Another day another new friend

[blacktara]

The recent heavy rain has em out in droves. A colleague of mine found this one while mowing his yard this morning

Scale pattern on the head appears identical to the Texas Ratsnake I found a few days ago, tho the coloration is totally different

And this one is only about a foot and a half long

He came home and posed for pictures (the snake, not my colleague, we're not like that in Oklahoma )

 

[Mushroom Spore]

Aww, lookit that cute little snakey face.

 

[Beardo]

Pretty sure thats a baby Racer or Coachwhip.

 

[blacktara]

Cool. How big do they get and what should I feed him?

 

[Bear Foot Inc]

Yea i'd say coach whip or racer. Not a rat, thats for sure.

 

[Drachenjager]

here he comes here comes black racer hes a snake on wheels ....oh wait ....

 

[Gsc]

Hey Blacktara- you should invest in an Oklahoma field guide for your local snakes.... It'll help you ID them much easier. There are fourms for specific types of snakes on www.kingsnake.com. With alittle research you should be able to have all your questions answered.

Coachwips/racers can be very nervous/flighty in captivity. The last racer I kept in captivity was for a Museum display of local snakes... it was a young one (about the same size as the one pictures)...if volunteerly fed on live fuzzie mice. Adults tend to be VERY nervous captives for the mostpart (I'm sure there are exceptions)... they always rubbed their noses raw trying to escape... Racers/coachwips aren't normally kept as "pets"....

If anything, find an uninhabited area close to his collection point and release it... they do much better in nature and there are many more snakes species that are better suited for captivity!

Good luck.

 

[Gsc]

Here is the link to the Coachwhip & Racer fourm on the KingsnakeDOTcom webpage:

http://forums.kingsnake.com/forum.php?catid=83

 

[blacktara]

Thanks - I'll give it a go and if it doesnt work out, let the little guy loose

 

[pitbulllady]

I've kept and bred Coachwhips, both Eastern and Western, for several years, and I haven't found them to be any worse than most Elaphe(Ratsnakes) in captivity. They DO settle down and become handleable, some to the point that I've had no hesitation bringing them to educational presentations and allowing them to be handled by children. I've had Corns that I wouldn't dare do that with! Young Westerns, though, can be difficult to switch over from lizards to fuzzies, but usually once they develope the adult patterning, as this one has, they'll do just fine. They do really need a hidebox, though; well, MOST snakes do, but these especially savor their privacy. They also like warmer temperatures, more in the range of what tropical Boids are usually kept at, but need darkness and cooler temps at night.

You can ask anyone who regularly attends reptile shows in the Carolinas; they might not know me by name, but chances are, they're familiar with that red-head who free-handles Coachwhips, lol!

pitbulllady