Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This was sold to me as a Durango but is it? and is a Variable King the same thing? thanks.

JIM

It looks like a Durango Mtn King (L. mexicana greeri) to me. It is the same species as the variable kingsnake (l. mexicana thayeri), but a different sub-species.

Greg

OK, I'll change my mind. That is some sort of cross. A greeri would have a darker ground color, narrower saddles, and a different nuchal and head pattern.Yours looks like some kind of pyro/mexicana cross.

Greg

It doesn't look anything like the greeri that I have had in the past. Mine had a very distinctive greenish look to them with the orange blotches, etc.
There were care sheets with photos on this site but I can't find them. Check in the mexicana forum.

Does not look like a Durango Mt. Kingsnake to me. I used to breed them in the late 1990's.

Kerby...

The saddles all look to large and the head pattern is to dark. Most greeri I've seen really have an aztec look to them. Its kind of hard to explain the look but the saddles almost look zigzaggy (if that's a word). I think most people who have experience with greeri know what I'm saying. This one definately does NOT have that aztec look.
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Vichris

Vichris Variables

If you look at the wild phenotypes of "greeri"you might actually see one similar to yours but typically in the hobby you might see ones similar to this (with the weeping of the saddles)

and many have more "diamond" shaped blotches with a light center on a gray/green ground color.
Yours appears to have thayeri and/or pyro influence, but that's a guess.
:Mark
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Surrender Dorothy!

www.crimsonking.funtigo.com

Also, greeri came from two canyons, south and west of the town of durango. Like all other mexicana(kingsnakes) there is lots of variation. There are also phases, like with blairs and thayeri, mex mex and pyro(other kingsnakes).

The telltale is the head pattern. While body banding and color varies widely with kingsnakes, head pattern is more consistant. This individual does not have greeri heat pattern.

But this individual does not express what is considered to be normal greeri. But then all you have to do is collect one 50 or 60 miles from durango and its not longer typical. But does not have a name yet. Or it could be a captive product.

Your pic appears like a wild caught, or a poorly cared for captive. Good luck