Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok, here’s the story! In 1993 a friend of mine was removing an old palm tree that was more of a large bush, in San Clamenta California. When they pulled the tree out, about 4 or 5 of these snakes took off in all directions, but he grabbed one and took it home. Not knowing much about snakes but knowing I have been breeding them for several years he called me up and told me the story and that he thought it was probably a California king snake. Witch by the description sounded likely. After seeing it I thought it was some kind of indigo or cribo. So I took it to show a friend that specializes in drymarchons (indigos and so on) and to our surprise he could not identify it either! Next I took the snake to the professor of herpetology at San Diego State University and after counting scales and doing every thing he could to identify it he couldn’t. So I took it to one of the San Diego reptile shows and showed it to several breeders including Robert Applegate and many others and stumped them all. What else could I do at this point? This snake did not try to bite and was as calm as holding a boa! He ate small dead rats without constricting. I went back to were it was found to look for the others but I never found any. Now the sad part. After having the snake for a few months I had to leave the snake with a friend that breed pythons for a short time while I was moving. My friend, (whom will remain nameless for his protection) let his snake room get to hot and cooked this snake and several others. I have been talking with a few reputable reptile vets that are showing interest in this snake and I have been thinking of going back to were this snake was found with a few people that would like to go help me find some of the ones that got away or there offspring. It is an ideal place that they could live in a small area forever. Please feel free to let me know if you think you can help identify this snake or if you would like to help find the others. These pictures are not the best but a least I have some. I can email more to people that can help. Thanks.

JIM F MCDONALD

Wow,

Me and another friend both agreed that we think its a Coluber(Racer). It might even be a rare morph of the Baja California Coachwhip which does occur in a black coloration at times. I can not give you accurate ID for him. Plus I'm not an expert. But I still thinks its some sort of racer. I'm gonna send these pictures to a friend I know down here that is a herpetologist, and we will see what he thinks. When he gets back with me. I will email you any info he says. Please enclude your email in your next post. THANKS, WILLIAM H. AND THE GREEN PINE MUSEUM.
Green Pine Museum Website

Posted by: jimfmcdonald at Thu Oct 2 14:56:07 2003 [ Report Abuse ] [ Email Message ]

Posted by: jimfmcdonald at Thu Oct 2 14:46:39 2003 [ Report Abuse ] [ Email Message ]

I have cought baja coachwhips in the past and they were very hyper very mean and were lizard eaters! this snake was not hyper ,not aggessive, and would only eat rats. its haed was not as long and thin as a coachwhip, and as you can see in the pictures its belly was mostly all pearl white. it was also much fatter and and not as long and thin as any coachwhip I have seen. thanks for your help.

JIM

Posted by: jimfmcdonald at Thu Oct 2 15:04:23 2003 [ Report Abuse ] [ Email Message ]

my friend did keep it in his freezer for a year or so then I lost contact with him for a while and by then he had tossed it! as far as a hoax I dont know the first thing about faking pictures. and I said I would love for some people to go help me catch more of them if there still there ! also these pictures were taken right after I got the snake so he does look a bit thin but after eating a few times he was as big as a golf bal or bigger, much more like a indigo. thanks.

JIM

heres my email
jmcdonald25@cox.net

Yeah, I've found a pic of one that looks very similar. One thing you'll notice when looking up baja coachwhips is that most are a white or grayish coloration, some are red, and very few are this particular color, which would probably make people think that it isn't a coachwhip.

As far as the snake taking rats when most only eat frogs or lizards. Well, while it may be somewhat rare for them to eat rodents or mammals, it's not an impossible idea. In fact, I remember seeing a pic on the internet a few years back of a huge coachwhip eating a rabbit in the wild.

The only thing weird that you're explaining is that it's tame, right?. I have never met a tame coachwhip/racer, but like anything else, there are always exceptions.

I can definately see why some people would think this is a madagascer hognose though, because their heads kinda look like that of a hognose, not really anything like the southern black racers we have here.