Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This girl may not be the best looking Cal, but she means alot to me. This was the first King I ever found.

Not much beats that feeling you get when you find exactly what you're looking for.

That is an awesome looking snake. I like the thin jagged bands a lot! In order to understand the significance of this find, you would have to want, dream, and find one your self to really know. My first LA Co. king was also from LB, and the feeling of finding one in the middle of the city was almost unbelievable. I've found many since then, but the feeling I had when I seen my first will never be forgotten. I found my first inside a tire of all places. It wasn't under it but inside it!

How did you find yours, Byron?
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you are exactly right about that feeling - just awesome, and something you never, ever forget.

There is a spot in LB that I would drive by all the time and I always wondered if there were any kings left there... I'd heard stories of great finds many years ago but I figured with all the development in the city and surrounding areas that all the snakes were long gone.
One day - with wife and baby in the car, I made a split second decision to stop at that spot and just take a quick look.
With the wife complaining and baby getting antsy I made a quick dash through a fence and under the third log I rolled was this king!!! A hatchling of that same year. I couldn't believe it! That was it. I was totally hooked. That experience really spoiled me because I found that snake so quickly and easily...

I've found more with time but they have all taken A LOT of work and energy.... But the ones I've found have all been very well worth it.

byron.d

looks very familiar....... Great looking animal!

byron.d

Byron, out of the 11 or 12 kings I found at that spot that year, only this one had the dark lining around the labial scales. I'd say it was the best out of the bunch.
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Hi Ross,
Your snake had a great habitat in side that tire, Filtered sun, shade, water, humidity and a great place to lay and wait for its next trap meal, that comes in to his strike zone looking for a drink of water.
You have a real smart king there.lol
Thanks for posting;
-Bob

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R.Bichlers Colubrids
http://www.webspawner.com/users/rbichler/index.html

Thanks guys, I love sharing my stories and hearing others stories. Bob, you are right about all of that. As I walked up on the tire and looked in I found the kingsnake frozen in place with his head reaching up about 6 inches off the ground, probably moving toward or coming back from the puddle of watter trapped in the tire. As I reached in he quickly pulled back.
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As Paris would say "That's hot!"
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For what its worth I think that's a great looking snake!
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“Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.” Emmerson

To me, that is an absolutely beautiful king! I love that thing!
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Genesis 1:1

Byron, that snake is awesome! Very vibrant yellow. IMHO the stories behind WC locale Kings, and often times the place, time of day where they're found is what makes them beautiful. Nothing beats your first find and finding exactly what you're looking for!

reako45