Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I recently acquired a Grey Banded Kingsnake and it is unlike any other I have seen. I am new to them so I am not up on the usual patterns. The male I got is a very very dark example of the dark phase. It has very little red and no gray, it almost looks like a cross with a MBK. I will post pics ASAP but was just curious if this phase is usually this dark or not?
Thanks
-Thomas

a pic would help..

~ Mike Russo

truck. It's really, really blue. Are they usually this blue?

DR

Wow Dusty that is one classy comment I must say! Patience my friend I told you I would get a pic up. Should I have posted one in the original post? Probably, but this is a forum not a science journal.

This is a pic of what I was talking about. I acquired it because some ladies kid didn't want it and they knew I liked snakes so they dumped it on me (not that I am complaining). It hasn't had a good shed in awhile so before you jump on me for that one I have an apointment with the vet to check skin and eye cap conditions. I was just curious whether it is common to have one this dark or not.
Thank you,
-Thomas

LOL Sorry, Thomas. I'm afraid that was just a little of my upbringing coming out...I promise it REALLY was not meant to be rude at all, as anyone who knows me here can tell you, by nature, I'm not a rude person...a few of my family members are CONSTANTLY making fun of each other (in good fun, of course), calling each other out, trying to embarrass each other, etc. I admit, it can be a bit "abrasive" to any outsiders, so please accept my apology. As they say, you can take a man away from his roots, but you can never take the roots away from the man...

Anyway, neat snake...I wonder if it is a hybrid...Mike Price has a wild-caught alterna that's apparently half alterna and half Mexican Milk, as it looks a bit like both. He's bred it with Milks, and all the babies looked like Milks. And he's bred it with an alterna, and all the babies look like alterna. Thanks for showing it. I'm sure some other alterna guys here have probably seen something like that before. Good luck with it.

Dusty

Thanks dusty, no need to apologize by the way. I was more upset that I didn't come up with a line like that myself. Thanks for your imput as well.
-Thomas

any pick'ems ups????

this blows darth vader clean away!!!!!!!

Is there a local asociated with the darker patterns or is it a speratic trait throughout the range?

I would guess that your snake came from eastern stock. But the fact is that the locality data on that animal is not known and therefor considered a generic. Not a common color phase being that dark, which makes it an interesting example.

Lance
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Herp Conservation Unlimited

Here are some pics of a male I caught in Comstock years ago The first Pic Is from a few years back and the last photo is from this year. He has gotten very dark and is getting darker.
Matt

That is not a common color phase but interesting because it's different.

But I think they get caught in your filter or something.Please e-mail me back.
Thanks Shannon

I realize locality distictions are important to a lot of people(including myself with my Rosies), so my question is what is the general oppinion on breeding individuals that you do not know the locality of. Is ok to breed two generics or even a generic and a locality specific specimen if you do not sell them as the locality? Any comments would be appreciated.
Thanks,
-Thomas

You can pair it up any way you wish, we only ask that you represent it as exactly what it is.

And if it is at all uncertain then it is 100% generic, not 50% locality (as an example).

Lance
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Herp Conservation Unlimited

That makes perfect sense. Thanks for the help.
-Thomas