ID help?

[Kaity]

I ran across this image (uncredited, unfortunately) and have been wandering around the net trying to figure out what species it is. The closest match I can find is a patternless Moellendorff's ratsnake, but it seems too pink all around. Thoughts?

http://i46.tinypic.com/kbyg60.jpg

[poison123]

the scales remind me of some type of Pituophis (some type of morph) but those eyes look like fish eyes. is this the only pic there was?

[infernalis]

rat snake of some sort..

[BarelyBreathing]

I rarely say this, but I'm stumped. It looks like some weird cross between a sand boa and a porph, but that's just silly.

[dinosaurdammit]

I rarely say this, but I'm stumped. It looks like some weird cross between a sand boa and a porph, but that's just silly.

its the eyes man! I would say this snake burrows- what ever it is, ive never seen eyes on the top of a snakes head that didnt burrow. Its a cool snake whatever it is

[BarelyBreathing]

its the eyes man! I would say this snake burrows- what ever it is, ive never seen eyes on the top of a snakes head that didnt burrow. Its a cool snake whatever it is

Exactly! And the texture of the scales. This snake was meant for moving underground.

[poison123]

the red tongue looks pretty cool

[BarelyBreathing]

Is it a long nose morph?

[EmbraceCalamity]

If you find out, let me know so I can buy one. :D

~Maggot

[StudentoReptile]

Diadem rat snake. The taxonomic name escapes me, but they pop up now again on wholesalers lists/tables, mainly those who do a lot of WC imports.

It's an African species, not really related to our North American rat snakes.

[BarelyBreathing]

Diadem rat snake. The taxonomic name escapes me, but they pop up now again on wholesalers lists/tables, mainly those who do a lot of WC imports.

It's an African species, not really related to our North American rat snakes.

That is it! Thank you!

[StudentoReptile]

This is one of those snakes that have been on my wish list. I love obscure African colubrids.

[EmbraceCalamity]

Diadem rat snake. The taxonomic name escapes me, but they pop up now again on wholesalers lists/tables, mainly those who do a lot of WC imports.

It's an African species, not really related to our North American rat snakes.Is it some kind of morph? 'Cause I Googled it, and some looked like this:
http://serpentrack.com/images/features/diadem_rat_snake_1a.jpg
And some looked like this:
http://www.indianetzone.com/photos_gallery/7/Diadem-snake_1537.jpg

~Maggot

[StudentoReptile]

I'm not sure if it's a morph or a locality. Not many breed these guys in captivity, so I don't know.

But that bottom photo is the typical coloration of the species.

[EmbraceCalamity]

I'm not sure if it's a morph or a locality. Not many breed these guys in captivity, so I don't know.

But that bottom photo is the typical coloration of the species.According to this: SerpenTrack*Featured Species (http://serpentrack.com/?c=main&a=featured_species&species=spalerosophis_diadema)

It says the bottom is a juvenile and the top is an adult, and it also says they're highly variable in patterns and colors. So I guess only someone who really works with these snakes would know. But I tell you what, if I found one of the ones that looks like the top one, I'd just have to buy it. Such a stunning snake.

~Maggot

[BarelyBreathing]

Whatever it is, I love these snakes! I've added them to my wish list.

[Jason_Hood]

Diadem rat snake. The taxonomic name escapes me, but they pop up now again on wholesalers lists/tables, mainly those who do a lot of WC imports.

It's an African species, not really related to our North American rat snakes.

Exactly right except they are more Middle Eastern and these look to be Royal Diadems Rat Snakes. As with many of the diurnal or arboreal snakes, it is far far better to buy CBB. It will take a bit more effort and a couple dollars more to do so but the pay off is huge! These guys are more racer than rat snake and have the attitude to back it up. If you buy CBB and young you can get them to be very placid and easy to deal with but a large WC can be a bit of a pain.

They are not chainsaws by any means but they do get a decent size and calmer is better. They also have a good hiss to them which is off putting to people not accustomed to hissing snakes. I had one clear a dozen kids out of my house one time... but they were easily scared.

Jason

[EmbraceCalamity]

Exactly right except they are more Middle Eastern and these look to be Royal Diadems Rat Snakes. As with many of the diurnal or arboreal snakes, it is far far better to buy CBB. It will take a bit more effort and a couple dollars more to do so but the pay off is huge! These guys are more racer than rat snake and have the attitude to back it up. If you buy CBB and young you can get them to be very placid and easy to deal with but a large WC can be a bit of a pain.

They are not chainsaws by any means but they do get a decent size and calmer is better. They also have a good hiss to them which is off putting to people not accustomed to hissing snakes. I had one clear a dozen kids out of my house one time... but they were easily scared.

JasonI'm a little confused about all the different pictures I've got turning up on Google. Some look like this:
http://serpentrack.com/images/features/diadem_rat_snake_1a.jpg
And some look like this:
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u267/sotexsgplains/IMGP1245.jpg

Do they go through a big change as they age or are they different morphs or what?

~Maggot

[StudentoReptile]

Thanks for the feedback, Jason. I do seem to recall they are more "racer-like" than ratsnake like.

[Kaity]

Exactly right except they are more Middle Eastern and these look to be Royal Diadems Rat Snakes. As with many of the diurnal or arboreal snakes, it is far far better to buy CBB. It will take a bit more effort and a couple dollars more to do so but the pay off is huge! These guys are more racer than rat snake and have the attitude to back it up. If you buy CBB and young you can get them to be very placid and easy to deal with but a large WC can be a bit of a pain.

They are not chainsaws by any means but they do get a decent size and calmer is better. They also have a good hiss to them which is off putting to people not accustomed to hissing snakes. I had one clear a dozen kids out of my house one time... but they were easily scared.

Jason

Thanks for the info! They seem really interesting, hope I can hunt down a CBB neo sometime.

[Jason_Hood]

I'm a little confused about all the different pictures I've got turning up on Google. Some look like this:
http://serpentrack.com/images/features/diadem_rat_snake_1a.jpg
And some look like this:
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u267/sotexsgplains/IMGP1245.jpg

Do they go through a big change as they age or are they different morphs or what?

~Maggot

You have pics of a baby and an adult. They do go through a change as they mature. I am not aware of any morphs but I am not up on the current state of things with them. There could be morphs by now...

Jason

[alessia55]

That's a really awesome snake. I'd like to see one in person some day

[dinosaurdammit]

so the question i have still stands, do they burrow?

[Jason_Hood]

so the question i have still stands, do they burrow?

If you put them on aspen they will burrow but so will most snakes. They are a desert dweller but not in the classic all sand that people tend to picture but rather low humidity, low annual rain fall, and oasis ravines. In this environment snakes tend to burrow into cracks and rock formations to get higher humidity and lower temps during the heat of the day. So yes they will burrow but a simple hide will suffice. I kept them on cypress mulch but I do that with most of my snakes. Most desert snakes are not as "desert" as we think. Most live in well drained soil with leaf litter cover and rock outcrops. They live between the dry outside and wet inside locations within their habitat. For most humidity near 40% is good.

Jason

[Jlassiter]

There are many species of Spalerosophis (Diadem Ratsnakes)
The most common is the Spalerosophis diadema diadema and the second most common being the Spalerosophis diadema cliffordi.
Out of the egg, both are very similar to the subadult picture up above, but the cliffordi does not go through an extreme ontogenetic change and will look much like a larger version of itself as a hatchling.

This is an ADULT cliffordi:
http://www.indianetzone.com/photos_gallery/7/Diadem-snake_1537.jpg

S. d. diadema go through a tremendous ontogenesis and end up tannish/orange with random dark splotches...Like the adult the OP has......

Just thought I'd add a tidbit of information......carry on......

[Snakeman8]

first ones a rat snake, discolored black rat
second is a cliffordi
scratch that, the first is a gopher snake

[poison123]

first ones a rat snake, discolored black rat
second is a cliffordi
scratch that, the first is a gopher snake

I dont see any gopher snake

[Snakeman8]

i was just about to fix that mistake right be fore you commented
diadem rat snake

[StudentoReptile]

Nope, no gopher snakes pictured here.