Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Why is it that I very often see what are obviously yellow rat snakes labelled as Everglades rats? I mean, I understand that they integrade and etc., but I thought it was very plain -- Everglades were orangish-red, and yellows were yellow. I mean, at least on the quadrivattus end, the name says it all -- or am I missing something?

Because yellows are mean and don't sell but everglades sell. At least thats what a pet store told me when I asked them. LOL It is all about money to some. Also some people are told something and then believe it without finding out on their own. So those lazy people are being honest and don't know any better. I went to a wholesaler who sold all his yellows as glades.
Later Jason

Ive seen the adds.Maybe they screwed up and used the wrong pic.Or they dont know.Either way I wouldnt buy anything from them...Paul

Just a note, sometimes it is hard to tell from a picture. Also all Yellow rats are not yellow, Yelow rats (Elaphe obsoleta quadravatta) from Charleston SC are GREEN. I guess the best thing is to hand pick your snakes when you can and don't buy mailorder (or online) if it doesn't seem right.

Well, I was led to understand that the green rat snakes are called "greenish rats" and are integrades between black and yellow rats.

But I didn't mean to indicate borderline snakes. I said "obviously," and that I know that they integrade, i.e. that there are instances that are somewhere between the two, but I guess I should have been clearer. I'm talking about when there's a bright yellow snake with lines going down its back that someone is calling an Everglades.

First of all, I didn't mean to criticize your post,or to lecture on taxonomy or anything like that, just to say be careful who you buy from. I don't believe the green rats are an intergrade and I know some people called them "greenish rats" I think it is just a geograpic difference but I am not certain anyone has ever proved one way or another. Part of the problem is that most people are not really into taxonomy and since even scientist can't always aggree on the classifications of reptiles it is hard for habbyists to know that they are buying what the think they are buying. A good example is with Boa constrictors (constrictor constrictor or constrictor imperator)Therer was a lot of argument a few years ago about where columbian boas fit there are also geographic subspecies, such as Suriname and Peruvian that sell for much more money but I have seen columbians that look like surinames and sometime they are cross bred, the only way to know for sure is to be there when the snake is caught. If you are buying boas and you want a specific subspecies your chances of getting what you pay for are better with a reputable breeder. and that is kind of the point with yellow verses glades rats. Hope this clarifies what I was getting at.