1.0 Leucistic Texas Rat Snake

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Edited on March 27, 2005 at 10:05:54 by phwyvern.

My votes are for Rhynchophis boulengeri- Rhino rat snakes and Western Hognoses for odd looking colubrids. Rhinos are such neat little snakes (once you get them eating well) and the color change from juvi to adult is pretty incredible (grey brown to emerald green). Hognoses are so strange personality-wise compared to all the other colubrids I've kept (I've kept close to 25 different species of colubrids over the years). Their bluff displays are very interesting.
A couple of pics...
a Rhynchophis

and one of the Hognoses

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Lora

I really like the looks of the rhino rat snakes too. The only problem is that they are ridiculously expensive. im only 15 and i cant afford an $800 snake. I payed less for my remington than what i would pay for that snake (and trust me that is one nice gun i got). Do you know who provides them for the cheapest price? Plus i gotta save up money for a car and insurance. But they are really cool looking snakes.
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-Doug Daly

0.1.0 Leucistic Texas Rat Snake

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Edited on March 27, 2005 at 10:05:25 by phwyvern.

I'm not sure where you got the figure of $800.00. There's an ad in the classifieds right now that lists them @ $900 per pair. The average prices I've seen are between $450- 500. Single males tend to be less expensive than females, so if you aren't planning on breeding them, you may be able to find one in that range. I wouldn't call them ridiculously expensive- have you seen the prices on some of the Ball Python morphs? If you want something uncommon (and rhinos are not very common in the trade at this time), it's going to cost more than something that is commonly available.

There are lots of less expensive, cool looking, colubrids. It just depends on what you're interested in. Color? Size? Temperament? Feeding habits? Caging requirements? Ease of care? What floats your boat?

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Lora

For a snake which costs $500 a pop i would like to get a pair so that i could breed them. However when they sell pairs of them arent the pairs from the same litter and wouldn't they become in-bred? I really like this species and the red mountain (coxi) species. I like green snakes (but not a smooth/rough green snake). Would like something that eats pinky mice and is easy to medium diffuculty. Thanks for your help, im still bargain hunting for rhinos.
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-Doug Daly

0.1.0 Leucistic Texas Rat Snake

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signature file.

Edited on March 27, 2005 at 10:05:11 by phwyvern.

Pairs are not necessarily from the same clutch (depends on how many pairs the breeder has that lay). Coxi tend to be a little less expensive (but you'll need to wait till the 2005 clutches hatch to find them). Coxi are more likely to eat pink mice from the get go. I've been working with my rhinos to get them to consistently eat f/t pink mice and it's been a challenge to move one from fish to mice.

I would rate coxi at medium difficulty and rhinos at experienced difficulty. I've been looking for a female coxi to pair up with my male 2004 for about 5 months and haven't found one, so good luck till the new clutches hatch. Pairs will run between $800 and $1000.00. Also, be aware, that though they may start on pinks, they will move up to adult mice as they reach adult size. My coxi is more defensive than my rhinos, and will musk or attempt to strike on occasion. Not a big deal with small snakes, but it does make them more of a challenge to work with.

Check out some care sheets on both species if you haven't already. Both require lower than standard N.A. rat snake temps and higher humidity. Also, I would say that both are less tolerant of frequent handling, if you want to keep them feeding regularly. If you want a "pet" snake to handle frequently, neither really fits the bill, though they are both beautiful snakes.

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Lora

Is that your coxi? It is a beautiful snake. Any kinds of colubrids that are red or green or neat looking which are 'friendly' and dont mind being handled. My leucy has quite an attitude to her but once you pick her up she's really good. Thanks again!
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-Doug Daly

0.1.0 Leucistic Texas Rat Snake

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signature file.

Edited on March 27, 2005 at 10:03:35 by phwyvern.

The previous post picture is my male coxi. He's pretty twitchy when it comes to handling. Have you looked into Corn snakes? I know they're "common", but their prices tend to be much lower than Asian rat snakes, because people have been breeding them for years. Asians like the coxi and rhinos are still pretty new to the pet trade and there aren't a lot of breeders working with them.

There are so many different color morphs with Corns, you can practically pic your color and pattern (within reason, I don't think they've got blue yet) and find a Corn snake that matches that description. For example, if you like red, check out the Blood red Corns or hypo Blood reds. As adults, they become a nearly solid red snake. They're one of my favorite Corn snakes, and having been bred for generations in captivity, will generally have a more docile temperament. Blood reds are more expensive than a normal Corn (average $65-100 to $150-200 for hypos), but they are a lot less expensive than coxi or rhinos. Another plus for Corns, is that they are easy to care for compared to Asian rats. They have the same care requirements as your leucistic Texas rat.
Hope that helps!

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Lora

Thanks so much for your help Lora, i'll check out the corn snake photo gallery and classifieds.
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-Doug Daly

"Grow Up"

0.1.0 Leucistic Texas Rat Snake

I have kept dozens of species of Vipers so maybe my taste in colubrids will mirror yours.

I strongly agree with Rhyncophis. I can think of equally or even more interesting colubrids, but none that are as available or as easy to keep. Not to say that R. boulengeri is easy, but certainly easier than some I can think of.
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Current snakes:

0.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

3.3 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

2.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

3.3 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black & Tan)

Of course, my reply is going to be that the ringneck snakes are the coolest looking. Check out this pic of my .2 adult 22" NorthWestern Ringnecks.

Mike

Michael's Place

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Michael's Place has updated better caresheets
Helmz777@aol.com
www.freewebs.com/mikesnake

Well, I don't have a pic, but I just love boomslangs. There colours range so much, from jet black, to bright green, to both, and browns, light grey/blues ect.

An awesome pic can be found in the photo gallery by searching boomslang (there is only one pic)

Why don't you take a look at honduran milksnakes. The 3 main recessive genes are now exploding into different shades and colors. I breed them too and they are awesome.

Thanks,
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RAY

I would have to say the Mandarin rat is one of the coolest looking colubrids. They're expensive, they're shy, and difficult to keep, but they look outstanding. I believe they are cheaper than the rhino rats, too but not by much. I think they go for something like $600 a pair. In that area anyway.

Mangrove snake..it has some of everything you want...venom..(a good starter venomous..since its not deadly) looks...and its a colubrid

I've never worked with them personally but you should check them out. They are in your price range, not too common, reasonably easy to care for, and damn are they hot lookin!

Also, I know corns have been said already but there are few snakes that can match the beauty of an Okeetee corn. And theyr cheap and easy too.