Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I don't know what it is about these that attract me so much. I have 2.2 of these and I love them. Maybe it's because i used to live in L.A. and I used to search the empty dirt lots for snakes until my early teens. Mostly found alligator lizards. But did find a few gopher snakes.

What is amazing is these cal kings survived isolated in the middle of a concrete jungle in Long beach. Hardly any dirt anywhere and nothing but city concrete for miles and miles.

I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder.and i apprecaite these isolated relics. Can't get any more locality pure than this.

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www.Bluerosy.com

"Pray for Obama. Psalm 109:8".

"They that can give up essential liberty, to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty or safety." -Benjamin Franklin

Yours look a lot different than my 07 Cali king, which is wc rescue from cat from the Mother lode at 3200 ft elevation in spring of 08.

The one I posted are also referrered to grease kings because of their greasy appearance and they are from the Long beach oil fields.

They also have a back head and neck which resembles a splendida. But no way they could have crossed being isolated and so far away.
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www.Bluerosy.com

"Pray for Obama. Psalm 109:8".

"They that can give up essential liberty, to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty or safety." -Benjamin Franklin

which mtn range at 3200 ft did yours come from?
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www.Bluerosy.com

"Pray for Obama. Psalm 109:8".

"They that can give up essential liberty, to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty or safety." -Benjamin Franklin

Sierra Nevada foothills near the north fork of the Mokelumne River (my backyard)

My little him again, last fall. A great pet, very nice disposition.

find any mtn kings up nthere yet? Seems like the weather is perfect now for flipping.

If you get a chance take some insitu pics.
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www.Bluerosy.com

"Pray for Obama. Psalm 109:8".

"They that can give up essential liberty, to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty or safety." -Benjamin Franklin

No mountain kings yet. All's I usually ever find is rattlesnakes...argh! There seems to be more of them than kings or pits.

Hey Rainer,
In 1982 I found a Cal. King under a piece of wood, on Valley/Ardmore St. in Hermosa
Beach. As far as I know it was the last Cal. King found in Hermosa Beach. I lived in Long Beach for a while as well, and those Signal Hill Grease Kings do something for me as well. it's a miracle that any Kings still manage to eak out a living in SoCal.
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Work is the curse of
the drinking class!

Yeah, those are cool little "greasers", aka "mud" morphs. Them being unique isolated entities with a look all their own is also why I think "sticticeps" are so special as well. Even though they might not be considered exactly "eye-popping" to some folks, they are very special in my eyes.

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -serpentinespecialties.webs.com

Yeah, those are cool little "greasers", aka "mud" morphs. Them being unique isolated entities with a look all their own is also why I think "sticticeps" are so special as well. Even though they might not be considered exactly "eye-popping" to some folks, they are very special in my eyes.

~Doug

Doug,
Have you ever collected sticticeps? I always wanted to try. i think they are easier than meansi (goini). Let me know if you want to make a trip up to the outer banks.
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www.Bluerosy.com

"Pray for Obama. Psalm 109:8".

"They that can give up essential liberty, to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty or safety." -Benjamin Franklin

I have never collected any myself, but I have always thought about what it would be like to see one of those natural gems in the wild. North Carolina protects those bad boys from being collected though.

What is funny is, how the hell could they distinguish a mainland Eastern with some speckling from an authentic sticticeps from the barrier islands..LOL!. They definitely could NOT!. One of those catch-22 deals that can cause big problems. Especially when the "good guy"(us) would be the ones that would have to prove otherwise..LOL!

It would be fun someday though to at least see some. And yes, they are easier to find than meansi for SURE!

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -serpentinespecialties.webs.com

Cool snake Rainer. They are one of my favorites also. I found one in LB just last week in that field they are from. It was a juvenile. It was dark but not one of the very dark ones that can be found there. They are tough to find there so I was very happy to find him.

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I found one in LB just last week in that field they are from

OMG you lucky sob. I wish you could post new pics of the habitat. or insitu or info where you found him. I love stories like that!

If you would rather share that in a PM that would probably be better.
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www.Bluerosy.com

"Pray for Obama. Psalm 109:8".

"They that can give up essential liberty, to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty or safety." -Benjamin Franklin

I'll send you a PM on FHF.
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Rainer, those are beauties. My parents live in L.A. City, and last year the first Gophersnake I'd seen in 26 years showed up in their yard and they've got lizards on their property as well. I'm going to be hunting around some of the open spaces hoping to find a couple of those.
The Kings out here in the SFV are dark like that w/ bands that get dirtier as they get older, but they don't have the dark heads like the one you've pictured.

reako45

Hey Ranier!!!!!

Thanks for sharing the Pic!!!! Brings back fond memories of herping in the late 60's/early 70's. I always like the locality populations that were my first critters. I remember most of my firsts with great fondness. Thanks again!!!

Shalom,

Pat GC

Shalom Pat,

Good to see you here! Stick around and share some when you have time!

Rainer
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www.Bluerosy.com

"Pray for Obama. Psalm 109:8".

"They that can give up essential liberty, to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty or safety." -Benjamin Franklin

Rainer,
I have 2.2 of the Los Angeles "grease" kings that I picked up from Shannon Brown two years ago. I also produced two clutches last year and still have several babies left. Not even sure that I am going to part with these because I like them as well.
I only know of one other person working with these and that is Byron DeStouet. I am hoping that he and I can work out a trade to acquire some new blood for my breeding colony.
Great post. Thanks for sharing. Good luck with the kings.
Brad Bauserman