When I was 10 years old in 1954, my rich grandfather sent me $10 for my birthday. I had read about Ross Allen in a magazine or book at the school library and I was already catching small snakes and a few black rat snakes. I sent off for a Ross Allen catalog and from that, I ordered a 5 foot yellow rat snake, I think it cost $1/foot plus another $2 shipping. In about 2 weeks a plywood box showed up with small screened holes. It was nailed shut and it took some doing to get it open. Inside was a cloth bag with the snake inside and a note from Ross Allen on what I should do with my new snake. First thing was to have the cage ready and a large bowl of water as the snake would be thirsty. I open up the bag and gently took out my new prize. It immediately bit the crap out of me, I dropped it and it slithered under the couch. My mother went nuts. After putting a bandage on my snake bite, I finally managed to catch the snake and get it into the cage. It did drink alot of water. I had always heard that rat snakes were fairly docile but this one never got very friendly. My Dad would take me down to the local chicken hatchery and they would give me deformed chicks that they were going to destroy and feed the live chicks to the snake. He/She loved 2-3 chicks every month or so. Finally I gave the snake to a friend of mine that had a very large collection and a larger cage. I never saw Ross Allen in person, but read his books and later found out he was a Randall man. Cool dude.

Pap