Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've never been to grayband territory, so I know nothing about the locales in person or the rarity of specimens found in the various locales. So bear with my question:

Why do Black Gap alterna hold high prices? I saw a bunch of grayband hatchlings for sale, and some were absolute knockouts (what I call a knockout anyway - nice wide orange bands) and some were extremely pale gray and also beautiful. Some of the locales mentioned were 277 and Juno and none (generic).

But it was the Black Gap animals that were the pricey ones, and they were the most drab. Some speckling on the neck, but still drab in comparison. So I thought that maybe this locale is tougher to find snakes in, or maybe alot harder to hunt, or perhaps a very interesting area that is dear to the local herpers?

Can you guys shed some light on this? I've seen the price tag higher for Black Gaps at quite a few shows and in many ads. Thanks.

But it was the Black Gap animals that were the pricey ones, and they were the most drab.

How could you post such sacrilege on this site!!! LOL.

Black Gap alterna are from near the Black Gap Wildlife Management Area in West Texas (on the east side of Big Bend National Park). They aren't a common snake on the road that borders the WMA (FM 2627) and a lot of people have spent a lot of time looking. So their relative rarity makes them more "valuable".

Some snakes from the Black Gap area are interesting looking with their speckled appearance, but they aren't generally as colorful as the snakes from places like 277 or Juno Road.

But beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If you like the speckled alterna, Black Gap is your spot. If you like big wide bands of orange, you want snakes from further east. I think some of the most stunning alterna produced every year are the generics that trace their ancestry back to Val Verde county.

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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

This photo by Denny Miller might be the exception that my statement about black gaps

- from the Alterna Page
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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

I bet that snake has a story to tell, looks like he/she has a nice scar about 2" behind the head.
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South Texas Herps

Heathen!!! Do not anger the alterna gods with such talk! J/K!! I wouldn't know as I'm still huntin' for my first from any locale, lol! But from what I've been told, they are hard to find at that locale. They are all great and should be praised with the happy dance whenever and wherever encountered! Shoot, I do a little happy dance when I find any snake out in west Texas! But then again, I pretty much do the happy dance any time, any where snakes are found. Dee de dee!
Todd Hughes

I think it's just that nice Gap's are a little harder to find so they cost a bit more..

I don't know how long you have been into alterna, but if you keep them long enough you will begin to like different looking animals for other locals.

like this male black gap (in shed)

That's a nice snake, Mike!
Todd Hughes

Looks like a Doherty animal to me with hints of Dannus Johnsonii?

Wayne

Good Eye Wayne!!

This is a BG Female... also form David...

Well, I cheated. I gots two myself! Probably from the same clutch!

Wayne

>>I've never been to grayband territory, so I know nothing about the locales in person or the rarity of specimens found in the various locales. So bear with my question:
>>
>>Why do Black Gap alterna hold high prices? I saw a bunch of grayband hatchlings for sale, and some were absolute knockouts (what I call a knockout anyway - nice wide orange bands) and some were extremely pale gray and also beautiful. Some of the locales mentioned were 277 and Juno and none (generic).
>>
>>But it was the Black Gap animals that were the pricey ones, and they were the most drab. Some speckling on the neck, but still drab in comparison. So I thought that maybe this locale is tougher to find snakes in, or maybe alot harder to hunt, or perhaps a very interesting area that is dear to the local herpers?
>>
>>Can you guys shed some light on this? I've seen the price tag higher for Black Gaps at quite a few shows and in many ads. Thanks.

The "value" of a locality to a collector is a combination of at least three things.

1 - How hard is it to obtain an animal from that locality (WC or CB)?
2 - Does that locality have a distinctive look to it?
3 - Does the person buying it think it is an attractive pattern or color on the animal?

Point 1 – Using Black Gap as an example, it is a locality common enough to be advertised frequently, but only in the CB sense of things. You have to put in your time (and a lot of it) to find an alterna in Black Gap, I for one have only hunted it one night and saw nothing. There are not a lot great places to stay while hunting in Black Gap which keeps some people away. And some people are scared to spend the night on a road that just dead ends at an old foot bridge crossing the Rio Grande with no real town on either side of it to hear you scream.

Point 2 – Using Western Localities as an example (Alpine, Davis Mountains, River Road, etc…) they tend to have a “look” that sets them apart. With more Eastern Localities that “look” tends to be less distinctive between the localities

Point 3 – I have seen people sell animals from on clutch for more than twice the price of a clutchmate... That is the color / pattern part of the game and it goes for all localities.

Just 2 cents worth