Reptile & Amphibian Forums

We have had the good fortune to observe many more kingsnakes in Kentucky in the past couple of weeks. Along the way I took a few pics. This a juvenile found in Bullitt county.

A typical Jefferson county nigra.

Western Ky kingsnake from Calloway county.

Edmonson county king from the cave region.

Big king found under big AC. Hopkins county. This snake field measured with tubes @53".

Another western Ky nigra. This one Trigg county.

Hope some of you kingsnake keepers are taking the time to enjoy these great snakes in the field this spring!

Phil

Official Black Kingsnake website

...funny how few field jpgs...get posted here eh...oh well...those eastern blacks are sure different then our western nigritas...yours definetly have the eastern head morph...& body mass

lemme c heare...

Hey regal, thanks for the Cal king field pic. Yep, I agree, the skull morphology of the different ssp's vary to a fair degree. Our nigra have skulls that are proportionaly taller and narrower than L.g.getula for example. This is especially true with females more so than males. Our snakes tend to be very chunky too. We often find kings that have obviously recently fed on snakes that are of good size. I always wonder whats inside but I can't bring myself to force a regurg. We have collected a few and examined fecals but the remains were never enough to give us more than clues to animal type, reptile, bird, mammal...

Phil

Nice samplin' from around the state! Thanks for takin' the time to share 'em Phil!
Todd Hughes

Thanks Todd. How has the herping been for you down in Texas? We have been hit with a nasty week long cold front with much cloud cover and rain. I'm afraid that from here we will move right in to hot and dry summer patterns. Phil

Been very bad for me but Gus down south and some of the nor'east Texans have been tearin' it up! I hope to be out west at the end of the week for a spell and try the alterna thang! Wish me luck!
Todd Hughes