# Colubrids > Ratsnakes >  Anyone keeping / breeding Trans-pecos rat snakes?

## artgecko

I've recently run across some gorgeous pics of these guys and found a FB group dedicated to them. I find their patterning and color variations, as well as morphs, fascinating.  I don't currently own any colubrids, so these guys would be a huge departure from what I'm used to.  

That said, I'd love feedback on temperament, activity level, feeding, and housing from anyone keeping or working with these guys.  I haven't been able to find much info online at all on these, except some pictures of different localities and morphs. 

Also, if you know of any good resources or breeders' websites that might be of use to me, that would be great.

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## Bogertophis

Probably my favorite snake (shh! don't tell the others!).  I've never bred the 3 adults I currently have, but I had others years back that did reproduce...it was way 
too hard not to KEEP them all, lol.  I prefer the 'normal' version, by the way...though 2 of my current ones are hets, one for silver & one for blonde.  They are 
snakes that you'll see a lot of...they're nosy as are most rat snakes and watch us as much as we watch them.  Active but NOT hyper snakes.

These are the sweetest snakes I know of:  curious & gentle, easy pets.  Nocturnal but not cranky by day.  They do need fresh air so please don't keep them in 
plastic cages...they do best in larger glass tanks with screen lids.  I've never known one to nose-rub on the screen to escape but they appreciate branches in the
tank...they gracefully seem to tiptoe over them & will often nap in the baskets I wire onto the branches, though they use the normal cool & warm side hides on 
the cage floor as well.  They are desert dwellers but don't worry about modifying the cage humidity...I've lived in the desert when I kept them before, and now 
live in a humid area, they adapt either way just fine.  

Substrate I use:  single layer of paper towels on floor, then a 1" mix of Carefresh & my own clean paper shreds.  Carefresh is hygroscopic & absorbent, but a bit 
"clumpy"...that's why I prefer to use 50:50 with paper shreds, to lighten it up.  I use a 12" x 12" UTH (Flexwatt) on each of their 40 gal. tanks.  My house thermo-
sat is set to 70* in winter & 80* in summer, and in the winter I use a black incandescent bulb (dimmed way down) to provide a warm basking area over their 
branches & their basket, & they seem to like that.  They stay very healthy & eat all winter too, btw.  They'd brumate in the wild for best fertility, but do not need 
a cool-down in winter otherwise.

They consume small adult mice (f/t) eagerly...they'll also eat baby rats (fuzzy/crawlers) of the same size, but that's too fatty long term...adult mice are better, it's 
OK to mix it up now & then though.  The hatchlings are shy but soon learn to take food from feeding tongs.  Hatchlings start on pinky mice btw.  In the wild 
they'd consume small lizards too but I've had no trouble getting hatchlings to feed on pinky mice.  As with any snakes, don't handle them until they settle in and 
feed easily for you...also best to give them time to do some growing.  And like other snakes, multiple hides they really fit in securely will "make their day".  

As far as sources:  the guy (in Maine) I got my current hets from is no longer breeding them.  My normal non-het male came from Coldblooded Novelties in N.C.  
(Frank Patinella), but all 3 were about 10 years ago anyway.  

Overall "degree of difficulty"-  about like a corn snake.  I find them adorable & very mellow, always, & they stay right about 4' long, a perfect pet size IMO.  
They handle easily & aren't likely to bite you.

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Charis (05-11-2019)

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## Bogertophis

BTW, I giggled when I read the title of this thread...I would have thought my "name" would have been a BIG give-away?   (Bogertophis subocularis)

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_FollowTheSun_ (12-31-2018)

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## RickyNY

Boger to the rescue!! I knew you had already answered when I saw the title of this Thread  :Very Happy:   :Good Job:

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*Bogertophis* (12-31-2018)

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## artgecko

Bogertophis-  Thank you for all the information!  I found a book about them on Amazon and ordered it..hopefully it will have a lot of information too.  I'll have to look at my housing options and room available as I only have racks and AP cages setup now.  I like the brighter color localities and also the higher contrast albinos I've seen.  Haven't seen many other morphs or localities yet.  There is a FB group about them, but it doesn't get a lot of traffic.

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## Jus1More

> I've recently run across some gorgeous pics of these guys and found a FB group dedicated to them. I find their patterning and color variations, as well as morphs, fascinating.  I don't currently own any colubrids, so these guys would be a huge departure from what I'm used to.  
> 
> That said, I'd love feedback on temperament, activity level, feeding, and housing from anyone keeping or working with these guys.  I haven't been able to find much info online at all on these, except some pictures of different localities and morphs. 
> 
> Also, if you know of any good resources or breeders' websites that might be of use to me, that would be great.


Hi Art...Happy New Year to you! I thought i would chime in on this as I also have a Trans Pecos rat snake (blonde phase). Let me just say one word for these guys, "Fabulous".... I got my little guy last year and absolutely love him to pieces. At first I had some feeding issues with him, as he stopped eating. But with the help from "Bogertophis", she helped me get my guy to feeding again and I am so very thankful for her expertise... 

I am slowly learning more about my guy and find these snakes fascinating. They definitely like their privacy and benefit from multiple hides. My guy does not use any of his branches to crawl on, but thats not to say he wont like them as he grows. The one thing I did not know when researching on these snakes were that they need ample amounts of ventilation in their enclosure. This piece of information is very important when keeping trans pecos rat snakes and so keeping them in a Exo-terra enclosures vs a plastic bin benefits them much better. (Thank you again to "Bogertophis" for sharing this info with me). 

Anyways, if you decide to invest in one of these snakes, I would say you would not be disappointed. Their gentle nature, awesome personality and beauty is what makes these snakes awesome. Plus, those big goggle eyes looking at you are just priceless...I love it!!!   :Very Happy:

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_artgecko_ (01-09-2019),*Bogertophis* (01-06-2019)

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## Bogertophis

They're addicting  :Wink:  and it does take time for them to grow up before they get brave about branches & "tree-houses", but that's something to look forward to.

As they grow & are handled, they also learn to feel safe in their environment:  you can tell because a truly shy snake will flee for cover when observed out in the 
"open", but mine usually stay on their branches (& baskets), quite unconcerned.  They are great pets...they clearly learn we are "safe" pals.

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## RickyNY

Definitely on my list of snakes

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*Bogertophis* (01-06-2019)

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## Bogertophis

Just to clarify about their need to be housed with good air flow (I recommend glass tanks with full screen tops):  above I said that "They are desert dwellers but don't worry about modifying the cage humidity...I've lived in the desert when I kept them before, and now live in a humid area, they adapt either way just fine."

Remember that we heat our houses in winter & our snake cages have some heat pretty much year-round.  That tends to minimize whatever the local humidity is.
The right substrate also takes care of that (Carefresh mixed w/ paper shreds).

Mine have always shed well too, without spraying the cage or otherwise raising the humidity. They have a modest water bowl to drink from, but I've never seen
a Trans Pecos soaking in a water bowl either.

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_artgecko_ (01-09-2019),_FollowTheSun_ (01-11-2019)

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## artgecko

Thanks guys!

My book (the complete suboc) came in yesterday, so I'm looking forward to reading up on care and husbandry.  I've already found a locality I like: Alpines, and a morph that I like (silvers and albinos), so that is helpful.  I like some of the blonde animals too.

I will have to greatly consider my housing options before making a move though.  I also have an interest in rosy boas, which need higher ventilation and lower humidity.  Because of space constraints, I'd lean towards housing in racks, but I'm thinking an open-sided rack would better suit both species...Now what size? that's the real question for me to consider.  I do have an empty shelf in my reptile room that could hold an exo terra, but only have room for one.  If I want to do a breeding project, it'll have to be racks of some sort and if I house rosy boas with them in the same rack, it'll have to be in a lower humidity room.  I do like that the TPRS can handle more humidity since that would make housing them in my current reptile room easier.

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## Bogertophis

Ultimately a Trans Pecos is going to need a somewhat bigger cage than a rosy boa.  TPs are about 4' as adults and they use every bit of a 40 gal tank that is 
36" long x 18" wide x 17" high.  They have a moderate activity level & happily use branches whereas rosy boas are somewhat smaller (females 40" & males 
about 30") and don't climb very much.   As far as the higher humidity where I now reside, I've been here for about 12 years with healthy TPS & rosies, etc.
A rosy would be better suited to a well-ventilated tub, if you "must", but honestly it's not fair to animals of any kind for us to own them when we cannot offer 
the optimal space & conditions they need.  BTW, my TP tanks are in my living room, though admittedly my house is fairly quiet (dogs but no kids).

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