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Yellow Rat Snake - ok for a beginner?

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yellow rat snake
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skov

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Hi All,

I recently bought my wife our first snake, a little Thayers King, and I've since decided I need to get a snake of my own :whistling2:

Anyway, I popped into our local reptile centre this morning to do some research, and spotted a lovely yellow rat snake there :blush:
He's two years old and was rescued from someone who wasn't looking after the poor guy properly.
The shop have spent the last few months fattening him up and getting him back to where he should be and he's now ready for a new home.

I'm really really tempted to go back and get him, but is he going to be suitible for someone new to keeping snakes?
 
#3 ·
Yellow rats are awesome snakes. They can be a little more touchy than a corn, and get a good bit larger, but if you do your research (and you're not bothered by the possibility it may be defensive), then they can make a great first snake.
 
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#7 ·
i say if you've fallen for the snake then go for it, i don't own a yellow but they are very pretty and sound like fun snakes.
rat snakes go way beyond corn snakes and people often forget that, but it doesn't mean they aren't good snakes for beginners :2thumb:
 
#10 ·
skov said:
Thanks for the replies all.
As it happens I popped back to the shop this afternoon and he's now settling into his new home :blush:
He's certainly a feisty fella, but hopefully won't be too bitey!

Should I let him settle in for a while before I try to handle him?
Click to expand...
If the sake doesn't seem too skittish when I get it home, i normally actually feed on the first night then handle 48 ours later. Most people tend to stick with 'leave it a week then feed' but I tend to ignore that and have never had a problem. I do always tend to give a feed before handling, obviously waiting 48 hours to handle.
 
#13 ·
skov said:
Thanks for the replies all.
As it happens I popped back to the shop this afternoon and he's now settling into his new home :blush:
He's certainly a feisty fella, but hopefully won't be too bitey!

Should I let him settle in for a while before I try to handle him?
Click to expand...
Congrats and do post some pics when you take them :)

I let all mine settle for a few days to a week before handling them, I like them to settle for a bit.

Enjoy your new baby :)
 
#17 · (Edited)
i've done the "wait a while til they settle in" thing most times, to be fair, but i am starting to agree with the idea that what will make them feel most at home is the fact that food is available in their new territory...so that seems a better idea to me.

he's flipping gorgeous! nice choices for first snakes! Thayers are nice too!
 
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skov
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