How are Texas Rat snakes to keep...

[Kahlua]

Tax season is coming up & am thinking about getting another snake (like most of you am sure lol )

Been thinking about getting a Leucistic Texas rat snake...they are GORGEOUS & have been eyeing them for some time.

Care looks simple enough...am just a lil hesitant about their temperament, I've heard that most rat snakes have an attitude problem & being as my current 2 snakes are a BP & Rosy boa & have yet to experience getting bitten...am not sure if I'm ready for a feisty species.

Any tips/advice about this species...appreciate your thoughts!

[smalltimeballz]

I've only dealt with the ones I've caught as a kid. Those always had nasty attitudes. But I'm sure captive bred will be a little better. If you're worried about getting bit, get a few (or make) appropriate sized snake hooks to handle/ hook train the lil bugger and use tongs/forceps to feed it.... that way your hands are never in the way to get bit. And once you get confident, you can start picking it up by approaching it from its back end, not the head. Getting bit by a rat is about as bad as getting nailed by a ball: a sharp surprised pain followed by a bit of blood, nothing serious.... but still not fun in my opinion. I don't like to get bit by anything and will even hook a ball if its being feisty lol

[Pyrate81]

Experience:
I've handled a male lucy texas rat which was a total dream and has a temperament which is almost boa-like. Very calm and relaxed, it was a dream. I wanted to steal him. That snake has a sister I never met who was a total witch. Supposedly a nasty little girl, I probably would've loved her more. I have a thing for snakes with bad attitudes.

Somewhat related:
I have an Albino Black rat and a yellow rat snake. The black rat is calm as anything and the yellow rat is a little high strung but hasn't nipped me in months, he likes to musk though. I'm still working with him after his previous owner probably didn't handle him well and got rid of it after it bit his 2 year old(What an Idiot!).

IMO/XP:
Bigger rat snakes seem calmer/gentler while the smaller ones such as everglades and yellow can be a bit wirey all are good snakes.

Overall:
I would definitely recommend one and may get one myself in the future. A "bad attitude" which these snakes has been seldom heard in my experience and they seem to have more of a "corn snake attitude" which is very chill. I don't think you can go wrong with them. Have you ever been stung by a bee? A snake bite is barely noticable in comparison, it's just how quick they strike that gets you. I tell everyone I talk to "I'd rather get bit my a snake than stung by a bee." Good luck.

[iPanda]

Old thread, but I'm going to bump...
I got a leucistic rat snake for the same reasons...cute as can be. And he's a little terror...but to be honest, it's kinda what makes me love him so much. When they're small, the bites hardly ever draw blood, and hurt less than getting poked for blood. And that tail rattle is SOO CUUUTEEE.

See. Cute. Get one. ;D

[bumblebee1028]

Old thread, but I'm going to bump...
I got a leucistic rat snake for the same reasons...cute as can be. And he's a little terror...but to be honest, it's kinda what makes me love him so much. When they're small, the bites hardly ever draw blood, and hurt less than getting poked for blood. And that tail rattle is SOO CUUUTEEE.

See. Cute. Get one. ;D

He's adorable!

[platinumbp]

[QUOTE=Pyrate81;2210690]Experience:


Somewhat related:
I have an Albino Black rat and a yellow rat snake. The black rat is calm as anything and the yellow rat is a little high strung but hasn't nipped me in months, he likes to musk though. I'm still working with him after his previous owner probably didn't handle him well and got rid of it after it bit his 2 year old(What an Idiot!).


Idiot is right. He probably blamed the snake and the toddler for not "playing well together."

[platinumbp]

Bumblebee:

That pic is so cute. Rat snake eyes are so expressive! Big, round toy snake eyes.

[Bluebonnet Herp]

I got quite the chewing from one Texas rat I snatched out of the road once. Despite his best attempts to rip my arm off, I was surprised at how little pain there was. It was very tolerable, unlike when one of my cats gets angry at me. I wouldn't worry about it whatsoever if they have a temperament or not, unless it's going to be around kids or used as an educational animal. They can draw blood, but that's just the anti-coagulant saliva doing what it does.