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White Oak Gray Rat Snake 

Elaphe obsoleta spiloides

This beautiful natural color variation of gray rat snake occurs in the Apalachicola region of the Florida panhandle. Unlike other  Elaphe obsoleta subspecies, spiloides retains the blotched juvenile pattern and coloration throughout life. This white oak phase is defined by a high contrast pattern: gray blotches on a silver, almost white background. Many herpers travel to the Florida panhandle hoping to see snakes that fit this description. Often they are disappointed as most of the rat snakes have muddy grays and browns typically associated with spiloides. Only a small percentage of wild gray rat snakes display the striking light coloration of our breeding stock. It took many trips to the Florida panhandle and networking with other collectors and breeders to put together the colony of white oak gray rat snakes that we have now. Some of our adults develop interesting calico patterning as they age. We have seen this with wild gray rats from the Apalachicola region that were not of the white oak phase. We have started calling these "malt" phase gray rats.  We have not yet made an attempt to breed for that coloration, but that may be something we select for in the future.

Below left:  A typical silver adult from our bloodline. Below right: Some of our white oak gray rats develop calico "malt" coloration with age. 

Below left: Another typical adult from our colony     Below right: A captive bred baby from our white oak from our colony

In the Wild

Gray rat snakes are common through out the Florida panhandle. The "white oak" phase seems to occur primarily in the Apalachicola region, being found alongside (and occasionally preyed upon) by the elusive Apalachicola king snake.  Nice white oak phase specimens like the ones we breed are a small percentage of the wild gray rat snake populations and collecting a nice one is quite a challenge.  

Much of the southern part of the Apalachicola region is forested in natural flat woods or pine plantations. To the north, farmland and cattle pastures replace the forest. As with most rat snakes of the species Elaphe obsoleta, spiloides utilizes a variety of habitats. In undisturbed natural areas it may be most common at the edges of deciduous woodlands, but it has taken advantage of the rodent infested agricultural areas created by humans and it now may be most common in disturbed habitat. 

The classic rat snake hunting techniques of flipping tin and checking the rafters of abandoned structures are effective for finding gray rat snakes. Road cruising is also a good way to find them. Adults are often seen crossing dirt roads in the late afternoon in the summer. Just after sunset is "hot time" for road cruising and it seems that rat snakes of any size as well as many other snakes can turn up at this time on dirt or pavement. Juveniles are often seen on pavement later at night.

Above: A typically colored wild gray rat snake encountered on a sandy logging road in the late afternoon.

Above: Daniel and Anthony flipped a corn snake and a white oak gray rat snake under guardrails in a disturbed area. This spot has since been bulldozed. (Photo by Bill Love)

Above: Longleaf pine flatwoods originally covered much of the Apalachicola region.

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