Complete Suboc, A Comprehensive Guide to the Natural History, Care, and Breeding of the Trans-Pecos Ratsnake [Hardcover]

Dusty Rhoads (Author), Gerold Merker (Foreword), David G. Barker (Contributor), Tracy M. Barker (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 14, 2008

Written with a true completist approach, this book is a tour de force account of the elegant Trans-Pecos Ratsnake of the Chihuahuan Desert. It is the first and only book ever written about the most divergent and beautiful of all the many colubrid snake species of North America, the Desert Ratsnakes -- including the Trans-Pecos Ratsnake (Bogertophis subocularis) and their West Coast "cousin", the Baja California Ratsnake (Bogertophis rosaliae).  The Complete Suboc is a monograph of these beloved bug-eyed beauties of the southwestern United States and Mexico.

Here is a sample of what is included:

• 288 full-color photos.
• 291 glossy pages of text.
• Range maps for all species and subspecies.
• Lengthy, detailed chapters on natural history, captive history, choosing a Trans-Pecos Ratsnake, color and pattern morphs, geographic variation and localities, caging and housing requirements, diseases, feeding, breeding, egg-laying, and incubation of eggs.
• Over one hundred full-color images displaying animals from more than 25 different geographic localities, including specimens from Texas, New Mexico, Mexico, and representing all known color phases, with several rare images of wild-caught Albinos, Axanthics, Green Blondes, and other varieties.
• SPECIAL chapters on how to make exciting, zoo-quality naturalistic vivaria for Desert Ratsnakes, AND on providing zoo enrichment methods for ratsnakes.
• BONUS chapter by award-winning authors, biologists, and snake breeders, David and Tracy Barker, detailing their special "no brumation" technique to breeding Trans-Pecos Ratsnakes -- an alternative breeding method sure to be a hit for those who do not or cannot hibernate their animals during the winter!
• A second BONUS chapter detailing the natural history, husbandry, captive color morphs, geographic variation, and breeding of all other species of North American ratsnakes unique west of the Pecos River, including Baja Ratsnakes (Bogertophis rosaliae), Baird's Ratsnakes (Pantherophis bairdi), and Western Green Ratsnakes (Senticolis triaspis). Over 41 pages in this chapter, alone.
  
• The first-ever color photos of the Trans-Pecos Ratsnake's only subspecies, the "Durango Suboc".
• An extensive 23-page bibliography.
• "My Search for Subocularis",  a special field-herping chapter paying tribute to -- and in the style of -- the legendary Carl F. Kauffeld.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"We love the book and are proud to be part of it. We think it is, by far, the best of ECO's books, so far." --Dave and Tracy Barker. Winners of Independent Publisher Award, "Best Animal Book of 2006"

Just received my copy of "The Complete Suboc".  I did a superficial flip through, and it looked really nice!  A great job, the rosaliae section is especially nice!


--Ian Recchio. Curator of Reptiles and Amphibians, Los Angeles Zoo

I received a copy of "The Complete Suboc" this past week. You have done a very nice job. Excellent photographs and info. --Elliott R. Jacobson, DVM, MS, PhD. Professor. University of Florida. College of Veterinary Medicine.

I had no idea that these gentle rat snakes were being bred in so many colors and localities! The only forms I was aware of were "normal", silver, and blonde. Thanks for the great resource!
--Greg Maxwell, author of The Complete Chondro

The Complete Suboc book looks great!
--Harvey B. Lillywhite. Professor of Zoology. Director, Seahorse Key Marine Laboratory, University of Florida, author of "The Dictionary of Herpetology" (2008 edition).

From the Back Cover

The Trans-Pecos and Big Bend region of West Texas attracts more herpetologists, herpetoculturists, and reptile aficionados than any other part of the United States for one very simple reason . . . there are more snakes. Of all the snakes found there, however, very few have inspired species-specific fans and followings. The Trans-Pecos Ratsnake is such a snake.

Commonly called the suboc, the Trans-Pecos Ratsnake (Bogertophis subocularis) is a bonafide Southwestern favorite - a snake hailed by award-winning authors and herpetoculturists, David and Tracy Barker, as "cute...with the face of a Disney character". A Trans-Pecos Ratsnake is credited as Bindi Irwin's first snake experience and the one that got her hooked on snakes. Interestingly, this snake was also the favorite of acclaimed author Carl Kauffeld. Subocs have a morph price range that rivals those of designer pythons and boas, and finally, they have their own book.

Written with a true completist approach by ratsnake breeder Dusty Rhoads, The Complete Suboc presents an unprecedented wealth of knowledge about this handsome serpent. All of the known color and pattern morphs that have ever hatched are displayed, as well as images of 25 specific localities of animals spanning the species' vast Chihuahuan Desert range. Ratsnake fans will also appreciate a bonus chapter covering the other western ratsnakes of North America: The Baja Ratsnake, Western Green Ratsnake, and Baird's Ratsnake are all reviewed with the most up-to-date information concerning their history, husbandry, breeding, and color morphs. With all of this - plus notes on breeding techniques by David and Tracy Barker, detailed chapters on both natural and captive history, untouched herpetocultural topics such as natural vivaria design and zoo enrichment methods, an impressive bibliography, and much, much more - the reader is sure to find great value from this pioneer work on the most beautiful of the western ratsnake species of North America.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 291 pages
• Publisher: ECO Herpetological Publishing/ Serpent's Tale NHBD; 1st edition (April 14, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0978897951
• ISBN-13: 978-0978897956
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,165,800 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dusty Rhoads has had a lifelong interest in reptiles. Like most academic herpetologists, he kept many species of reptiles and amphibians as a youth, starting at the age of five, and hatched his first herp, a Leopard Gecko, at the age of 15. As a herpetoculturist and naturalist, he has focused on the genus Bogertophis -- the Trans-Pecos and Baja Ratsnakes -- for the past decade.

After serving a two-year mission for his church from the age of 19-21, he worked as a veterinary technician at small and exotic animal hospitals, and he attended Brigham Young University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Integrative Biology. While at BYU, he also worked in the BYU Evolutionary Genetics lab and as a curatorial assistant in the Reptiles and Amphibians Collection of the Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum.

Dusty is currently a graduate-level scientist, pursuing his PhD in Biology at Ole Miss (the University of Mississippi) studying the evolution, biogeography, phylogeography, and conservation of tropical reptiles and amphibians. He is a proud native of Texas.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Complete Suboc: A Comprehensive Guide to the Natural History, Care, and Breeding of the Trans-Pecos Ratsnake, May 6, 2008

By 

Gerald Keown "Southwestern Center for Herpeto... (Seguin, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Complete Suboc, A Comprehensive Guide to the Natural History, Care, and Breeding of the Trans-Pecos Ratsnake (Hardcover)

After months of anticipation, I finally received my advance copy of Dusty Rhoads' The Complete Suboc: A Comprehensive Guide to the Natural History, Care, and Breeding of the Trans-Pecos Ratsnake. When my wife brought the mail in, I immediately opened the package and I was impressed with the book at first sight. Unlike many of today's paperback publications, The Complete Suboc was a nice sturdy hardbound text with a beautifully done dust jacket. But that was just the eye-candy to tease the reader with. What about the meat of the book? What did the inside really have to offer?

I sat down and spent the next four hours until dinner digging into the book. The more I read, the more I was hooked on it. After dinner, I again picked the book up and retired to my office/herp room and picked up where I had left off. Bedtime rolled around and instead of turning in, I continued to read and I read until 4:30 AM when I finished the book and finally hit the sack. Thankfully, I did not have to get up early the following morning.

If you have any interest at all in Trans-Pecos Ratsnakes or in the herps of the American Southwest, including the other species of ratsnakes native to this region of the country, you will enjoy this book. If you keep or breed the Trans-Pecos Ratsnake or any of the other southwestern ratsnakes you will find this book most useful, if not essential.

The book's 300 pages are crammed full of information and personal experiences. Oh, and did I mention the range maps and the some 288 full-color photographs by a cadre of well-known herpers and photographers.

The author devotes the first 30 pages to the natural history of the Trans-Pecos Ratsnake and then discusses the species history from back when it was first described by Arthur Erwin Brown, Director of the Philadelphia Zoological Gardens in 1901. Coluber subocularis, as it was originally known remained known from only a handful of specimens for the next several decades and was considered one of the country's rarest snakes. The State of Texas protected them from 1977 until 1987 when naturalists and herpetologists we able to show that they were actually one of the more common snakes within their range.

The book discusses how to choose a Trans-Pecos Ratsnake and describes the many color and pattern morphs of the species. Localities and races of the "Suboc" are also discussed in some detail. There are detailed discussions relating to basic caging and housing requirements for captives, the use of naturalistic vivaria, along with discussions about feeding, breeding, oviposition, and incubation of Suboc eggs. There is also a Bonus Chapter on reproductive husbandry written by David G. Barker and Tracy M. Barker.

Another chapter deals with the common diseases and disorders of the Trans-Pecos Ratsnake. A second Bonus Chapter, which actually could have stood alone as a work of its own, discusses the other ratsnakes of the American Southwest in some detail...the Baja Ratsnake, Baird's Ratsnake, and the Western Green Ratsnake.

In Appendix A, the author uses the style of the late Carl Kauffeld to describe his own search for subocularis in the Trans-Pecos region of Texas.

The book concludes with 16 pages of recommended reading and 8 pages of cited texts.

With the publication of The Complete Suboc: A Comprehensive Guide to the Natural History, Care, and Breeding of the Trans-Pecos Ratsnake author Dusty Rhoads has firmly established himself as one of the leading experts on Bogertophis subocularis.

On a rating scale of "1" to "5" I give the book a resounding "5". Job well done, Dusty!

Gerald Keown
Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Something for anyone interested in Trans-pecos Rat Snakes., October 1, 2008

By 

Bill McGighan (Tennessee USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Complete Suboc, A Comprehensive Guide to the Natural History, Care, and Breeding of the Trans-Pecos Ratsnake (Hardcover)

This book is thoroughly enjoyable for anyone interested in Trans-pecos Rat Snakes.
It is easy reading and combines information for three major target audiences, whose concerns are usually addressed independently:
· Hobbyist concerns.
· Field herping concerns.
· Herpetological (taxonomic, physiologic, etc.) concerns.

This author has a friendly, "down to earth" discussion type style of delivery that gives you the impression that he is sitting right there with you. The author seems to be talking with you and not at you.
It seems I needed such a book 26 years ago when I kept my first Trans-Pecos Rat Snake. I would not have made as many catastrophic mistakes since then, had this book been available!

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for a great snake, July 17, 2009

By 

Mike Murphy - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Complete Suboc, A Comprehensive Guide to the Natural History, Care, and Breeding of the Trans-Pecos Ratsnake (Hardcover)

I too was eagerly awaiting the completion of this book. It was certainly worth the wait. From the incredible wealth of knowledge to the beautiful photographs of every color and pattern of suboc you can imagine, this book is loaded. I can't tell you how many times I've opened it to get some quick advice or just to check out a particular locale or color morph. Of course, it's also a great read cover to cover.

If you keep subocs, like subocs or plan on keeping subocs, this book is for you. It's also reasonably priced considering the high-quality printing.