Rat Snake question

Originally Posted by Sickmak90

I wish I would have kept one or two of he wild babies I caught. Black rats eventually turn all black right?

For the most part yes. Some retain a slight pattern that you can see in the right light. You did the right thing by letting those babies go. Less to worry about with captive bred snakes.(if indeed this one is captive bred).

The examples I've found in Kentucky retain a lot of pattern and almost look like Texas Ratsnakes. The individuals I've found in Ohio retain a decent amount of pattern as well. I have seen some from other localities that are almost solid black - so their adult "look" can vary. Here's one that I found in Central Ohio in May of this year:

It's very understandable why a baby snake would be defensive and try to bite. After all, in the wild, there's only one reason anything picks up a baby snake...to EAT it. After the baby snake has been picked up gently and learns that no harm will come to it when it's picked up, it should become less defensive. How would you feel if something as big in proportion to you, as you are to that snake, reached down and went to pick you up? You'd be scared to death and show panic defense aggression too!