The Eastern Black Kingsnake (L.g.nigra) can be solid black above, but has a black and yellow belly. Many Eastern Black Kings also retain some patterning so they aren't black backed. They max out at 4-5 feet, although most are smaller.



Mexican Black Kingsnakes (L.g. nigrita) are generally solid black as adults (they often have a few white scales under the chin). The babies are generally pretty solid black as well. They max out at 4-5 feet but are generally a little larger than nigra.



I used to have a friend that bred nigrita and he used to sell his solid black babies for $20 more than the slightly patterned ones (they have a light desert kingsnake pattern). This always made him laugh because in 6 months, they would all be solid black and the only difference was that some people were $20 poorer!



Black Milksnakes start out as tricolored milksnakes but get glossy jet black as adults. They max out at 6 feet (the record is over 7 feet).
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Chris Harrison

Does anyone else here think that these scrolling signature lines are stupid?

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• black king snake. - milki, Wed Jul 6 06:41:39 2005
• RE: black king snake. - chrish, Thu Jul 7 11:46:01 2005