Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello all,

Since I am new here to the Pit forum, I would like to ask everyone a nice, simple question. What is your favorite Pit?

As far as Pits are concerned all I got is a Northern Pine. It's my favorite, but I'm from Jersey. Gotta show solidartiy.

Thanks in advance,
Rich D

My favorites are also northern pines. Somehow, I just can't seem to get enough.

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Genesis 1:1

OK, you're doing it again Billy!!!! I feel that covetousness coming on!!!! Would you just cut me some slack??????LOL

Pat

Ive kept pines and bulls, but my favorite pit is the Kanakee Bull from Illinois. The northern bulls seem to have it all, the nice dark pine snake like paterns plus richer maroon saddles in the middle and yellow back grounds. They seem to have the best of bulls and pines in one animal. I posted a pic of my sub adult male, and I am going to get another pair soon.

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125 Orchid plants
20 other tropical plants and succulents
12 Bonsai Trees
28 Tarantulas & 1 Androctonus Scorpion
6 Planted Freshwater Tanks
1.1 Kankakee Bulls
1.0 Texas Red Bull
0.1 Kansas Yellow Bull
1.1 Costal Chocolate Cal Kings

my favorite would have to be a wild type southern pine. I have never owned a southern, but I love the variety found in the wild.
daveb

My Northern is pretty dark. Almost looks like it has burgundy spots on a brownish base. Is he going to get lighter? Or is he a (Southern) Northern Pine (confusing yes, but kinda looks like a Virginian)? He doesn't look all that much like the Jersey ones. Is this because he is just young? (Pic coming as soon as I can bum my brother's camera)

Thanks in advance,
RD

You would be surprised how varying northerns can be from Jersey. They can have different backgrounds of white, cream, yellow, tan, straw, red, or brown. Jersey northern pines are not always black and white.

Northerns are also found in Alabama, Kentucky, and I think some other states as well. With that span geographically, there may be some difference in colors.
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Genesis 1:1

I'd have to say my lineaticollis are my favorite pit. My sonoran's are a close second!

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Dennis McNamara
Crazy Fools Reptiles
Desnakemon@cox.net

If I had to choose one it would either be lineaticollis or my black pines. All in all they are the coolest genus of snakes!

Nate

Great looking Black Pine!! I noticed the very very tip of his tail. Looks almost like there is something wrong with it. Mine is the same exact way.
Rob
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For Sale cheap: One (1) 6' 19 yr old male. Does no house work. Has no job and will complain. Constantly.
0.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa-Ziggy
1.0 Creamscicle motley corn--Cozmo
0.1 Creamscicle corn--Wanda
0.0.1 Normal corn
0.1 Black Pine - Spazz
1.0 Eastern King-Ozy
1.0 Bearded Dragon - Gomer

Theres not anything wrong with the tip of his tail, Its just wierd lighting. He would bite you if he "heard" that lol. I have seen some with the slightest of kinks on the very tip of the tail from what I believe is a miss-shed at a young age.
Nate

i think he is talking about the big scale/tip... it's od but common w/ all black pines and pits... I think it keeled and looks funny because of that.

Clay

Oh my favorite is a good looking Northern Pine! No, wait a minute, make that Sonoran Gopher! Um, no, it's a Hypo Whitesided Bull. Whoa, no, it's a Miami Kansas locale Axanthic Bull, yeah that's it!!! Nope it's one of Ginter's Kingsville Red Bulls! Or maybe a Black Pine!!! Oh heck they are all my favorites!!!!!!

Pat

I was wondering when a "What's your favorite Pit" thread would pop up. Even thought about starting one myself a while ago. I expected Pines to win hands down. While I've never kept any and am tempted gr8snake & Tad Fitzgerald & Terry V talk about their Louisiana Pines, I have to go w/ Great Basin Gophers (P.c. deserticola), specifically the ones found in E. Lancaster. The ones I've encountered on the roads there @ night are not only very good looking , but seem almost acclimated to humans. Great topic & about time.

reako45

my favorite Pit is my seven foot female New Jersey stock Northern Pine.

I am glad to see that other people are into Pits. It seems that too often our hobby is represented by ball python morphs and things like that.

Pits are my favorites. Northern Pine is number one, but a black pine is beautiful. The previous post of that seven footer is legitimately one of the prettiest snakes i've ever seen. You did a great job on that one. Congrats.

Always wanted to get a bull, but I know for sure that the old lady would leave me (not really old, we are in our mid twenties). Though I am not sure I would care if I had a nice Crumbly Bull.

Let us Pit lovers stick together. There are so few of us and the species is so under-appreciated.

Get some more pics up, I love them.

Take care,
RD

I would have to say my northerns are my favorite

Nothing wrong with with being a "homer". As I only keep Northerns and deppei jani, this is a tough call. I'm very fond of my big male Northern. He's a very docile animal and would be a natural for an exhibition animal being passed around to kids. That said, I like the alertness that my adult jani possess. I have one 8 year old female that recognizes rats by sight. If she is laying out, I can dangle a rat four feet in front of the cage. She will glide up to the glass and watch me like a hawk. I find it hard to believe she can smell that rat at that distance. She is definitely an interesting character.

"Homer?"

Hope I wasn't being too enthusiastic about pits. I am still pretty new to these guys and I would rather have some sort of rapport with the people I talk too. Looking at it now, it was mad lame. I apologize for the inconvenience.

How do northern pines handle heat? Can he handle life without a light? I really haven't found any evidence to suggest that these snakes need UV. Could it actually be better if I leave the light out of it. I have some garters from the temperature area (Jersey) and they never need any heat. Mind you, my place never gets below 60.

Good idea or bad idea?

Northerns do not need any light at all, IMO. I don't use any UV lights for any of my animals and they do great. Temps are usually at 78-81.
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Genesis 1:1

vertebralis (cape gopher I think is common name) is my favorite.
I don't own one though.

I think I had one as a teen though. It was sold to me as a "Baja Gopher" which is P c bimaris - but after seeing pictures of both, I'm certain I had a vertebralis.

I only had him for a few months, he had a huge parasite load and would not keep anything down, we took him to the vet and he was diagnosed as full of all kinds of parasites and treated but he died shortly after.

I almost wonder if he was a wild caught smuggled in to the country (I think exports had been cut off by then).

I'll keep the species again someday though. They are my favorite, and at this point - healthy captive bred babies are not too expensive.
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x.y L. getula californiae (Cal. King)
x.y L. getula nigrita (MBK)
x.y L. getula floridana (Brooksi)
x.y Pantherophis guttatus guttatus (Corn)
0.1 Pituophis catenifer catenifer (Pacific gopher)
0.1 Heterodon nasicus (W Hognose)
x.y.z Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata - (Cal. Alligator Lizard)

Sorry but I just cant decide. Randy