Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Welcome to kingsnake.com's message board system. Here you may share and discuss information with others about your favorite reptile and amphibian related topics such as care and feeding, caging requirements, permits and licenses, and more. Launched in 1997, the kingsnake.com message board system is one of the oldest and largest systems on the internet.

Click for 65% off Shipping with Reptiles 2 You
Click for 65% off Shipping with Reptiles 2 You
Click for 65% off Shipping with Reptiles 2 You

Osceola-Suwanne king

DMong Jun 24, 2010 03:26 AM

This is a photo of the rare intergrade form of Florida getula known as the "Osceola-Suwanne" kingsnake that is found in certain parts of Florida. This handsome specimen was photographed by a nature photographer I came across a while back when he was in the Duval County area around Jacksonville. He didn't even have any clue as to how special his find really was. He just thought it was a typical Florida kingsnake.

If I were to come across this living gem in the wild, I would surely be trembling with excitement to say the very least.

This is truly one of the nicest one's I have ever seen to date!......wow!

enjoy, ~Doug

Image
-----
"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -serpentinespecialties.webs.com

Replies (18)

a153fish Jun 24, 2010 06:56 AM

No, make it two! That is sweet, Doug.
-----
King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
J Sierra

DMong Jun 24, 2010 11:49 AM

You ain't kiddin Jorge!

When I saw these photos on his site, the caption underneath simply read..."Florida kingsnake(L.g. floridana)". I was blown away at what I was actually looking at, and contacted him to venture a guess as to exactly where he probably was when he saw and photographed this noble serpent.

I contacted him and explained in detail as to exactly just how special a find this king really was. I asked him if he was up around the Duval Jacksonville area when he saw this sweet specimen, and he said..."yes, that is indeed the area I was in".

Man!, some people have all the luck!

~Doug

-----
"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -serpentinespecialties.webs.com

Upscale Jun 24, 2010 08:18 AM

Those wide chain markings are always stunners, this one is in a fish net stocking! Sexy beast. Not always true that all of the good one's are "taken".

DMong Jun 24, 2010 11:55 AM

For sure bro!. What a stroke of great fortune to be able to see one of these stunner's in it's wild babitat!

Simply AWESOME!!!

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

my website -serpentinespecialties.webs.com

foxturtle Jun 24, 2010 01:02 PM

That's a Pinellas County individual. I acquired permission from the photographer to use that picture on my website (which isn't up) and he gave me the exact location.

DMong Jun 24, 2010 02:14 PM

Ah,..okay.

See, Dave told me when I asked if he saw it in the Jax area, he told me yes, he thought that was indeed the area he was at when he saw it.

Probably just "told" me that because he thought I wanted to go disrupt the area to find the snake or something..LOL!. Which would be quite impossible as you well know just going by his mentioning that HUGE general area. Sort of funny really if you think about it.

But anyway, the fact is it is a sweet snake, that won't change any.

Then Pinellas County it is!..LOL!

later man, ~Doug
-----
"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -serpentinespecialties.webs.com

foxturtle Jun 24, 2010 03:22 PM

DMong Jun 24, 2010 04:09 PM

Sweet stuff Nickster!

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

my website -serpentinespecialties.webs.com

a153fish Jun 24, 2010 07:53 PM

Any body here breed these guys?
-----
King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
J Sierra

Lindsay Jun 24, 2010 08:04 PM

>>Any body here breed these guys?
>>-----

I produce some every year. bigger babies than my true brooksi. I was born in Pinellas but haven't caught a king there since 1977
-----
Lindsay Pike
Urotopia Uromastyx

a153fish Jun 25, 2010 09:51 AM

n
-----
King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
J Sierra

shadylady Jun 24, 2010 04:32 PM

I bought this guy maybe 8 years ago from Ben Siegel at a show in Tallahassee. Didn't even ask what kind he is, just saw him, wanted him. He's been my favorite snake ever since.

I thought he might be an Apalach because I've seen some that look like this, but they could be intergrades. I've always called him an intergrade anyway.

I'm afraid to take outside pics of him. Afraid something might happen to him.

-----
----------------------------------------------------------
Amy Claiborne

Don't let them take your wasted time. J.T.

DMong Jun 24, 2010 05:24 PM

Yeah,...I remember that nice king you have there.

It does indeed look VERY similar, and could even actually BE an "Osceola-Suwanee", or an excellent looking blotched goini, or other possible intergrade of some kind, or whatever the case might be.

The next thing to consider though is, if it was a naturally occuring intergrade from the wild, or was it a man-made produced intergrade?. See, to be called an "Osceola-Suwanee", it could not be a product of two ssp. a person bred together in captivity, it would have to be a product of two subspecies that bred(intergraded)naturally in the wild.

Not long ago, I saw a king on a guys site that looked absolutely identical to what a genuine O-S specimen would look like phenotypically, but when I asked about it, I found out it was actually a man-made intergrade, and not what I thought it might be.

Now if you knew the exact history of that snake, and it's parental lineage, etc.. then you would really be onto something there. But I am betting if Ben knew all that, he probably would have charged you a heck of alot more too than you probably paid for it.

Yours DEFINITELY has the expressed phenotype one would have, no doubt about it, but without knowing,....well. you know the rest..LOL!

Excellent bruiser there Amy!, I certainy remember that from a good while back....it's a real beauty whatever the case is!

best regards, ~Doug
-----
"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -serpentinespecialties.webs.com

shadylady Jun 24, 2010 06:59 PM

Doh! Thanks, Doug. You're right of course about the locality thing. And I have no clue on my guy. Thanks for the nice comments.
-----
----------------------------------------------------------
Amy Claiborne

Don't let them take your wasted time. J.T.

foxturtle Jun 24, 2010 05:42 PM

From your pictures that snake looks more like a goini, but without a full body shot it is hard to tell. Suwannee kings usually have a higher band count than yours appears to have.

shadylady Jun 24, 2010 06:57 PM

Yeah, I think you're right from looking at the pics. I just like looking at him. LOL!
-----
----------------------------------------------------------
Amy Claiborne

Don't let them take your wasted time. J.T.

BassSnatcher34 Jun 24, 2010 08:01 PM

Very nice intergraded Amy.... If it had wider bands it would make a real nice Apalachicola king aka goini or blotched kingsnake. I have a male intergraded, although not as impressive as yours that I bred to a Apalachicola female this year and ended up with 13 perfect eggs..... You need to find a good Apalachicola female to see what you could come up with.

shadylady Jun 25, 2010 09:12 AM

I have an '09 baby female Apalach. I don't think she'll be big enough to breed next year, tho. So I'll just have to wait ...
-----
----------------------------------------------------------
Amy Claiborne

Don't let them take your wasted time. J.T.

Site Tools