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  1. #1
    BPnet Senior Member artgecko's Avatar
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    Anyone keeping / breeding Trans-pecos rat snakes?

    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.
    Currently keeping:
    1.0 BCA 1.0 BCI
    1.0 CA BCI 1.1 BCLs
    0.1 BRB 1.2 KSBs
    1.0 Carpet 0.5 BPs
    0.2 cresteds 1.2 gargs
    1.0 Leachie 0.0.1 BTS

  2. #2
    Bogertophis's Avatar
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    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.
    Last edited by Bogertophis; 12-31-2018 at 12:48 PM.

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  4. #3
    Bogertophis's Avatar
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    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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    Ailuros (10-18-2023),FollowTheSun (12-31-2018)

  6. #4
    BPnet Veteran RickyNY's Avatar
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    Boger to the rescue!! I knew you had already answered when I saw the title of this Thread
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  8. #5
    BPnet Senior Member artgecko's Avatar
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    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.
    Currently keeping:
    1.0 BCA 1.0 BCI
    1.0 CA BCI 1.1 BCLs
    0.1 BRB 1.2 KSBs
    1.0 Carpet 0.5 BPs
    0.2 cresteds 1.2 gargs
    1.0 Leachie 0.0.1 BTS

  9. #6
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    Re: Anyone keeping / breeding Trans-pecos rat snakes?

    Quote Originally Posted by artgecko View Post
    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!!!



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  11. #7
    Bogertophis's Avatar
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    They're addicting 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.

  12. #8
    BPnet Veteran RickyNY's Avatar
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    Images: 7
    Definitely on my list of snakes
    1.0 Freddy -Python Regius
    1.0
    Darby -Boa Imperator
    1.0
    Kenny -Morelia Bredli
    0.1
    La Reina -Lampropeltis Californiae
    1.0 Luciano -Drymarchon Melanurus Unicolor
    0.1 Macarena -Heterodon Nasicus Nasicus
    1.0 Hugo -Morelia Spilota Mcdowelli


    Morelia Mafia For Life

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    Bogertophis (01-06-2019)

  14. #9
    Bogertophis's Avatar
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    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.
    Last edited by Bogertophis; 01-09-2019 at 02:13 PM.

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  16. #10
    BPnet Senior Member artgecko's Avatar
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    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.
    Currently keeping:
    1.0 BCA 1.0 BCI
    1.0 CA BCI 1.1 BCLs
    0.1 BRB 1.2 KSBs
    1.0 Carpet 0.5 BPs
    0.2 cresteds 1.2 gargs
    1.0 Leachie 0.0.1 BTS

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