Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just picked up a pair. The parents are huge (8' ) and a real clean black and white. The pair I got, especially the male, have a cream background and alot of brown blotches, not the jet black and white I desire. For those experienced with NJ notherns do they "color" up, in other words get whiter and blacker, as they mature? Thanks in advance, Don.

I have 4 black and white northern pines and they all have somewhat of a different look in terms of shades of white and black.
Babies will go through a big transformation as they get older. It can be hard to figure out how they will look as they get older from their colors as babies.
I have had the pick of the litter of being black and white turn into an ash gray as the snake matured. That same snake had jet black and hi white parents, and they had no red on any part of their body. He developed rust red all over his scales as he got older.
I have had my best hi white northern get brighter white with age and stay white.
One of my buddies kept back an uglier than sin northern pine baby as a joke to see how he turned out. He turned into his first or second best looking black and white...lol.
I have had the reddest northern pine baby I have seen lose all the red and become one of my best black and white northerns.
I have had two babies change tones in color of their white 3 times as they matured within their first year or two. First they were a good white, then cream, and then become whiter again as they have gotten older.
Here is a pic of my Ocean Co. female as a baby. She was good black and white, then turned a creamish white about a year later, and now has turned back into one of my best black and white northerns.
In all...it is very difficult to determine how they will turn out. There is really no way to really be able to tell how a baby will look when it gets older by seeing their colors at birth. But at the same time, it is fun to watch them grow and develop. These are my all time favorite snakes and it would not be as interesting to have 4 that looked all the exact same. The key is patience and to see how that snake will turn out. Post some pics if you can!!!
Billy

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Genesis 1:1

Billy,
your post should be read by any person wanting to get into Pines in general! I hear it EVERY year, people want the high white and solid black babies. And I always have to give them the same response just as you've posted. That you can't guarantee anything, but show them the pics of the parents and hope for the best! And especially how many babies usually do have a lot of cream and red in them. And yeah, babies you'd pass up as dull can end up being the nicest. And the nicest black and white babies can end up as dull adults! Good post Billy.
Russell

Thanks for the info. I hope to get pics soon. They are both opaque at the moment anyway. BTW, the pic you posted looks alot like my female, both in pattern and coloration. Don

I agree with Billy, the tranformation they go thru is really neat. The dullest looking babies do sometimes get to be the best looking adults. My suggestion would be the same as his, relax, give them some time and I bet they turn out to be nice if they are from good looking parents. Even if they stay a cream colored animal they are still very impressive as adults.

John Cherry
Cherryville Farms

Thanks for the info. I already like this pair. Incredibly mellow for hatchling's and huge! The male is a bit dull looking but I guess patience is a virtue. Thanks, Don.