Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I recently purchased an 03 male Black rat snake for Glade Herps. He still has a strong juvenile pattern: black saddles with a gray background instead of a white one.

The head is typical black rat size (large) but his tongue is completely and totally red. It is even redder than my Everglades` tongue.

Now here in WV. Back rats have the "normal" black tongue. Any ideas or thoughts?
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Like I said; I`m Gonna Getcha Good!

Woohoo, I thought I was just about the only herper in WV. There's so much variation in black rats, it's hard to tell what locality the parents of yours were from. If you're wondering if the tongue color implies that it's an intergrade, I'd say no. It's probably just one of those individual things. My licorice black rat has a red tongue with black forks.

>>Woohoo, I thought I was just about the only herper in WV. There's so much variation in black rats, it's hard to tell what locality the parents of yours were from. If you're wondering if the tongue color implies that it's an intergrade, I'd say no. It's probably just one of those individual things. My licorice black rat has a red tongue with black forks.
>>

Hello fellow mountaineer. I live in the Parkersburg/Mineral Wells area and remove snakes from peoples yards, barns, etc. who want them removed then relocate to a wooded area.

I caught a monster in a barn last year that was easily 6.5 to 7 feet long. Biggest snake I have seen in the wild.

I have just never seen a Black rat with a red tongue before. BTW your BR looks great.
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Like I said; I`m Gonna Getcha Good!

Thanks, found that guy in an old shed on our property. There's a few big black rats around there. I'm going to Marshall University in Huntington now for herpetology, but I'm from Putnam County. Aside from the herp grad students, I only know of one or two other guys in the state who are into herps. Good to know there's a few more.

>>Thanks, found that guy in an old shed on our property. There's a few big black rats around there. I'm going to Marshall University in Huntington now for herpetology, but I'm from Putnam County. Aside from the herp grad students, I only know of one or two other guys in the state who are into herps. Good to know there's a few more.
>>

Great school. I have a degree in Criminal Justice from Marshall. I could not believe when the football coach quit this year.

Here in Wood county we have some very large Black rats not to mention milk snakes, garter snakes, copperheads, water snakes, brown snakes, ring neck snakes and the green snake.

You have a couple of good looking black rats and good luck at Marshall.
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Like I said; I`m Gonna Getcha Good!

Thanks, what all are you keeping now besides your new black rat and glades? I've got 1.1 corns, 1.1 bairds, 1.0 licorice black rat and 0.1 cal king. I'm looking to get a few more corns in the near future maybe. I've just really gotten into the North American ratsnakes lately, especially since I can't really keep any lizards or anything else while I'm in college.

P.S. I've found a black king, wormsnakes, ringnecks, brownsnakes and a few others around here. I haven't personally found any milksnakes, but a few people I know have.

>>Thanks, what all are you keeping now besides your new black rat and glades? I've got 1.1 corns, 1.1 bairds, 1.0 licorice black rat and 0.1 cal king. I'm looking to get a few more corns in the near future maybe. I've just really gotten into the North American ratsnakes lately, especially since I can't really keep any lizards or anything else while I'm in college.
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>>P.S. I've found a black king, wormsnakes, ringnecks, brownsnakes and a few others around here. I haven't personally found any milksnakes, but a few people I know have.

I also have a Eastern king, a milk snake, a Gray rat snake and a Texas rat snake.
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Like I said; I`m Gonna Getcha Good!

Where did you find the wormsnakes? As far as Milk snakes here in Eastern Pa. i find them sometimes swimming in creeks or around them. 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

Glad to hear Kevin. I've been to the Marshall University herp website, and they had some nice photos of some of the herp students in the field, as well as pictures at some kind of public herp event in Charlestown. I believe I remember two students, (husband & wife) with some nice photos of them holding some Black Ratsnakes. Looks to be an excellent school. Good luck.

Steve

A lot of the ones from west of the Mississippi river have red tougues.

>>A lot of the ones from west of the Mississippi river have red tougues.

Interesting. I have just not seen the red tongue in WV. or Ohio black rats. Thanks for the infro.
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Like I said; I`m Gonna Getcha Good!