PIcs of Rat Snake

[mars]

I dont know what kind it is. My dad cought at a park behind our house in denton texas. We thought we would keep he/she for a while. This is the meanest(sp) snake in the world. Cant even walk by with out it shaking its tail.
I will get better pics of him /she later.

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z...5/monty005.jpg
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z...5/monty006.jpg
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z...5/monty007.jpg
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z...5/monty008.jpg
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z...5/monty009.jpg

[sassygirl221983]

Why keep it when it's wild? Why not just go out and buy a snake if you want one?

[chimpkin]

I believe that is a common Texas rat snake. If you decide to keep it you may need to consult someone on the forum about treating it for parasites.
Snakes can manage their parasite load in the wild but when put in captivity, stress and other factors can make it sick (probably leading to its demise). Usually vets will take a fecal sample and tell you whats involved. It will probably be more expensive to treat this one than to just buy a captive bred one.

I think texas rats make good captives if you are willing to have an aggressive snake. I have a leucistic Texas Rat and she is a sweetheart (when shes not biting you in the face!).

[N4S]

Yeah i would let it go and purchase a snake that was captive bred.

Just doesnt seem fair for the snake to live most it's life in the wide open wild and than be minimized to a tank.

Plus you have a great looking setup too. A baby snake would love it in there.

Just my thoughts.

[mars]

no we have kept wild snakes for years before. But we know that we have to let him go. Not only becouse the parasites but we spent a lot mony mony feeding him/her. It eats for than my red tail boa.

[texastailfeathers]

Yeah, that's a Texas rat. They are mean SOB's. One of my friends caught one a few weeks ago and gave it to me (we live on the edge of Arlington/FW), and it was so defensive I couldn't even handle it. It took two days to get the musk smell out of the house. I was tempted to keep it at first, but I don't think it ever would have settled down. I released it back where it was found. If I ever do keep a WC Texas rat, it'll have to be one I found as a hatchling. I just don't think a WC adult is worth the effort (and $$$) you'd have to put into it.

[Kagez28]

i just got a cb texas rat, a leucistic, and agressive it is. strikes at anything moving in the tub.

i tried to read the broken english but it looks like you have to set it free because it costs to much to feed and eats more then your red tail boa. that doesn't make much sense but whatever.

save up some allowance money and get a nice captive born corn snake.

[wolfy-hound]

I'd like to point out that the wild snake probaly think you're going to hurt it or eat it. It was snatched up and stuffed into a tank. Every time it sees you, it thinks you're going to hurt it, it's scared.
Turn it loose instead of stressing it, and if you really want a spunky rat snake, get a CB.
Wolfy

[jjspirko]

Here we go again! God forbid anyone keep a wild snake, even a common Texas Rat, a snake that dies at a rate of about 100 or more a day on roads from traffic in the summer time in Texas.

If you want to keep it keep it. Any care sheet on a corn or other rat snake will tell you all you need. These guys are very hardy as for parasites the big thing to look for is mites and by all means do not expose any of your other snakes to it unless you treat it and quarntine it for at minimum 90 days. Yet if you just want to keep it and all, go ahead.

There is no good reason to jump a guy for this! Good lord! The only thing more common then a Texas Rat in Texas are bugs!

[Kagez28]

he said he wasn't keeping it because it cost to much money to feed, apparently it ate more then his red tail boa.

i just see no point in taking the risk of keeping a wild caught snake when you can get a nice tame captive bred corn snake for $20 from a breeder. when the snake is and i quote, "Meanest(sp) snake in the world". they maybe hardy, but does that say they don't have parasite, or any other kind of disease it can pass on to other snakes, reptiles, pets, ect. there's no guarantee that he will ever be able to actually hold it as it may never calm down. so what kind of pet is that?

the kid had a very nice set up, lots of room to climb around, and plenty of space to hide out, its a corn snake heaven. it's not like they are hard to find.

i hope no one takes this personal, i just thought i would throw some reason behind my previous statement. no harm intended.