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Thread: What is he?

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    Registered User Snekgirl's Avatar
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    What is he?

    Hi.
    So I have a snake that for the few months I've owned him, I've never known his species for sure. The display on his tank where I got him said he was a king snake, but the receipt said he was a milk snake. The issue is that he doesn't look like a milk snake at all. So I ask if anyone has any clue as to what species he is.

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    Bogertophis's Avatar
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    Looks like a gray rat snake from here...google photos of Pantherophis spiloides, or a young Pantherophis obsoleta (black rat snake). All in the same family,
    these & yellow rat snakes too...they start out with the shades of grey blotch pattern, then darken to black or change to yellow...only the gray rat snake
    keeps his juvenile blotch pattern. Excellent pet snakes...get bigger than corn snakes, easy to feed. I currently have 2.2 "Florida" rat snakes...mix of yellow
    & gulf hammock rat snakes (neighbors in the wild, along with grays), & I've had black, gray (White Oak phase), & Everglades rat snakes (bright orange w/
    yellow chins) in the past.

    And you're right, he's definitely NOT a king or a milk snake. Better pet too, IMO...I love rat snakes.
    Last edited by Bogertophis; 09-11-2019 at 12:29 AM.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

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    Snekgirl (09-11-2019)

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    Bogertophis's Avatar
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    Welcome to keeping rat snakes!

    You'll want to put some branches in his cage...they love to climb & are very good at it.
    Last edited by Bogertophis; 09-11-2019 at 12:36 AM.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

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    Bogertophis's Avatar
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    How's he doing for you? Any problems feeding? (they're usually great eaters, & readily take frozen-thawed rodents of appropriate size) How long is he now?
    BTW, "rat snake" is just a nick-name...they can go thru life eating mice if you want, or small f/t rats when they're big adults.
    Last edited by Bogertophis; 09-11-2019 at 12:41 AM.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

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    Registered User Snekgirl's Avatar
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    He's doing great. He's a little underweight at the moment as I just found him after he's was missing for three months. He eats f/t fine, I've never had any trouble with him in that regards. He does have a major attitude and has tried to bute1 me through his tank. He's still about the same size he was in the picture.

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    Bogertophis's Avatar
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    Re: What is he?

    Quote Originally Posted by Snekgirl View Post
    He's doing great. He's a little underweight at the moment as I just found him after he's was missing for three months. He eats f/t fine, I've never had any trouble with him in that regards. He does have a major attitude and has tried to bute1 me through his tank. He's still about the same size he was in the picture.
    Wow, 3 mos.!? Long time for a youngster. Don't take it "personal" about "trying to bite you thru the glass". Snakes go after motion- they don't identify us or prey by vision, so if they're hungry, you can tell because they chase motion thru the glass, & might accidentally nip you if there's no glass, so try not to wiggle your hands around like prey. A really hungry snake will bite (catch) first & ask questions later, lol. Bites are very insignificant, but I prefer to avoid them anyway. Just be patient & handle on a regular basis (not immediately after a meal) so he knows you while he's smaller. Hard to tell size with nothing for size reference in photo, but I'm assuming he's young, so he will be hungry often as he's growing a lot. I feed "baby" rat snakes at least once a week...you can gradually lengthen the time between meals when your snake grows bigger & is eating larger prey (that takes longer to digest). I hope you've figured out how he got loose & found a way to prevent that...snakes are too good at "hide & seek" but our houses are dangerous for them to be loose in.

    If his "attitude" (trying to bite you) is not simply hunger, also remember that baby snakes have many predators after them in the wild, & that the only thing
    that normally picks them up is a predator about to eat them. So remember that he's afraid of you too. If you're patient & identify* yourself to him before you reach into his cage, he'll learn that he doesn't have to be so defensive. *Rat snakes have an excellent sense of smell...I often blow across my hand thru the screen tops of my snake's cages to give them my scent, so they recognize me, & also so they know it's not "dinner" on the way.
    Last edited by Bogertophis; 09-11-2019 at 01:11 AM.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

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    Registered User Snekgirl's Avatar
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    Back when I first got him, I was handling him almost every day, but then there was a 2 week period in the middle of summer when I couldn't get into my house to feed or water him. I wasn't sure if he would still be alive after that. I did figure out how he got out. I misjudged just how good snakes ars at escaping near impossible situations.

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    Bogertophis's Avatar
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    Re: What is he?

    Quote Originally Posted by Snekgirl View Post
    ...He does have a major attitude and has tried to [bite] me through his tank. He's still about the same size he was in the picture.
    These rat snakes are pretty competitive survivors in the wild anyway, but the fact that yours was loose for a few months also makes him more feisty & defensive now too.

    Try not to be put off by that, stay patient & he should tame down for you...these are fairly smart snakes. (I'm just saying "he"- I obviously cannot tell gender from here.)

    Quote Originally Posted by Snekgirl View Post
    ... but then there was a 2 week period in the middle of summer when I couldn't get into my house to feed or water him. I wasn't sure if he would still be alive after that. I did figure out how he got out. I misjudged just how good snakes ars at escaping near impossible situations.
    I'm afraid to ask ...but I'm glad he survived OK & I hope that never happens again.

    As far as handling, when I've bred & raised these from hatchlings, I didn't handle until they were a little older (bigger) & steady feeders (as yours is now), then some daily interaction shouldn't be a problem. His time on the loose made him a little more defensive & self-reliant, be patient.
    Last edited by Bogertophis; 09-11-2019 at 10:29 AM.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

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    Registered User Snekgirl's Avatar
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    Thanks for all the help. I assumed he was a species of rat snake about a month after I got him but because his back didn’t look like the rat snakes where I live, I thought he was a corn snake because the markings on his back look similar.

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    Bogertophis's Avatar
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    Re: What is he?

    Quote Originally Posted by Snekgirl View Post
    Thanks for all the help. I assumed he was a species of rat snake about a month after I got him but because his back didn’t look like the rat snakes where I live, I thought he was a corn snake because the markings on his back look similar.
    Pretty good guess...& it's confusing because (just as corn snakes do) this family of rat snakes (gray, black, yellow) mostly look different as hatchlings, then grow into their adult colors. At some point, it would be helpful to know the gender of your snake...you might try to ask a local vet (that knows snakes) or a breeder. I say this because the gender helps determine how big this snake will grow, so you can plan for "his" adult sized cage. Many sources mostly say 4'-6' for these, but with my Florida rat snakes, the males are about 7' long at age 11+ years, while the females are only about 5' long (same age). This is due in large part because the females keep trying to reproduce, even though never bred; every summer they lay double-clutches of infertile eggs, up to 27 in the first clutch, then a somewhat smaller 2nd clutch, all of which keeps their appetite revved up but their bodies smaller, since much of their nutrition goes into the eggs. Silly girls!!! Not all female rat snakes do this however, & no way to predict either. I truly wish mine would knock it off! They're trying to cover the planet with their offspring.
    Last edited by Bogertophis; 09-11-2019 at 02:46 PM.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

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