Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello,
I have a white sided rat snake that I purchased as a white sided black rat back in July.
His pattern is really light compared to pictures I've seen online. What should I look for to determine whether or not he's a black rat snake or if he's something else, white side texas rat perhpaps?
Also, I've had him a week less than 6 months and he has not shed since I've had him. I have been away from snake keeping for a while, but I can't remember one of my snakes going that long without shedding. I don't know what his age is, but he is just a hair over three feet, and he weighs 201 grams.
I am currently feeding him two rat pinkies every week. Should I adjust this feeding amount/schedule?
Thanks everybody

Your snake looks very much like a white sided black ratsnake. The only other north American ratsnakes I know of to have a white sided morph are yellow and everglades ratsnakes. White sided black are rarely black on their backs. Normally shades of gray, tan, or cream with black tipped scales cover the backs of W S black ratsnakes.

Black ratsnakes by nature are not allways black. they come in several other earth tone colors including grays browns and even reddish colors.
As far as shedding, if that was a recent picture, I wouldn't worry. If a shedding problem did exist, I would recommend a moist hide and a water dish big enough for the snake to soak in. Do you have a brighter clearer pic. Maybe that would be more helpful.

Thanks guys.
Here is a recent pic. I LITERALLY just took it.

And what do you guys think of his feeding schedule. I'm fairly confident that the prey items are properly sized. I'm just not sure of the amount and frequency.

and some fairly recent close ups

Offering two rodents about the size around as the thickest part of the animals body, once a week, or every other week, should be sufficient.
As far as type of snake, I would definitely go with black rat. Although genetic background is near impossible to tell, without some sort of extreme DNA testing. I see no reason to believe otherwise.
There are many basic care sheets on keeping ratsnakes online, including, I believe this website.

BTW Beautiful animal.

Thanks Amer,
I really love him. He had a great "personality" too. He's almost always out and about. Its so nice to hear "George is out AGAIN", than to hear "hey, come quick, one of the corns is out, hurry you can see it, quick... awwww too late" I just looked over and as usual George is looking back at me. He has three hides that he rarely uses. Most of the time he's either cruising around the tank, (currently a 55 gallon aquarium, but next month I'll be building him a custom enclosure) or sitting on top of the middle hide.
Thanks for the feeding advice, I guess I'm doing what I should be doing.

I had posted this subject on another forum before I got any replies here. Finally got some replies there and everyone that responded said I'm underfeeding my snake :\ I was also told that he's not shedding because he doesn't have enough food to grow.
Here is a picture I just took of George and the deli cup he came home in six months ago. Does this look like a snake that hasn't grown?

Love it! Not everyone should power feed their snakes. I occasionally turn the temp of my racks to room temp and let the animals go off feed for near a month, while carefully monitoring their weight. This also helps keep the snakes from being lethargic when food is introduced. Not to mention brumating snake for three months at 48-55 degrees with no food (after all previous meals have been excreted). If you felt your snake was being under fed, it wouldn't hurt to give him an extra mouse or rat if they'll take it. I have personally accidentally over fed a ratsnake (to death, some snakes don't know when to stop) some time ago.

I guarantee he'd take a third one if I offered it. He doesn't even have his jaw back in place from his second one and he's looking for more.
He's looking for food right now as a matter of fact, lol.
I keep telling him he's got to wait until tomorrow but he's not listening
I guess I could make him happy and feed him at midnight, it would TECHNICALLY be feeding day hehe

the original white sided black was black on top of white....she was gorgeous....the F1's were very nice also...since those years gone by....the WS /Licorices ...have been bred to all kinds of ratsnakes....some are mixed and some may still be pure...no way to tell 100% positively.....they do come in all shades....and all widths of striping....this one is very light....but again...no way to tell.....I had some for a few years....then opted to sell out...I kept the chocolate brown ratsnakes from the same lines....they were beats some of them....

the original that George Miskimmons had was so cool....she has since passed on....been what seems like decades....(it was..LOL)>>>.
-----
........JY

Oh my god, finally. I've had him for six months this past thursday. and yesterday , for the first time, his eyes finally started to cloud. I don't know what he was waiting for , but it's about time, LOL.
I've never seen a snake grow that much without shedding.

he finally shed today :]