Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, everyone. Well, this year's christmas gift is going to be another snake. I was pretty much decided on a kingsnake of some sort, but I've remembered the gorgeous northern pines and bullsnakes the same breeder produces. I've done some research on the two already, but haven't found a lot of information. I have a couple of questions about the two species and their care. What is the average size of each species, and is their a size difference between males and females? Also, what are your recommended cage sizes for each snake? Lastly, does one species handle better than another? The breeders adult n. pines are big babies that handled very well, are bullsnakes the same way? Thanks a bunch for any responses! -The Geckofanatic
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1.0 Hypo Tang Leopard Gecko
1.0 Giant Jungle Albino Leopard Gecko
0.1 Normal Leopard Gecko
0.1 SHTCT Baldy Leopard Gecko
0.1 SHCT Leopard Gecko
0.1 High Yellow Lavender Leopard Gecko
1.1 African Fat Tailed Geckos
0.1 Crested Gecko
1.1 Cornsnakes
1.0 Ball Python
1.0 Sinaloan Milksnake

I don't have any experience with Pinesnakes but I do with bullsnakes so I'll do my best to answer some of your questions. Size - both can get very big, maybe bulls have a little more girth. Size for bulls depends on the bloodline/locality. I believe the largest are the southern varieties, especially the south Texas. If you want a giant bull go for a HW77 or “monster bull”. The average size of an adult is probably 5-7 feet, although some may reach 8. The monster bulls can get even longer than that but their dispositions aren’t the best . Dispositions vary between bloodlines and localities as well. I think white sides tend to be pretty calm and many albino bloodlines as well. All of my bulls are puppy dog tame and so are their offspring (as long as you handle them from time to time). I do have a snow that was really feisty when I got her because she was a yearling that had never been handled but now she won’t even rattle her tail for me. Unlike kingsnakes they probably will not defecate on or musk you and when the ones that do bite are predictable. They do have a lot of different personalities. Some will never calm down while others are trusting and gentle right out of the egg. In my experience males tend to be calmer, but that might just be chance. From what I understand males actually get bigger than the females. I would recommend as large of a cage as you can get, maybe even building one. They can be pretty active as well. Most do not spend all their time curled up and hiding. I’m partial to bulls of all the different morphs available but there are getting to be a lot of beautiful pines out there as well. But I should warn you pits are probably the most addicting snakes so be careful!

that's about right i'd say, i have an 04 277 female & she's an absolute terror! here's 2 pics of her, 1 before she knew she had been 'unearthed' & the other when she suddenly realized she was being photographed. lol! she's a truly aggressive bull which needs to be fed very, very carefully & she ain't getting any smaller either. about 5.5' in this pic, she's closer to 7' now. :>/.......

Dan,
Is that from my "Monster" line or did you get them somewere else?Looks like the ones I produced a couple years ago.I know Jason had sold his pair off but I don't know were they went?
Anyway,even if not she looks great.

Shannon

yeah shannon, i got a pair of yearlings from kemper a few years back which he got from you. the male is particulary nasty hence no pics of him. are they this aggressive in the wild?

Oh yeah,Kemper had a pair from me that year thats right.
Um,Yes they are pretty nasty in the wild.My first large male (9"3 with stubbed tail)was pissed when we first collected him but calmed down son and was great.Every other large one (even small ones)that I have found there are seriously mean.
I had collected a male two years ago that was (8"6) and he was so mean that I had to keep his vision cage covered at all times and although he was a great feeder he was so mean that he would start hissing and rattling his tail as soon as he heard the damn door open.
I ended up returning him to the place we caught him the following year.

Shannon

yeah shannon, these guys just always seem pissed off!?! it's really quite an 'adventure' just to clean them. :>/ i cannot imagine approaching a full blown adult in the wild although i know i would if i saw one. lol! anyway, thanks second hand, they are very handsome, impressive animals! i've kept tons of bulls thru the years but these are kinda special to me. i might breed her to this guy later this spring.......

Cool,Is that a Kankakee.
I have one lone male monster left from this year if you are interested in raising him up and keeping them locale specific.
Let me know.I am not sure you don't have a male.I know I sold a pair to kemper but I am not sure what he sold?
Shannon

That snake is a real beefcake.

I have Bulls and Pines (and bunch of Gophers), My Bullsnakes have more “personality” then the pines.
Both are great eaters. (I feed rats)
Pic of my Black Pine and Red Bulls.
Enjoy them,
Gai.

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1.1 Albino Sonoran Gopher
2.0 W.C. Sonoran Gopher
1.1 Red Bull Snake
1.1 San Diego Gophers (het albino applegate)
2.2 Leucistic Texas ratsnake
1.1 "White Oak" ratsnake
2.3 W.C Okeetee Corn
1.1 Abbt line Okeetee Corn
1.2 W.C Miami Phase Corn
1.1 Sinaloan Milk
1.0 Orange Pueblian Milk
1.1 W.C Mexican Black King
0.2 C.B Mexican Black King
2.0 W.C Cal King
1.1 C.B Cal King
0.1 Durango Mountain King
1.0 Desert King
1.3 Northern pine
1.1 N.J White pine
3.5 Black pine
2.2 kankakee Bull
1.2 Bearded Dragon
45 Tanks full with African Cichlids.
Many Mice, Rats and feeder Roaches

>>Hi, everyone. Well, this year's christmas gift is going to be another snake. I was pretty much decided on a kingsnake of some sort, but I've remembered the gorgeous northern pines and bullsnakes the same breeder produces. I've done some research on the two already, but haven't found a lot of information. I have a couple of questions about the two species and their care. What is the average size of each species, and is their a size difference between males and females? Also, what are your recommended cage sizes for each snake? Lastly, does one species handle better than another? The breeders adult n. pines are big babies that handled very well, are bullsnakes the same way? Thanks a bunch for any responses! -The Geckofanatic
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I have a pair of 6 month old northern pines.The female will hiss and bluff strike when she is in the mood,but only when I first pick her up.After that she is calm.The male is as docile as a cornsnake.They are only 6 months old and already outgrowing 20 long tanks.The parents are both over 7 feet long and very thick.I will end up keeping them in visions before long.These are my first pits and so far so good.They will never turn down meal, have perfect sheds,and I havent had to pick any teeth out of my flesh yet.I purchased mine from Russ Pascator(sp).Im going to give some Illinios bulls (Tazewell county)a try this spring.If I can find some juvies.

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