Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I know not many breeders keep this species, Elaphe bimaculata, but they are very interesting snakes and make a hardy pet. We've been trying to create a popular line of bimacs, experimenting with color forms, since about 1996. It doesn't help that they have just about the most powerful musk of any ratsnake, haha, but the variability is really great for a snake with limited range, which will get even smaller once the Yangtze River Project is completed. I'll post some of the variation that has gone into our snakes,so far.

This is a 2004 male that is about 75%, genetically, of the blonde variation, mixed with the common brown. He's from last year's brood. Notice the well defined pattern...

One of our hopes of the future is this 2003 male. He doesn't have the best color, but it will mix well with the blonde phase. He has a nice pattern and temperament and has never refused to eat thawed. He's of the brown phase...

One color variation we haven't mixed into our main line of bimacs, yet, is the silver phase. I've only had one female ever, and she was pretty old. She died with the egg delivery in 2002, and I could only get two babies to hatch from that clutch. She had great color and a reduced number of blotches that were well defined. Her two young, a male and female, are nearly 3 yrs. old, but not ready to breed just yet. This is a 2002 photo of the original female which I wish I still had...

The main color phase I've used in breeding has been the blonde phase. This phase is not supposed to be that rare, but I've been unable to obtain a blonde male. If anyone would like to sell or trade a blonde male, please let me know. This is an old photo of the female, but the best one I have. Sorry for the repost...

This female is full grown at about 36 inches. She eats very well and usually produces 8 eggs, every other year, for us. She also has a great temperament and is not as fiesty as some of the others, rattling tail, etc. I expect we'll get at least one more breeding from her.

If anyone has a color phase I don't have, or would just like to talk bimacs, please let us know. Eventually I'm hoping there'll be some mutations with this species as well. Would like to know more about that albino that's out there somewhere, hint, hint

Thanks for listening, if you made it this far.

TC

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Ratsnake Haven...researching ratsnakes since 1988

Ratsnake Haven Group...an information providing list site.

Cool photos Terry. Do you know whatever happened to the amel that Glenn P had? I think it was a bimac anyway but could be misremembering.

I haven't talked to Glenn recently, but the last I heard he had given the amel. to someone to breed. It might have been Karl Krumke. I sure hope it bred, but I think the snake was kinda old and stubborn. I'd love to work on that project. Let me know if you get any

Terry

Hey Terry and Dave! Hope all has been well with you both. Just talked to Karl at Daytona and she did not breed again this past season. I honestly don't think she will ever. She may be sterile! Who knows. She really is a nice animal. Karl told me the Klaus confirmed that she is a bimac so who am I to doubt the Emperor of Ratsnakes!

Dave love the mutabilis (sp?) pics below! I do have someone who needs a male if you have some luck breeding them this coming season. Good luck with that!

As for me I'm pretty slim on the ratsnakes these days or colubrids for that matter. I had some more rhyno rats this year so that was cool. I tried my DH hypo x patternless taeniura but no luck. They are bigger and will be tried again this next season. Only other colubrid in the collection are my lineaticollis. Gotta love 'em!!! Anyhow drop me a line to chat if you want.

best wishes,
Glenn
GNP Reptiles

Thanks for the update on the albino bimac. Too bad she never produced...would have been a great addition to the hobby.

Good luck with your taeniura next season. Those lineatacolis sound nice too. Most people that have seen them say they look a lot like ratsnakes. If so, maybe you could post some photos and make some comments on them. Look forward to seeing them someday.

Terry