Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a normal black rat and a leucistic black rat.If bred together what would the outcome be?Can I breed them together whithout hibernating them?

pretty sure you would get 100% hets. Not sure on brumating but you could most likely breed without it. I have a pair that I will be breeding also and had a few questions for whomever knows... good size/weight for breeding? or age, but would prefer weight/length. thanks
-----
0.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
1.0 Redtail "Kilo"
1.0 Ball Python "Wilson" (Castaway)
1. Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Chunk" (Goonies)
.1 Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Peaches"
0.0.1 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Onyx"

I forget to tell that my normal is het for leucistic

IF your normal is het for leucistic, then about half the offspring should be leucistic. The other half will be het.

thanks duffy that helps my choice alot I will probably be breeding them

I have done this cross a few times, and if the leucistic is in fact a black rat, then you should get 100% het leucistics. The interesting thing about leucism is that with most species, such as balls, and blacks, etc. A het leucistic is actually a visible trait (Rusty). In the Ball pythons they are called Fire balls, or Flame leucistics or whatever. The leucistic texas rat is the only species that I currently know of that does not have a visible het for leucistic trait. I put a couple of the pics of the rusties I have produced.

I've enver heard that before. Any chance you can post pics to show how it manifests?

The pics in the post above are from breeding a leucistic to an albino. There were 12 eggs and all 12 came out as Rusties aka het. leucistic. I did a cross the following year with a different leucistic to an albino and again produced all rusties(het. leucistic). I have also bred rusty(het. leucistic) x rusty(het. leucistic) and produced some leucistics, some rusty(het. leucistic) and some normals. The first pic in the above post is from last years leucistic x albino. the second pic is from this years. Both clutches of rusty(het leucistic) looked identical when they hatched, but as you can see, at 1 year old it has turned more of an orange color, but still a very stunning animal. Hope this helps

The lucy's I got from you(Dewey) a few years ago should go in the spring.Will lucy to lucy yeild all lucy's?Or could I see a rusty pop up?
Mike in Williamsport Pa.

Theoretically you will produce all leucistics. However there is one variable that may exist. There is 2 different strains of leucstic in the black ratsnake. One originated from Larry Roach, and the other from Darin Bell. I have not yet been able to cross a leucistic from each. If all goes well I will be able to do that cross this coming season. So if the strains are compatible you will get all leucistics, in the worst case if they are not compatible you will get all Rusties. Now my memory is not that great and I can't remember if you have 2 leucistics from the same strain or if you have one of each. Do you happen to remember if I told you where your leucistics originated from?

If my memory serves me correct,I believe you said thet were from maryland.Though I do remember us speaking of lucys from erie? Either way,I'm looking farward to whatever they produce.
Mike

Mike,
My brother Jason was the one posting above. I am 99% positive you got both snakes from a breeder in Md by the name of Floyd Presley. The stock that you got was from the Ohio/Erie region (Bell stock). Those leucistics produce interestinr rusty babies, but you probably won't get any from a Leu x leu cross. You should get all leucistics. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Dewey

,

The black rat is a northern enough species that if you truly wish to breed them your best bet will be to brumate. Some of the southern rats (like corns) you can go either way, but I would at least cool the blacks down as much as you can and make sure they get lots of darkness (at least equal to the short days we are about to enter)if you want a high liklihood of success.
Duffy