What am I?

[allie_kat]

Got in a mixed bag as a granite, but he'd be a very oddly colored one if so. Estimating a little shy of a year old, chestnut eyes, white/speckled reddish underbelly.

 

[K. Rene]

That is a very interesting little snakelett. Maybe an Upper Keys (locality)? http://iansvivarium.com/morphguide/rosyrat/

 

[allie_kat]

he is from south florida so it is a possibility. personally i've never run in to anything like him. he stays relatively thin even with healthy eating and has a strange but adorable little face. are upper keys corns known for not having a belly pattern? that and the relatively well diffused sides are what get me.

 

[RavenSpirit360]

Upper keys is a possibility.. Any more pics? Sides, belly etc.. You might want to have him tested for parasites/ etc with the weight issue he has going on..

 

[allie_kat]

all of my little ones get vetted as soon as they arrive and apparently he's fine. just growing long instead of wide i suppose.

 

[allie_kat]

and the head shot

 

[allie_kat]

.....maybe not

 

[Nanci]

He instantly reminded me of my Boot Keys.

 

[Nanci]

Belly shot:

 

[allie_kat]

even with a recent shed he's a bit more silver, but that's spot on. thanks Nanci!

 

[Nanci]

Didn't they originally call Terrazzos "granite?" I wonder if that has something to do with how he was labeled. He looks to be quite obviously of Keys origin, to me. Not saying Terrazzo, because that is a pattern- just whoever sent him may have just gone with that.

I wonder if you can find out more information- like was he collected? They might not want to share that info, but it would be really helpful, if he was, and if you register him.

 

[Nanci]

Here's my male, Phoenix, after months of fattening up! Mine are from WC parents. (I sent a PM to Terry and Graham, for their expert input!)

 

[StrangeCargo]

Thanks Nanci for the pm.

Yes, it TOTALLY looks like a key corn/rosy ratsnake. the "thin" body type is classic rosy ratsnake- they spend alot more time up in the trees/mangroves hunting lizards (since many of the smaller keys tend to flood partially with high tides)...a big thick bulky body is harder to get around with up there...evolution... you see the same thing in insular boas.

Almost EVERY rosy rat I've owned (both WC & CB) have had plain/patternless bellies... sometimes you'll get a few checkers ---esp. on ones from the extreme upper keys (ie Key Largo) where the mainland corns interbreed readily/easier with teh insular rosy rats.

Rosy rats come in a variety of different base colors- greys, straw tan, orange, etc...

The lack of black around the saddles also screams rosy rat...

Hope that helps!

Graham

 

[Susan]

It sure looks like it has Upper Key influence especially after you say it is long and lean. Now whether the plain belly is caused by being an Upper Keys or if it is even an Upper Keys bloodred (not the Rosy blood that will probably test to be a Kastanie blood this year), you'll have to wait to test breed it to find out. Looks like there is some nice side diffusion, so I"m leaning in that direction. Here is an outcrossed Upper Keys bloodred hatchling I got from Rich before he retired. Unfortunately, she didn't do well and passed away, but there are many more examples out there to compare to.

 

[StrangeCargo]

Here's a pic taken by KJ Lodrigue of animals I used to own... rosy rats (the female is an original pure rosy Terrazzo). Notice the males "diffusion"... NO BLOODRED blood in him. Alot of the rosy rats get the reduced side patterns...

 

[Nanci]

I'd kill to have those...

 

[Rich Z]

Yeah, I'd say "Upper Keys". Some of the hypo forms I was producing before I retired were turning out spectacularly.

 

[pridecity]

Off topic: Susan, it looks like in that last picture someone is saying "Uh, excuse me?!?"

To the OP, your snake looks an awful lot like my motley that I need to test breed. I'll try to dig up a picture for you.

 

[Rich Z]

Some of the Upper Keys I used to have. And a pic of some babies with a few of the Hypo Upper Keys thrown in...

 

[Naagas]

I am loving all these photos of upper keys!
I just love that long, lean body shape.

I want.