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What is it? I am thinking of getting one and wonder what they're like , in general. Have had limited experience with yellow rats which were very nasty, but then, they were only yrlings. Anybody have an opinion?

>>What is it? I am thinking of getting one and wonder what they're like , in general. Have had limited experience with yellow rats which were very nasty, but then, they were only yrlings. Anybody have an opinion?

Most will tell you that each snake is different and it is basically a hit or miss deal. However I have found (in my cases) that the Black and Gray rats seem a bit less nervous than the Yellows and Everglades.

Age and how often you handle your pet are two major factors. Younger snakes almost always seem naturally more nervous. Almost all rat snakes clam down with a little age and consistent handling though.
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Like I said; I`m Gonna Getcha Good!

I love em. They can be a my space your space kinda snake but I have only been struck at a few times. I don't handle my snakes alot and they are still calm. I have found that size does matter in almost all snakes (balls and corns don't count). As babies they are nervious that you might kill them. As they get bigger they don't find you to be as much of a threat. As adults they see, me at least as a food source since I feed them and little else seems to matter as long as they are fed when they think they should be. They are so used to frozen thawed that fresh warm tap water gets them thinking its food time. I got out of the shower and reached in the cage a couple weeks ago and got nailed and wrapped and let go and looked at in disgust. LOL
I guess I didn't taste good. But that is the only time I have been nailed by mine since they reached 18 months.
Later Jason

I would agree with the last post, I've been breeding my everglades for years and the only two bites I've ever had have been feeding response bites (guess I tasted okay as I even got a constricted arm on one of the times!) Other than that they are very tame, my male can be very alert and fast moving but still tame where as my female will just lay on my shoulders or on my lap and stay still and calm. I've never had a baby so much as rear up at me let alone strike and I must have bred nearly two hundred in the last few years alone. But as with so many snakes how you raise them has a lot to do with how they are as adults.

you have any pics of babies and adults out of your line.
Thanks Jason

I will try to get some pics of mine put up soon, my camera's out of commission for the moment, which is a shame as I want to put up some pics of everglades and update some pics of my bairds and the 7 baby bairdi that I had hatch the other day.

I've got 5 currently and I've never been struck by any of them. Like others have said, younger snakes can be less accustomed to handling but that should change as they age. In my experience, most young snakes are nervous about being handled. Here is a pic of a 2-year old amelanistic Everglades I got from Terry Parks. One word of advice, don't settle for any of these snakes that are probably more yellow than Everglades, There are too many people with high quality orange snakes available. I got a pair of hypos from Jim Merli last year that are turning out fantastically and Jason (Snakes Unlimited) has some great animals as well.

Wow Mark that is one gorgeous glades!

Dwight,
Drop me a line when you can.
Thanks Jason

Good to hear from you again. I might breed this guy to that gorgeous female I got from you a few years back. I little reduced melanism with her might make for some darn nice babies. We'll see what spring brings.

I saw a pic of one of Terry's breeders and it just glowed.It's a pity he doesnt come here anymore.The man produced some killer looking snakes.I have one of his bairds...Paul
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Taste like chicken