Are black rat snakes born black?
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Are black rat snakes born black?
>>Are black rat snakes born black?
When they hatch they have a saddle pattern. As they mature they lost it and become more and more solid black. Some still have pattern even as adults.
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Sonya
Haven't we warned you about tampering with the structure of a chaotic system?
Mrs. Neutron
Most of the ones I've seen are grey background with dark grey blotched pattern. The background gradually fills in and they become more of a black all over, depending on the locality. Some areas end up with black blotches over a dark grey ground, others show mixed red or yellow between the saddles. In the Mid-Atlantic, they generally end up almost entirely black (with a white chin and belly).
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Lora
They all are born with an ashy grey background and dark saddles. Depending on where they are from they are pretty variable as they age....
Here is my KY locale rat as a hatchling..

Here he is now @ 4 years old...
And a pick of my male MO locale black rat...
Enjoy
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RATS
1.0 Corn snake "Warpath" (KY locale)
1.0 Black rat snake "Havok" (KY locale)
1.1 Black rat snakes "Reaper and Mystique" (MO locale)
1.0 Albino Black rat snake "Malakai" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Everglades rat snake "Deadpool" (Dwight Good stock)
0.1 Greenish rat snake "Rogue" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Yellow rat snake "Wolverine" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Grey rat snake "Punisher" (White oak phase)(Dwight Good stock)
RACERS
1.0 Eastern Yellow Belly racer "Nightcrawler" (MO locale)
KINGS
1.1 California king snake "Bandit and Moonstar" (Coastal phase)
1.0 Prairie king snake "Bishop" (KY locale)
0.1 Black king snake "Domino" (KY locale)
1.0 Desert Kingsnake "Gambit"
0.1 Florida Kingsnake
MILKS
0.0.1 Eastern Milk snake "Cable" (KY locale)
0.0.1 Eastern/Red milk intergrade "Omega Red" (KY locale)
BULLS/GOPHERS/PINES
0.1 Sonoran Gopher
Good luck and Happy Herping
Brian
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