'Bairds ratsnake', as it is called in the U.S.A., was up to a few years ago, a rarity in private collections, public collections or zoological gardens. This has changed little by little, so that this species now is kept successfully by a large number of private snake keepers and is also bred regularly. Unfortunately the general knowledge about this snake is relatively low within the snake keepers community and poorly documented in literature.
Opinions differ about the systematic-taxonomic status of this species. Some authors consider it as a valid subspecies of Elaphe obsoleta (Dowling, 1951), others, however, as an independant species (Wright & Wright, 1957). Again, other authors are of the opinion that an exact taxonomic definition of this snake is for the present not possible.
Olson (1977) and the more recent works of Parmley (1986) and Lawson & Lieb (1990) however show a very high measure of agreement about the validity of the species, so that there is no essential problem anymore concerning the classification of Elaphe bairdi. Olson (I.e.) compared the populations of Elaphe bairdi and Elaphe obsoleta in isolated areas and came to the conclusion that they are different species. Parmley (l.c.)directed his research mainly to characters in the skeleton and researched especially the vertebrae. His research pointed to a clear difference within the subspecies of Elaphe obsoleta.
Lawson & Lieb (I.e.) examined the data of the distribution areas. They also researched the external (morphological) and internal (genetic) variation patterns, comparing Elaphe bairdi to the forms of Elaphe obsoleta. It became obvious that there is only a geographical-ecological, very limited area, in central Texas, where a hybrid of both forms appears. In this overlapping area forms are morphological clearly distinguished. Yet a more accurate analysis of all morphological and genetic data shows that Elaphe bairdi differentiates itself more and more from an archetype that it shares with Elaphe obsoleta. In the course of the evolution however secondary reconvergence within the geographical distnbution lead to the origination of the above mentioned joint zone.