Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This little snake was found outside of Petsmart. I'm assuming someone dumped him there after buying him at another pet store.
No one else wanted to take it (let alone touch it!), so I took him home.
If I keep him or not depends on what kind he is and what his care needs are.
I think he is a ball python because he curls up into a ball, but I don't know if other snakes do that.
He is also really small, so I assume he is a hatchling. I have no idea what to get for him to eat right now.
I appreciate any help with this little guy.
Em

Hi,
It is a hatchling ratsnake, Elaphe obsoleta sp.(or Pantheropis obsoletus). It is probably a black rat, but could be a grey or a Texas rat depending on where you are located. It is a native snake and would eat pinkie mice and do well in a 10 gal. tank for a while. They mature in excess of 7 ft. It should make a nice pet.
Jim

Thank you.
I feel like a dork now. I was so sure that some jerk had dumped him by the pet store that I didn't even think he could be from around here. I guess it still is possible he was dumped.
I'll have to decide what to do with him. I know you are supposed to put them back where you find them, but this was right in the middle of a shopping center, so I'm afraid to do that.
I keep rats as pets, so I have a little trouble with the thought of him eventually eating them. Do they usually do well on prekilled? That wouldn't bother me so much, but live or me killing it is out of the question.
I just want to do the best for him.

As a hatchling, chances are it will eat either Anolis lizards or treefrogs. Eventually, it will take small mice, graduating up to larger mice & later, rats, as it grows. Yes, it will take dead rodents, although you may have to work with it a little to get it to do so. You never did say where it was found (other than a parking lot), so we still can't tell you exactly which ratsnake it is. This genus of snakes is arguably the most beneficial to man due to its rodent killing propensity of any of the North American snakes.

~~Greg~~
Florida's Venomous Snakes

It was found in a shopping center in Pittsburgh, PA.

nm

With your stated problem it is probably best that you release him. If you have any woods nearby Just take him there and rease him in a place with some ground cover he can hide in. Black rats are very adaptable so he should be fine.

Frank
-----
"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

I would take the snake out away from town and release it near some cover. That would be best for both you and the snake.
Brian
-----

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)

Good luck and Happy Herping
Brian

Ok. I found him in the city, but I live in the suburbs and there are quite a few wooded areas around me. I should be able to find a safer place for him.

......zach

My first thought was eastern milk snake. Am I way off? I don't buy the juvie black rat, but I've never seen a juvie black rat in person.

Check out this link:
http://www.herpnet.net/Iowa-Herpetology/images/snakes/eastern_milksnake.jpg

dave

I have seen tons of black rats in my day and i am 100 percent it is a rat snake and not an eastern milk juvie eastern milks are red and white besides not gray and black.

np
-----
1.0 Albino Bumese
1.0 Columbian Boa
1.0 Mexican King
1.1 Alterna Gray Bands
2.1 Speckled Kings (1 albino pair)
1.0 Melanistic? California King
1.1 Bull Snakes
1.1 Red Milks
1.1 Black Pines
1.0 Red Northern Pine
0.1 Mexican Black King
1.1 Bearded Dragon (13 eggs)
0.0.1 Tokay Gecko

In other words so typical it screams I AM A BLACK RAT!!!!!!

(lol)

Frank
-----
"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

Iam going to go out on a limb here and say I am 110% sure.