Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Please post any more unusual or less mentioned ratsnakes and pics if youve gott em. I recently found out about the Ladder Rat Snake and the Black Janseni if you have any other pics or info regarding other less commmon ratsnakes please post im very interested! Thanks!
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-Doug Daly

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

0.1.0 Leucistic Texas Rat Snake (Elaphe Obsoleta lindheimerii)

Mandaren Rats are always extremely beautifull, god knows I can't afford one though!
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0.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
1.0 Redtail "Kilo"
1.0 Ball Python "Road Hog"

Regrettably I haven't kept many Rat snakes, although that was my initial plan when I started the hobby some years back. I might be able to help with some info on Ladder snakes, what is it you wish to know?

Their care. Are they like basic ratsnakes or do they require some special needs? Thanks!
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-Doug Daly

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

0.1.0 Leucistic Texas Rat Snake (Elaphe Obsoleta lindheimerii)

Hi Doug,
They are basically like 'most' ratsnakes, in terms of care. I give my adults a wide thermal gradient (25-35 degrees C - probably 25-32C is more than adequate but as I've got the surface area to use I provide a warmer hot spot, which they often use after a meal etc), with a night time drop of around 10 C overall, in 90 x 60 x 60cm vivs. I have kept them in drawer type set-ups in the past, but prefer to give them space with branches and a shelf. I provide a few hides as they can be a bit nervous, well mine are anyway. They are pretty hardy things, they don't require a high humidity, and can be tamed down with regular handling. My eldest four bite and hiss when picked up but settle down after a minute or so in the hands. My youngest female is a lot more placid though, much more lady like.
I cool mine for about 3 months @ 8-12C. Food wise they don't appear to be fussy and will usually take what you offer them, even as hatchlings.
Gregg F, how do you keep yours, always interesting to compare notes with other keepers. Kind regards,
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Devboy.

I have been keeping mine with a hot spot also in the rear of the tank which is 79-81 F. and the rest of the tank (most of it) is room temp which in my basement stays between 68-72 F. They don't seem to be at the rear of the tank very often, and i have tried keeping them without the hot spot and they fed and acted normal while kept at room temps only, but i agree that having a hot spot to rest after eating is a good idea and am back to that set-up now. All 4 of mine are fiesty, but calm down once they are out of the cages and handled. They eat great, they would eat me out of house and home if i let them. Since they are yearlings i have them set up in medium racks for right now, but in a few more months they will be in large racks since they are growing so quickly. I will also be hibernating them (if i am able to keep them until adults) for 90 days at 50-55 F. in preperation for breeding in the spring.

Thanks for your husbandry notes, it is really nice to see what other people are keeping them at. Have a good day,

Gregg

>>Hi Doug,
>>They are basically like 'most' ratsnakes, in terms of care. I give my adults a wide thermal gradient (25-35 degrees C - probably 25-32C is more than adequate but as I've got the surface area to use I provide a warmer hot spot, which they often use after a meal etc), with a night time drop of around 10 C overall, in 90 x 60 x 60cm vivs. I have kept them in drawer type set-ups in the past, but prefer to give them space with branches and a shelf. I provide a few hides as they can be a bit nervous, well mine are anyway. They are pretty hardy things, they don't require a high humidity, and can be tamed down with regular handling. My eldest four bite and hiss when picked up but settle down after a minute or so in the hands. My youngest female is a lot more placid though, much more lady like.
>>I cool mine for about 3 months @ 8-12C. Food wise they don't appear to be fussy and will usually take what you offer them, even as hatchlings.
>>Gregg F, how do you keep yours, always interesting to compare notes with other keepers. Kind regards,
>>-----
>>Devboy.
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Gregg F.

www.greggsrb.com

people keep them. Thanks for the input Gregg. There are so many 'right ways' out there (within certain parameters), to keep snakes, its always useful to exchange ideas.
Kind regards,
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Devboy.

For the last year I have been lucky enough to keep 2.2 Rhyncophis boulengeri. A friend of mine was selling his house and need to move his snakes out. I got those and a very spectacular Royal Diadem Ratsnake.

I like both species quite a bit.

For one that I have not kept but really like: Persian Ratsnakes. Come in a variety of colors, stay small and are calm.

But of course, none of them touch Red-Tailed Green Ratsnakes or Black Janseni
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Current snakes:

1.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

2.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

4.3 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

Hello Doug,
I like working with scalaris, they remind me a lot of my pituophis. Mine seem to be loosing thier juvenile pattern at one year of age and becoming more striped in appearance. The pics are now a few months old. They sure do eat like hogs though and are great to work with.

Have a good day,

Gregg F.

>>Please post any more unusual or less mentioned ratsnakes and pics if youve gott em. I recently found out about the Ladder Rat Snake and the Black Janseni if you have any other pics or info regarding other less commmon ratsnakes please post im very interested! Thanks!
>>-----
>>-Doug Daly
>>
>>"Aren't you two a little old to be drinking illegally?"
>>
>>0.1.0 Leucistic Texas Rat Snake (Elaphe Obsoleta lindheimerii)

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Gregg F.

www.greggsrb.com

Another Rat Snake that I can't believe are more commonly kept are Leopard Rats. Beautiful snakes, especially the head patterns, wish i had more time and room to keep several.

Gregg F.

>>
>>>>Please post any more unusual or less mentioned ratsnakes and pics if youve gott em. I recently found out about the Ladder Rat Snake and the Black Janseni if you have any other pics or info regarding other less commmon ratsnakes please post im very interested! Thanks!
>>>>-----
>>>>-Doug Daly
>>>>
>>>>"Aren't you two a little old to be drinking illegally?"
>>>>
>>>>0.1.0 Leucistic Texas Rat Snake (Elaphe Obsoleta lindheimerii)
>>
>>-----
>>Gregg F.
>>
>>www.greggsrb.com

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Gregg F.

www.greggsrb.com

R. scalaris do tend to gain their adult pattern at around 12-18 months, those young that have silvery backgrounds tend to lose this also. They are a bit 'bullish' and mine eat anything they can fit into their mouths! I like the situla pix too, nice to see some European snakes here, best of luck with everyones projects. I'm definitely going to trim my collection down so I can concentrate on keeping more Europeans. situla & longissimus are strong favourites over the next few years.

I recommend picking up some longissima, I really enjoy working with those guys too.

Have a good day,

Gregg F.

>>R. scalaris do tend to gain their adult pattern at around 12-18 months, those young that have silvery backgrounds tend to lose this also. They are a bit 'bullish' and mine eat anything they can fit into their mouths! I like the situla pix too, nice to see some European snakes here, best of luck with everyones projects. I'm definitely going to trim my collection down so I can concentrate on keeping more Europeans. situla & longissimus are strong favourites over the next few years.
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Gregg F.

www.greggsrb.com

I not only find them attractive but their association with man historically is pretty interesting too. I've followed a couple of interesting threads on here in regards to this association. I look forward to one day (next couple of years or maybe sooner) to getting some. Cheers, Devboy.

>>I recommend picking up some longissima, I really enjoy working with those guys too.
>>
>>Have a good day,
>>
>>Gregg F.

>>www.greggsrb.com

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Devboy.