# Colubrids > Ratsnakes >  Calico morph?

## plateOfFlan

Hello - not planning on getting another snake anytime soon but I had a question about a Western rat snake morph called Calico.

I can see some babies on MM with this sort of overall whitish coloration:



and a google search shows these adults listed as Pantherophis obsoletus with the calico morph:






I can't find any place that confirms this but do these snakes start out white and gradually fill in with red, black, and yellow speckles over time? Because that's amazing! If anyone has one I'd love to hear about it. I also see some hatchlings listed as "Calico cow suckers" but I don't know if this is the same species/morph as the western rat.

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_Albert Clark_ (03-26-2022)

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## Bogertophis

I've had plenty of experience with this whole family (Pantherophis obsoletus & their close cousins) but none that are "calico".  However- normal 'black' rat snakes hatch with a pattern & gradually get darker, usually covering all or most of the pattern they start with.  Now 'black' rat snakes aren't all the same & they cover a wide territory- some have underlying colors of reds or yellows that you normally never see because they're black, but then they've been crossing in for albino or amel.

I used to have & raise Amelanistic black rat snakes, & they ranged in coloration- a few were solid pale peachy or only the faintest pattern, to a cream color with moderate or bold orange or red-orange pattern (like you see on sun glow boas) because they originated with hidden red/red-orange.  Since then, others are playing with other genes for white sides & calico, so if you're interested, I'd HIGHLY recommend that you ask the specific breeders to show you pics of the adults that produced the hatchlings- & bear in mind that in any given litter, they don't all turn out the same coloration or pattern- so ask them what they predict- they should have a pretty good idea.  And some people are crossing things just to get something eye-catching & "different", so always ask the source if it matters to you.

I have yet to hear of any cow that would stand still for a snake to suckle with needle-sharp teeth, so I promise that "Calico cow suckers" (& all "milk snakes") are grievously mis-named, whatever their genetics.   :ROFL: Besides that, snakes do not drink milk, no matter how many in southeast Asia try to offer saucers of milk to their admired cobras, although perhaps if there's no water, that could make a difference?

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_Albert Clark_ (03-25-2022),_nikkubus_ (03-25-2022),plateOfFlan (03-27-2022)

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## nikkubus

I don't do rat snakes but man, what a pretty morph. I agree, asking to see parents is probably a good idea since a lot of morphs with spotting have such variable results.

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_Albert Clark_ (03-25-2022),plateOfFlan (03-27-2022)

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## Albert Clark

I’m a colubrid guy but deal with the Arizona mountain kings, various garters, but no rat snakes. I do know there is a leucistic Texas rat snake but they remain leucistic throughout life. They are sought out in the hobby and are pretty much available. I would not be surprised if this is some sort of hybrid that has been sensationalised. This is just my personal take and I may stand corrected. Your initial photo I believe to be a *Leucistic* Texas rat snake. The colored individuals I think may be hybrids.

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*Bogertophis* (03-26-2022),_nikkubus_ (03-25-2022),plateOfFlan (03-27-2022)

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## Albert Clark

Maybe , just maybe Calico is a adopted hobby name and line?

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## Bogertophis

> ...I would not be surprised if this is some sort of hybrid that has been sensationalised. This is just my personal take and I may stand corrected. Your initial photo I believe to be a *Leucistic* Texas rat snake. The colored individuals I think may be hybrids.


Anything's possible- just like with BPs, some are trying awfully hard to come up with unique snakes that fetch higher prices.  And not all breeders will fess up to their "secret sauce".   :Wink:

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_Albert Clark_ (03-26-2022)

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## Albert Clark

> Anything's possible- just like with BPs, some are trying awfully hard to come up with unique snakes that fetch higher prices.  And not all breeders will fess up to their "secret sauce".


True, and to offer up the benefit of the doubt. These colored rat snakes may be natural intergrades occurring in the hobby. I dont really know.

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## plateOfFlan

> I've had plenty of experience with this whole family (Pantherophis obsoletus & their close cousins) but none that are "calico".  However- normal 'black' rat snakes hatch with a pattern & gradually get darker, usually covering all or most of the pattern they start with.  Now 'black' rat snakes aren't all the same & they cover a wide territory- some have underlying colors of reds or yellows that you normally never see because they're black, but then they've been crossing in for albino or amel.
> 
> I used to have & raise Amelanistic black rat snakes, & they ranged in coloration- a few were solid pale peachy or only the faintest pattern, to a cream color with moderate or bold orange or red-orange pattern (like you see on sun glow boas) because they originated with hidden red/red-orange.  Since then, others are playing with other genes for white sides & calico, so if you're interested, I'd HIGHLY recommend that you ask the specific breeders to show you pics of the adults that produced the hatchlings- & bear in mind that in any given litter, they don't all turn out the same coloration or pattern- so ask them what they predict- they should have a pretty good idea.  And some people are crossing things just to get something eye-catching & "different", so always ask the source if it matters to you.


This is really interesting, so the yellow-red gradient may be an existing pattern that was covered up and the calico may be an incomplete expression of amelanism? Asking for parent pics seems like the right way to go, that's a good idea.




> Im a colubrid guy but deal with the Arizona mountain kings, various garters, but no rat snakes. I do know there is a leucistic Texas rat snake but they remain leucistic throughout life. They are sought out in the hobby and are pretty much available. I would not be surprised if this is some sort of hybrid that has been sensationalised. This is just my personal take and I may stand corrected. Your initial photo I believe to be a *Leucistic* Texas rat snake. The colored individuals I think may be hybrids.


You make a good point because I saw a few comments scattered around the internet (so take as about as reliable as any comment on the internet) that the morph first appeared in Eastern rat snakes, which sort of implies moving it into Westerns (which seems to be more popular as pets) means hybridizing or just claiming the Easterns are actually Westerns (which I saw some people say is what's actually going on). In any case definitely not something I'd want to get from a random breeder only to find out 2 years later it's still as white as ever and I paid premium for a leucistic (which is still a beautiful morph, don't get me wrong).

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_Albert Clark_ (03-27-2022),*Bogertophis* (03-27-2022)

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## plateOfFlan

> Anything's possible- just like with BPs, some are trying awfully hard to come up with unique snakes that fetch higher prices.  And not all breeders will fess up to their "secret sauce".


I wonder if the huge number of available BP morphs puts pressure on breeders of other species to try to come up with more options. I've heard part of the reason Dumeril's aren't more popular is because they all have the same pattern, even though it's a very beautiful one.

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_Albert Clark_ (03-27-2022),*Bogertophis* (03-27-2022)

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## Bogertophis

> I wonder if the huge number of available BP morphs puts pressure on breeders of other species to try to come up with more options. I've heard part of the reason Dumeril's aren't more popular is because they all have the same pattern, even though it's a very beautiful one.


I'm admittedly just not "commercial" about snakes- I'm content with preserving what nature designed (carefully honed!) for survival in the real world, but that's not the page most snake breeders are on- it's all about the latest fanciest thing to admire & make money.  And the competition via the internet now pushes it ever further, IMO.  I've personally never thought there was any lack of beautiful rat snakes & other colubrids, but hey, that's me.  And normal BPs are beautiful too.  I'd also be VERY content with a plain ol' "normal" Dumeril's.   :Wink:   Healthy snakes in ANY color/pattern are beautiful to me.

When you step back you realize it's human nature to crave the "new", the colorful & the beautiful- I strongly suspect it's part of how & why we ourselves adapted & survived so well?  It's also why we buy new clothes & other things too, way more than we really need, so now our poor snakes have to keep changing colors & patterns for "fashion" & our insatiable creativity.   :Very Happy:   (Too bad they can't just wear clothes?)

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_Albert Clark_ (03-27-2022),Daniel_Effler (03-27-2022)

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## Albert Clark

Interesting and admirable take Boger! I concur with that mode of thinking.

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