Baby Rat Snake ID Help

Dedicated exclusively to field herping.

Moderator: Scott Waters

Post Reply
Fishbax
Posts: 3
Joined: September 15th, 2014, 9:28 am

Baby Rat Snake ID Help

Post by Fishbax »

Caught this little guy in Cherokee Co. TX near Lake Palestine. Can you tell if it is a TX or black rat snak at this age?

Image

Image

Image


Image
User avatar
Soopaman
Posts: 924
Joined: March 18th, 2012, 7:34 pm
Location: Houston, Texas

Re: Baby Rat Snake ID Help

Post by Soopaman »

It's a Texas Rat because the Black Rat subspecies doesn't range this far west. We only have the one subspecies in Texas.

That said, those in the eastern portion of the state tend to look darker than those in the field dominated habitats of the east-central and central parts of the state.
Fishbax
Posts: 3
Joined: September 15th, 2014, 9:28 am

Re: Baby Rat Snake ID Help

Post by Fishbax »

Soopaman, Thats what I thought too (darker the more East you go) but I read a post by Ratsnakehaven that said he had some light specimens from around Tyler TX.
Can the color and pattern really change that much? Most of the adults I see around here are very brown and dusky (and feisty). Just wondering if I should keep this little guy, give him to a more serious collector or let it go. Voracious eater of frozen pinkys already.
User avatar
Soopaman
Posts: 924
Joined: March 18th, 2012, 7:34 pm
Location: Houston, Texas

Re: Baby Rat Snake ID Help

Post by Soopaman »

You can get lighter colored specimens in the eastern part of the state, but in general they are darker. It's likely that yours will grow up to be fairly dull colored. I would let it go.
Fishbax
Posts: 3
Joined: September 15th, 2014, 9:28 am

Re: Baby Rat Snake ID Help

Post by Fishbax »

I appreciate that. I ll keep it another day or two and turn it loose by my shed. Unless someone here might want it.....
Thanks
Post Reply