Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello all. Newbie here with a question. I am going to be buying a leucistic texas rat snake. Supposedly it is 2 years old, and about a foot and a half max. It is a little bit bigger than a pencil in diameter. My question is this: Is it possible for it to be 2 yrs old and only that size? Is there a possibility that it can still grow or is it stunted for life? Thanks all!

It does seem smaller thn average. You need to ask the breeder if the snake was brumated one or even two winters. That would mean much less feeding and possibly the slower than average growth rate. I have heard of small adult snakes in captivity that did respond to increased feeding with growth so it is possible. However I have not heard too much about stunting, I guess it is anyones guess? Tom Stevens

If that snake is a 03 snake, I think I would pass on buying it. That is very small for a snake that age. It might be suffering from congenital problems, or it got a very bad start in life. Who knows what is wrong with it, but something is wrong with it. There will soon be an abundance of 05's out there for sale. It is also nice to get a very young one and start him off right.

I am sure that some of the others on this forum can give you the names of persons who are breeding nice leucistic Texas Rats.

My 6 month old 04 is about that size. Are you positive it is 2 years old? If it is than the person either didn't feed it enough (which doesn't look like it) or it is just a weird snake, and snakes with problems like this usually are accompanied by many others. Good luck!

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-Doug Daly

"Aren't you two a little old to be drinking illegally?"

0.1.0 Leucistic Texas Rat Snake

Maybe I wont get it after all. I feel bad for it being so small... I have always wanted one. I think they are so pretty. Any recommendations of a good breeder?

I always start by suggesting going to a reptile show if you can. Click on Events, above, to see if there is one in your area. As for breeders: plenty! BHB comes to mind, and I have a friend here in Ohio who breeds them. They are not hard to come by these days.

Back to the "little" snake: I have a texas rat about the same age and size. My friend could not get it to eat and it was a week or two away from the freezer (and/or kingsnake food!) when he gave it to me saying, "If you can get him to eat, he's yours"
Well, I finally got him eating decapitated pinkies...Then moved him on to larger and more intact prey. He STILL is only a sporadic eater. He may accept food every two or three weeks sometimes. And thus, he is very small. But so far he seems OK and he's a hell of a lot fatter than the scrawny little snake I adopted.

Each snake is different. Some have major problems, some minor ones. That said: If you really like this animal, find out more. WHY is it so small? Was it born really late in the season, and maybe even brumated, as suggested above? Is it a sporadic eater, or is it now eating on a regular basis? Finally, given the fact that the snake is, um, irregular...How much are they asking for it? If they will let you have the snake for 10 or 20 bucks...Maybe it's worth a chance. If they want much more for it...you would be better off investing in a better quality animal. Handle the snake. What is its disposition like? My little "problem eater" is one of the gentlest Texas rats I have ever met. I think that when I first got him, he was on death's door and didn't have the energy to strike at me. By the time he got his strength back, he was already "broke in".... Good luck whatever choice you make, but if you really like the little runt, find out more about him and dicker a little on the price. Some of my favorite snakes I got for free or dirt cheap because they were somehow "imperfect" (usually problem eaters). Duffy

I don't know the previous owner personally. He gave it to the person I may be getting it from. I looked a little more into it, and the person I am getting it from has had it about a month and said that it has fattened up and grown a little in the short time that he has had it. He also said that if fed enough it might still grow to full size. He has been feeding it two thawed mouse fuzzies at a time, and sometimes a very young thawed rat pup. SO it doesn't give HIM problems eating.
He said that the previous owner didn't feed it enough to grow a lot. I don't understand how someone could do that to an animal. I feed my snakes twice a week, and they love it! I may get it after all, if it is a good eater. I will ask to see it eat.