Rescue: Mystery Revealed!

[CTReptileRescue]

Here we go:
I recieved a call a few days back about someone who has three snakes but no longer has the space or time.
I will say that the owner was very nice and partially educated in snake care.
She said she had a ball python, an albino Kingsnake and a "South American Ratsnake". I asked if she was sure about the last name. She said she was and that she has even seen the snake on the discovery channel and they called it the same thing. OK, so off to research I went.
She said the snake was black with yellow banded markings. This is when I came to the realization that it was most likely a Tiger ratsnake. (You may have seen my post in the colubred section).
She shows up with the ball around her neck, the albino king in tupperware and a larger snake in one of those designer small dog carrying cases.
Guess who was there:



First carpet I've met that was nasty. Very, very jumpy. Will strike when you blink. (Taking those pictures was no easy task )
Owner belived the animal to be between 5-7 years old. She aquired it through "an aquaintance that bought it directly from South America, and was mistreating it, so she saved it".
We are hoping that she will calm a bit after some time and proper husbandry.
Hope you like her.
Rusty

[JLC]

Hoooly cow! That's a gorgeous carpet! What a shock to be expecing some sort of colubrid, and find that fiesty beauty staring you in the face! AWEsome!!

[4theSNAKElady]

Wow. she's got fire in her eyes...

[joepythons]

Wow that is one big ratsnake lol.Nice looking carpet

[Charlie Smith]

Nice save ....she looked like she might be a little fiesty-->spelling? before I had a chance to read....always skipping to the pics LOL. Hope she settles down with her good home.

Charlie S.

[Colin Vestrand]

nice... question:
when something like this happens, do you smile and nod, or do you say "oh, this is coastal carpet python, not a rat snake..."

[Smulkin]

Pretty jungle!

2/3 of ours have the attitude to match that one - bout how long is it?

Healthy feeder?

[CTReptileRescue]

nice... question:
when something like this happens, do you smile and nod, or do you say "oh, this is coastal carpet python, not a rat snake..."

We quickly explained that it was not a ratsnake. We showed them our three other carpets and explained what it was and where it came from. They still called it a ratsnake after that, but hey, maybe it is a secret new species of ratsnake... remember she did see it on the Discovery channel and they called it a ratsnake too...lol
Rusty

[CTReptileRescue]

Pretty jungle!

2/3 of ours have the attitude to match that one - bout how long is it?

Healthy feeder?

We are guestimating around 5 feet. Smaller then our other jungle and diamond, but close.( bigger then our coastal). As for feeding the surrender form states "fed four large rats every three to four weeks" also they found out that it will eat frozen thawed. They normally fed it live 99% of the time.
Apperantly she is an eating machine. We'll have to see.
I have found that with our other three they eat anything and everything. Do yours?
Rusty

[Smulkin]

Yep ours are voracious eaters - always seem anxious to get the nummies.

It would be a toss-up between the carpets and the bloods as to which group would pound down prey more.