Black Rat Snakes
Julie Pascal
Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta, as pets. I'm interested
in temperment, size, ease of care, etc.
The pictures are kind of uninteresting. Are
they pretty in person?
--Julie
Patrick Alexander
: I'm looking for opinions about black rat snakes,
: Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta, as pets.
They kick ass. :)
: I'm interested in temperment, size, ease of care, etc.
Wild-caught black rats can be aggressive initially, but captive-bred
ones and long-term captives have been, in my experience, uniformly very calm
and docile... I've heard people say that they've found black rats to be
somewhat nervous and aggressive, but, well... 1), they were usually talking
about very young snakes (is there a ratsnake that isn't sometimes a bit
nervous and/or aggressive as a hatchling?) and 2), my personal and totally
unfounded bias is that some people just aren't very good at holding snakes
and find almost everything but a captive-bred corn to be nervous or
aggressive. :) As far as size, the adult male I've got is 5.5' long, and
all the other adults I've seen have been in the 5-6.5' range. Ease of care?
They're like corns, 'cept they get bigger, sometimes like vertical room and
something to climb on, and so far as I can tell are much more reliable
eaters as hatchlings.
: The pictures are kind of uninteresting. Are
: they pretty in person?
It depends a good bit. The one I've got isn't much to get excited
about, but I've seen others that look pretty incredible (though in a subtle
way; they're never gonna be "screamers" (which is all to the good, if you
ask me)). Generally they look much very good if they've got relatively
little patterning and are purely black/white, whereas some of them (like
mine) retain a decent bit of patterning and are a dark kinda yellowish-grey
between the blotches, and, while still reasonably good looking, are not, as
previously mentioned, anything to get excited about.
Patrick Alexander
"Private velvet animal empty t. v.
they're fishing in the kitchen
but they haven't caught up to me"
--King Crimson
VIN-PCF Wyvern
snake in terms of agressiveness/defensiveness, but if you get a good one...they
are great pets, handleable, and hardy eaters.
I've handled plenty of large wild adults that were sweet as kittens, downright
snappy, or were indecicive and simply just musked the hell out of what they
could and flee as soon as they were put down. One wild black we have had since
1994...showed up and refused to leave...let it go...came back, and so on for
like 3 months before we just kept it.
Wyvern
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Joe Blakes or Viper
>they pretty in person?
>
I think so. We have three gorgeous specimens where I work.
Kurt Kunze
New England Herpetological Society
Try the herp quiz! at http://www.neherp.com
Patrick Alexander
: you have a 50/50 chance of winding up with an insecure snake or a confident
: snake in terms of agressiveness/defensiveness, but if you get a good one...they
: are great pets, handleable, and hardy eaters.
I guess I've only really seen one half of that 50/50... 'cause even
the sole kinda aggressive one I've held was quite calm and relaxed with me,
just didn't seem to like other people as well, though still didn't musk them
and didn't strike more than a couple times...
Harriett
vinw...@aol.com (VIN-PCF Wyvern) wrote:
<Snip first part>
>....One wild black we have had since
>1994...showed up and refused to leave...let it go...came back, and so on for
>like 3 months before we just kept it.
>
When we first bought this house (9 years ago) which is out in the woods and had
been empty for a long time. It was full of wild life. There was a 5-6 foot
rat snake, I toted it off a fair distance from the house and turned it loose.
It got back before I did. I'd stomp and pound on the ground until it fled and
then chase it. As soon as I stopped chasing, it would turn and head for home.
I carried it off and chased it off, musta been a hundred times before we came
to a compromise. If he stayed out of the house (I have birds) he could stay in
the yard. When sunning himself on the front steps, he must disappear when I
come out. (His safety and mine) After a while I'd hear 'im and just see the
last few inches of his tail disappear under the house. 'Cause if he just sat
there I'd run him off into the woods again. I still have snakes under the house
but I rarely see them, and there has only been one since then that thought the
steps the perfect place for sunning. Made me crazy. I dang near broke my
backside many times coming down the stairs and not seeing him 'til my choices
were squish or fall.
I would rather have to chase possums out of the kitchen than live in town - but
that's a different story.
Harriett
VIN-PCF Wyvern
rat snake, I toted it off a fair distance from the house and turned it loose.
It got back before I did. <<<<
Yep, same thing almost...usually took a week or so for him to find his way
home. The woods here are full of rodent life, but I am guessing there was
something about fat domestic raised mice that he had a taste for over the
leaner wild ones cause every time we would find him again, he'd be in the
basement lazying about on top of the mouse tank. Always knew it was the same
snake due to distinct scars (prolly hawk talons) on him. Very sweet tempered
from the start and earns his keep very nicely when he's not lazying about with
the corn roommate of his in their cage.
:::sigh::: we do have a new wild black hanging about outside that apparently
has decided stealing food from the barred owl's cage is a great thing.
>>>>I would rather have to chase possums out of the kitchen than live in town -
but
that's a different story.
Harriett<<<<
LOL, hey pet possums make for good disposal units when the pet snakes rarely
make the decision that they ain't hungry and you don't want the mousie/rattie
to go to waste. :) My possums ate just about anything except carrots and lima
beans LOL.
Paul J Hollander
>in temperment, size, ease of care, etc.
>
>they pretty in person?
Adults are in the 4-7 foot long range. On a scale of 1 (best) to 5
(worst), I'd rate them no lower than 2 for disposition and ease of care
if you start with a captive born baby.
Black rats look better in person than they do in pictures. OTOH, if you
want spectacular colors, you might prefer a corn snake or a Sinaloan milk
snake.
Paul Hollander phol...@iastate.edu
Behold the tortoise: he makes no progress unless he sticks his neck out.
Harriett
>vinw...@aol.com (VIN-PCF Wyvern) wrote:
>>>>>I would rather have to chase possums out of the kitchen than live in town
- but that's a different story.
Harriett<<<<
>LOL, hey pet possums make for good disposal units when the pet snakes rarely
>make the decision that they ain't hungry and you don't want the mousie/rattie
>
>to go to waste. :) My possums ate just about anything except carrots and
>lima
>beans LOL.
>
I'm not talking about pets! <G> As I've said, I live in the woods [20 miles
from no where (it's really only eight)]. If the door is left open, no telling
who will come to visit. I really don't like possums. They must be the dumbest
(and ugliest) critter God put on this earth.
Had a blue jay a few years back (guessing just one) that would hang on the door
and screech at me if the dogs dish was empty. If the door was open he'd come
on in to tell me about it. Had to put up with him for about three years.
Don't like jays either.
Harriett
Chris Humphrey
ft) and a new Everglades that I just got. My grey is the best, great eater
and a fine temperment. One of my blacks is also great. He doesn't care for
grown rats, but he will eat several mice in a "sitting". He has never once
struck at me and is fun to hold. But, keeping with the 50/50 thought that
is mentioned in the thread, the other black is just down right mean. He
strikes EVERYtime you get near and continues to bite as long as you hold
him. he has brought blood several times and I just can't seem to get him
calmed down at all.
The glades rat will be the most beautiful if I can get him through the
winter. He is a hatchling, only about 6 days old as of today. He will need
to eat in the next week. Of course, he is pretty docile!
I love ratsnakes. I think they are the most overlooked snake right now. I
was at the show this weekend and there were several dealers that had small
blacks for $5. But even in the store they should bring less than $15.
I don't think you can go wrong with a rat snake in general, but from my
experience, you can get an ill-tempered one, just like any other snake.
Chris