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I got a nice big pair of Montgomery County, NC locality black rats from Scott at Uwharrie Reptiles this week. By my best measurements, the female is 5'8" and the male is 6'8" (and weighs just under 5 lbs!). I need to get some pics of them in hand since their size is hard to appreciate in these shots, but the floor tiles are 1 ft square to give you an idea. Here's the girl:

Big boy:

When I first got him out of the shipping sack, he hit the floor and got behind some furniture. I chased him to the tv stand and he set up shop in the dvd storage space at the bottom and started rattling at me, so I snapped this pic.

Other than that, both have been very well behaved though and I'm glad to have them. Oh yeah, I got a little girl from the same bloodline too.

She won't be the only little black rat around here soon since the pair is locked up as I type. Scott told me not to be surprised if they bred as soon as they got here and sure enough, they went right at it.

'bout time these snakes got a little respect! Thanks for posting!
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See all my snakes at SerpenTrack.com

Here's a shot of the lockup from this evening.

I couldn't get his whole body in frame, but this should give some idea of his girth.

I tried to get a shot of him straightened out while being held, but he cuffed me. He's strong enough that I really couldn't get my hands free until he released me-he's stronger than some boas I've handled.

Awesome black rats! Best of luck with getting eggs / babies. Nice locality project too...

I have kept a few over the years, and miss them a bit sometimes. My favorite was probably a Columbus, MO locality animal - I couldn't find a locality mate for him, so eventually parted with him.
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-Toby Brock
Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research

My favorite was probably a Columbus, MO locality animal - I couldn't find a locality mate for him, so eventually parted with him.

Did he have a lot of red between the scales? Seems like most I've seen pics of from the western localities have colorful interstitial skin-maybe from TX rat influence?

>>My favorite was probably a Columbus, MO locality animal - I couldn't find a locality mate for him, so eventually parted with him.
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>>Did he have a lot of red between the scales? Seems like most I've seen pics of from the western localities have colorful interstitial skin-maybe from TX rat influence?

Yes, he had dark red interstitial skin and a lot of red on the ventrum - great looking animal. And yes - Texas rats and black rats from the western end of the range are more closely related than obsoletus from disjunct populations. According to some taxonomists, Texas rats and western black rats are one species (obsoletus) and there are two other species of black rats - spiloides and allegheniensis...
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-Toby Brock
Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research

I really like that style of black rat. I had a female with just that coloration. Great snake too...somehow she just disappeared. That really bummed me out ;(
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See all my snakes at SerpenTrack.com