Help Omg Help

[HELP]

my dad is a lawyer and he is doing this divorce case and this madass woman came in today with this tin and inside was a four foot rat snake. Now own a lizard but this is a whole lot bigger and meaner lookin, so my dad bought it a cage and talked to the guy who sold him it and he said not to touch it because it's shedding and it might bite you, give it some water and put some newspaper down in the tank and put in a heat map so as i post this message there is a large snake in a about 4ft tank watching me. WHAT IN GOD'S NAME DO I DO WITH THE BUGGER?

[HELP]

it's a rat snake apparently

[snakelover111]

rat snakes are harmless

[CyberGhost]

Well thats not alot of infomation theres alot of diffrient rat snakes. What do we do to help you, your question it's really very specific. Like what do you want us to help you with. We would be glad to help. Just tell us how.

[ThEmAdHaTtEr]

Yeah rat snakes are harmless dont worry. Hell just watch you. You should get him out and handle him! lol. They are really cool snakes. Good luck with him.

[Rebecca]

I'm not an expert but you should have some hides for it. And it's not a human heatpad is it?? If so you need to get one that it made for animals. hope that helps a little bit.

[gonesnakee]

Find a friend or someone locally who has experience with snakes. Hook up with them & hopefully they can help you with everything. A Rat snake, no matter what kind has the same basic care as any Corn, Milk or king snake so any basic husbandry info. you find on N.American snakes pretty much applies. Depending on the type & temperment of the snake it may or may not be very friendly, especially if it is in shed. Chances are it has some attitude if they were eager to get rid of it & warned you it may bite. There is a possibilty it may be wild caught (?) & it may need some treatments for possibly both internal & external parasites. Use sites/books etc. to try & identify it properly & try the previous owner for more info. Not all Rat Snakes are easily handled, especially if it's mean & you are not experienced. Good Luck Mark

[eyespy]

I actually prefer human heating pads to one made for reptiles. Products made for humans are held to higher manufacturing standards than ones made for animals and have lower risks of temperature spikes because of that.

Any electrical device can malfunction and cause shocks, temp spikes or even fires so I seek out the ones most carefully inspected and regulated before sale. Then I connect them to thermostats to keep temp spikes under control.

[Linds]

You didn't specify exactly what you needed help with. If it is a question to do with the ratsnake and its care or management, try posting your question in the <a href="http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=15">General Colubrid Forum</a> ;)

[Herp guy]

look into a website that has a caresheet for them **king **snake .com is a good ione(take out the stars first)

[CyberGhost]

Hello this site has caresheets for rat snakes. I sware we all get to be members of this great site for free and we don't even endorse it. What kinda members are we [correction] you. Heres a link res://C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SHDOCLC.DLL/dnserror.htm#http://ssnakess.com/caresheet.htm and here one that takes you directly to the caresheet on a diffreint site.http://www.newenglandreptile.com/CareInfo/CareRatsnake.html have funn.

[HELP]

Thanks guys. Apparently it has been fed within the last week (frozen mice...yummy) so if I do need to feed it again what do I feed it? Thanks juvenile for the link.

[CyberGhost]

MY name is CyberGhost not juvenile I am a juvenile. And your welcome, feed him every 4-5 days frozen mice or recently killed.

[HELP]

Thanks again

[Tim and Julie B]

Everyone is assuming it is a North American species. It could easily be a Asian or Russian or even Europeon. HELP first off juvenile is just a name for how many posts a person has. Their name is th bold print in the top left so your name is HELP (funny :D)! Do you have access to a digital camera? Can you post a pic of what it looks like? If not, after it sheds maybe you can describe it to us. If it has been eating frozen mice then that is what you should feed it. Buy a frozen mouse from a pet store. Take it home trough it in a container and thaw it out under the tap with some luke warm water. Make sure it is thawed fully. If you are not comfertable with the snake you can just drop it in the cage and the snake will find it. Sit back relax and enjoy the show. After you feed it a couple of times you will get used to it. I take it this is your first snake. Could you describe it's cage better then we can tell you if you have everything you need. There is a lot to learn so just keep reading up on rat snakes but identifying it will help to determine what kind of care it needs.

[HELP]

the guy at the reptile shop said it will be a really beautiful red once it has shed. And I have looked at the link that cyberghost gave me and enclosure wise it needs pretty much the same stuff as my beardy.

[HELP]

hey guys i've given it a hide box and put a damptowel ontop of a tin lid and it has gone straight in and hidden

[HELP]

i handled it it feels really smooth

[Tim and Julie B]

That is so cool. Rat snakes make really good pets. After you get used to each other you will love him. Have you seen any pics that look like yours yet? Providing it with a moist area or wet box will help it shed. Wait until you see it after it sheds!!:D Good luck and I am glad this is working out.

[HELP]

Thanks again

[HELP]

looking for pics now

[HELP]

i think it's a leopard rat snake

[CyberGhost]

Good luck with the future of your snake, but I have a question why did a lady just bring a snake in a tin to your fathers practice? I just don't get this part.

[HELP]

i dunno it belongs to the guy she is divorcing and the landlord said that she could't put it in his appartment and the RSPCA was shut so she just dumped it with my dad. Insane I guess.