My daughter has a baby corn that we are absolutely loving. Corns come in so many pretty morphs, and you can get almost any corn morph very inexpensively. That is the only colubrid I've owned to be able to speak from experience, but there are many more that interest me.

I'm partial to Cali Kings since I grew up in So. Cali and used to see them in the wild. California Mountain Kings are a different species, but they are gorgeous tri-colors.

Since you say you are partial to rat snakes, maybe one of the interesting colored ones? Everglades rats are pretty orangey yellowy things. I've seen pics on KS of a few black rat morphs, brindle and white-sided, which are both really pretty to me.

Don't overlook the asian rat snakes! I'm in love with them! I don't know which one(s) I'll end up with, but they are definitely on my must have someday list. I'm sure you've seen posts of Jack Spirko's Tai (Taiwan Beauty) and Medusa Owl's Ma-tsu and Neptune (Vietnamese Blue Beauties).

Here's an idea, don't worry about which one to get first! Just go to your next local show and get one of each!