yellow rat

[ydnic]

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/4088yellowrat1-med.jpg http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/4088yellowrat2-med.jpg http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/4088yellowrat_3.jpg

here are my yellow rats I just got, I was about to clean out their cage but the way they were looking at me I thought I`d grab a picture or two!

I haven`t seen any action yet but I hope they`ll produce this year!

[wizbit13]

Hi. Cracking snakes you have there. How big are they both?? Still trying to work out whether mine is a yellow rat or a grey. Head looks identical to yours, but the body is totally different, which young yellows are, but I still think mine might be a cross between the two. Anyways, i'm rambling. Cracking snakes and good luck with them.

Adam

[ydnic]

I haven`t measured them - but they are over four feet anyways.

post a picture of yours!

[Katt]

Do I *ever* miss those guys!! I sure hope you produce. Probably buy a trio!!

Best of luck!!

Wait for them to shed.

[crackedcorn]

Yes i agree, cracking snakes! thats a diff. way of putting it but i like it. Your rats either love the camera or are wanting food, lol. seems like their posing.

[ydnic]

actually they are waiting for my hands so they can bite `em!

[wetlander]

actually they are waiting for my hands so they can bite `em!

LOL they do like to do that!

[bighillreptiles]

Glad that you like them I miss them allready lol thay are not that bad wonce you have them out of there tank

[Katt]

Ah, Paul, those are the yellow rats, Cindy got from me! Not the ones you sent to Swift! >laugh<

Bite you? Are they trying to bite you? Really????? I found them very docile and very nice snakes to handle.

[ydnic]

Yeah Paul get your act together!

Yes bite me! They are NOT very nice Katt!

Well actually I was only bit once - but that was enough - now I quickly grab them by the neck (does a snake have a neck - lol) and hold them there the entire time!

[bighillreptiles]

so sorry everyone my mistake lol

[Katt]

Grabbing them by the neck may make them a lot more nervous and prone to biting. You might also damage them that way as yellow rats are pretty slim.

The best way is to approach them calmly and scoop them up by the body. Then allow them to move about your body as they please.

They need to feel relaxed, before they will breed. I have never known a snake to calm down with neck grabbing.

[ydnic]

well trust me I don`t grab them that much - only while I clean their cage or feed them

They really aren`t that bad - but you see the way they are looking in those picture - thats how they always look - and seriously when I stick my hand in the rubber maid they move their face to my hand very fast - (and since that is how I got bit) I can`t say I trust them too much.

heheh - don`t worry I am pretty gentle - but firm I usually pick them up by the body with and oven mit and than hold then let their body wrap around my arm then hold them up by the head - I am sure I won`t damage them Katt. :)

[Katt]

Yeah, rat snakes are really visual, they will watch whatever is moving. That's why they are looking at your hand when it enters their "territory".

Please post more pics!! I still think those guys are coolest NA ratsnake!

[vanderkm]

Great looking pair - love the expressions! Have to agree with Katt on the rat snakes being very visual - our guy really watches everything closely -

Hope to see more pics and hope they settle down so you don't feel so threatened by them,


mary v.

[thunder]

i remember my yellow rat. he was a rescue, and at first i really didnt trust him because of my past experiences with obsoleta, but he was actually a sweetheart, and was used in education because of it. they are wonderful snakes to watch, so active, especially with the climbing.

[ydnic]

I agree with you Katt - they are super cool!
I am going to wait a couple days and then I will bring them out again and just handle them.

Its not that I am soo threatened by them - I `m not scared of them biting me really - I am more scared that they could hurt themselves biting me or that they are too stressed. I definately plan on taming this puppies down. Although like Katt says they were very calm for her - it could be that they got yanked out of Burmation, thrown in a car and thrown into new cages - they may be just stressed about this whole move.
Who knows - i`ll have to ask the pet psycic - lol

They are great anyhow, and I can`t wait to have them comfortable.

[wizbit13]

Originally posted by ydnic
I haven`t measured them - but they are over four feet anyways.

post a picture of yours!

Here is a couple of pics of mine.

http://img120.exs.cx/img120/1609/839jl.jpg



http://img120.exs.cx/img120/6469/795jd.jpg

Adam

[wizbit13]

Crikey.....did not realise they were gonna be that big!! At least you can see them in detail!!

Adam

[ydnic]

thanx Adam
heh - cool snake! nice pictures too


Cindy

[melbatoast]

Beautifull snakes, both of you. Good luck with the breeding.

When we were deciding or not to purchase mine, she bite my fiancee, so we bought her! lol. She's doing much better now tho, settled comfortably at home.

[ydnic]

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/4088myrat.jpg

That is the male

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/4088fyrat.jpg

That is the female

[Katt]

Woo!!! Now get some babies going!!!

[CamHanna]

Adam,

How old is your yellow rat? To me it looks kind of like a Deckert's Rat Snake; the Upper Keys variant of the Yellow Rat Snake. It could also be a 'classic' yellow that hasn't changed yet. Gulf Hammock Rat Snakes (Gray x Yellow intergrades) are normally not as richly coloured as your snake is. They are usually light gray with dark stripes and blotches.

You can find photos of each ‘subspecies’ on the net. You will likely have better luck if you search for the defunct latin names: Elaphe obsoleta deckerti (Deckert's Rat Snake) and Elaphe obsoleta williamsi (Gulf Hammock Rat Snake). Both of these subspecies were synonymized with Pantherophis obsoletus quadrivittatus which later became Pantherophis alleghaniensis. I can provide an explanation of the taxonomic changes if you like.

Cheers,
Cam