Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Anyone produced or working with any melanistic thayeri now or recently?

The pics I've seen in the past were very interesting but I virtually never hear anything about them or see anyone posting about producing them.

Thanks in advance for any info.

Sean.

I'm a big melanistic fan myself, Sean, but there just doesn't seem to be many people working with them right now. I had an adult male that Michelle Rogers has now. I do know that you really have to watch for scams with these guys. I've seen a few crosses out there in the past being passed off as mel thayeri. Good luck finding some. They're awesome snakes.
Ken

I would try both Robert Hansen @ Sierra Herps and Mike Kochvar (mexicanamak). I know they're both working with melanistics but not sure they have bred them this year. John Cherry might be another source. Good luck
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Vichris
"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane"- Marcus Aurelius

Vichris Variables

I'll definitely take a look at those. I am not actually looking to pick up a mel thayeri right now but am very curious about them.

I would definitely be worried buying one from a source I did not utterly trust because of worries about either mexsican black or mex black crosses being pawned off as thayeri. But if I do get a melanistic in a clutch once I start producing thayeri then I will almost certainly keep it.

Sean.

I use to produce them in the late 80's, along with MBK's and I think it should be easy to spot a cross with a MBK. I never produced a Mel. Thayeri with ANY white at all. There was always a detectable pattern with in the black. They babies I produced always showed a milksnake phase pattern, even though it was black on black. I've spoken to other guys who have said theirs showed the leonis pattern, but I've never seen it.

Also the smallest MBK hatchling should be close to twice the size of a Thayeri.

The reason I dumped them is that it was difficult to move a fickle eating tiny black snake for $150, when people could buy a voracious eating MBK for one third of that.

They may be better now, with forums like this where you can reach people who can appreciate the difference between the two. But the casual show going buyer looking for a bargain wouldn't.

Thanks for the info, that's good to know.

Sean.