Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've wanted to ask this many times over the last few years when things get a little slow in here, so...

What's your favorite snake? Not your favorite snake in the world... but that one in your own personal collection you just wouldn't rather be without.

So come on all you regulars and lurkers, pass a little time and post your favorite animal even if it isn't a milk

Gerry

It used to be Black Rat Snakes. I had a pair of albinos that I bred regularly. Then Ohio got stupid with their herp laws and it became too much hassle to keep them (PIT taggs, permits, annual fees, inspections, etc.). So I switched to Russian Ratsnakes which are alert, somewhat active snakes with a lot of "personality." They are by far my favorites, more like an actual pet than a breeding project.

Tim

Third Eye

I would say this thayeri is my favorite.

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I'm not sure how you got to that conclusion about me because I'm not the boogieman................. I'm real.

www.hognosefarm.com

Man, quite hard to pick just one. However, I will judge this by the snake I have enjoyed handling the most and is one of the prettiest in my collection (IMO). This big Mount Hamilton Mt. Kingsnake that was given to me by my good friend Mitch Mulks. He is just awesome and would definitely be one of the animals I will always keep, no matter what.

Nice critter Joe
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"He's down in the basement staring at his snakes " My Wife

--< : < > < > < > < > < >~~~

Doug L

Thanks Doug. Nice to see you on the forum!

Joe

Damn! Killer Diablo! Kinda looks like my Kern animal...

Very nice Zach. Yeah, the two ranges have snakes close in appearance. A while back there was a thread talking of this and how myself and a few others think that nothing can top a clean Kern animal for looks in the CA MT king world.

Joe

Although I love all zonata, I must disagree...nothing beats a slender, heavily banded coast animal! Especially from San Mateo, Santa Clara, or Santa Cruz! Just love the red on the faces!

Oh, and the dirtier the zonata the better! Gotta love high black crossover Z's!

But yes, Kern animals are beauties.

LOL. Coast animals are awesome, and when you start talking about the white head animals that Mitch has or some of the Santa Clara animals, they are smokers for sure. I just think the red is SOOOO bright on nice Kern animals, and they have nice white too. Very clean. Opinions are why folks keep different snakes---good stuff. Here is the nicest W/C animal I have ever seen/caught and he is a coast animal. Also a nice high black Multicincta for ya!

Probably my laptop, but I can't see the pics!

Funny enough, I'm not too big on the whiteheads. Gorgeous they are, but something about the black head/snouts of zonata really stand out to me.

I figure the pic is of that AWESOME low black, pinner multifasciata you collected? Screamer for sure. We gotta go herping sometime lol

out of the 40 or so genus i keep, it has to be my female ebn garter. garters are prolly one of the most intelligent snakes i work with as long as you get them to stay calm. plus, eastern black neck garters are beautiful in their natural state. no morph needed there. sad that garters are underappreciated here in the states but the europeans/asians definitely appreciate them more. i also have a bunch of drymarchon (indigos, cribos) but garters in my opinion are clearly more inquisitive than drymarchon. never had cobras though

sad that garters are underappreciated here in the states

Can't argue with that observation... that is a very fine looking little garter... very easy to see why it would be someone's favorite.

Thanks for taking the time to put up a picture... I thought I'd seen the last of anyone joining in even though I'm certain there are so many more people out there Thanks again for posting such a gorgeous little beastie.

Gerry

My male AZ Mt. King is the only snake in my collection that I don't plan on breeding.
He's a great snake, eats well, calm disposition, easy to handle, great color and pattern and I plan on keeping him until he goes to the big canyon in the sky!
-R

AZ King

Wow. that is one bright and beautiful pyro you have there.

Joe

I had a problem posting the pic...certain things you just can't do from a phone!

I purchased this guy's grandparents and unrelated trio (1.2) in the early 90's...then kept back a half sister and half brother (his parentage) and paired them together, he was the best male from my last clutch of AZ Mt. Kings. Gave the best female to a good friend and he still has her as well. I think they are at least 10 years old...I'd have to check my records to be 100% sure.

See if these show up better...

Here's a 2008 wild caught (and released) AZ Mt. King, my first and only:

-Rusty

Rusty, I think I remember that king when you posted it. Didn't you catch that one with your pop? I remember him holding it as well. Your pyro is even prettier now that I know his age!! I have a huge Kitt Peak male that is nice too, but I think yours tops him. Is that a Kitt Peak animal?

Joe

You got it Joe!

Here he is!

A few other shots from that trip as well:

-R

Nice hummingbird shot... been trying for years to get something half as nice.

Gerry

that sure is a beauty, Rusty. Tough to be an AZ mtn king.

They are a great pet snake for sure!

Are you guys kidding me here? Not one MILK SNAKE posted yet...PHhtt. You are all on the wrong forum....Get the hell outta here you milk snake keeping wana be's. Oh, and zonata are for yuppies, yeah I said it Y U P P I E S!

Well, okay they are pretty cool snakes. I'm only kidding around with you yuppies.

Here is my favorite milk snake. L. t. multistrata, Cherry Co. NE.

And this Red milk from Mr. Niles is one of the better syspila I've ever seen.

Lampropeltis yuppie zonata - Dell -

Holy crap Dell, that pale and red are just sick!! WOW. I was going to post a milk but thought some yuppy fly fishermen would jump in eventually and do it for me LOL Here, this make you happy. I love these too!!




Sorry, I know the thread was post your favorite--my bad.

Joe

Nice "Milk" snakes Joe. The first one is a smoking looking eastern.

It sure is nice to see milk-snake favorites on the milk-snake forum. How about you Rusty, do you still have a few milk-snakes laying around?

-Dell

OK...my favorite milk has got to be this one!

Seriously, I just don't own it yet!

I love those Pales Dell!

-R

Joe - love those Ltt!! That first one looks like a monster!

We've got to get out this spring and find a mate for that killer VA animal too.

Dave
DNS Reptiles

Thanks Dave. That first one is over 36" and yes, we need to find a girl for that poor va male!!

Joe

Dell - what the hell was I thinking letting go of that syspila????!!

That pale is incredible, I can see why that's your favorite - it might be my favorite too if I owned it!

Great stuff.

Dave
DNS Reptiles - Milk Snakes

I was shocked as well...no milks at all up to this point... but that's all right, I was just curious to see what everybody's "one" snake was... been some nice animals posted... hope to see more no matter what that all time favorite is.

Gerry

BTW...my favorite in my limited "collection" is my BM Jade... I'd put up a pic of her but I've done that all to often.

Awesome looking Multistrata Terry!
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Randy Whittington

Right now I am partial to this particular tricolor hypo hondo. Can't wait for her to be breeding size in another year.

--Dennis

I don't keep many milks now as in years past but this is my favorite milk that I have now. She is the product of one of those "just for me" projects I've been working on for several years. You know the type of project that you do just for your own interest that you don't really worry about what it's worth or anything else.
I started with some hypo and het hypo hondurans I got in about 1999 or 2000. Not only did they throw the occaisonal almost patternless hypos but also produced VP hets. I've been selectivly breeding them for a while now and am now starting to get almost patternless het hypos yearly. This paticular girl is pretty much patternles except for a dot or two at the top of her back where her bands would be. Her pattern is almost only tipping between where her bands should be. For anyone that wonders, her head markings and the first band on her neck are jet black right out of the egg and there are obvious hypos in each clutch. This coming year will be the first year that I'll be breeding the best holdbacks produced by previous holdbacks. I hoping to start consistantly getting patternless hets with just the jet black head markings.
Sorry for the crappy picture. I just took a quick point and shoot pic.

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Randy Whittington

This would be my overall favorite as of now.

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Randy Whittington

Some sort of Rat snake...from Europe?

What about your "Rhadinophis prasina"?

-Rusty

It's an Orthriophis (Elaphe) Moellendorffi ratsnake. Their from Vietnam and China. Their sometimes called the 100 flower ratsnake.
The Prasina are still definatly still one of my favorites. It's just that I have been looking for some moellendorffi for quite a while and just recently picked up my first pair.
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Randy Whittington

.......I'm also a subscriber I suppose. All time fave not a milk.....but black & white/anery Sierra zonata.

one of my females w/ some fresh 2011 clutch babies . . .

2011 clutch

If it HAD to be a milk, no question . . . my Cosala sinaloae

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Jerry Kruse

UPDATED!
www.zonatas.com

And God said, "Let there be zonata subspecies for all to ponder..."

Cool post Gerry.

My favorite snake? syspila! Oh, you mean actual snakes, not subspecies? Ok, well here goes then.

I have a three-way tie, is that allowed?

Cosala sinaloans

I produced this guy in 2008 that started breeding for me last year. His color is better today than it was as a hatchling.

Red milks

I would be difficult to pick out one red milk but if I had to, this one would be my favorite - given to me by a friend that passed away about a year ago

Coastal Plains milks

And then by far my favorite temporalis. This girl is perfect IMO

Dave
DNS Reptiles - Milk Snake

Very nice Dave! My favorite of those three actually goes to that red milk. Outstanding animals as always buddy.

Joe

I would have a hard time picking a fave from those too!
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
Jorge Sierra

My Site > www.Sierrasnakes.com

My favorite is up here somewhere... just need to find it!

But this little rescue milk is my favorite pet.

posted here so far... thanks to all of you for taking the time to put up a post... but I know there are more of you out there... perhaps like me you have a very limited "collection" and don't want to bore people... perhaps it's just a "plain old" something or not a milk snake and you're thinking "who'd really be interested" ... but my whole point here is for everybody to get to know a little more about other forum members, so...

Come on... let's see 'em... don't make me say "You show me yours and I'll show you mine"... that would be just too damn weird!

Gerry

My collection is small but growing thanks to you guys!
Here's some of mine:
My new Cherry Co. Pale Milk. Thanks Jeff!
Linn Co. KS Red milk
McDowell Co. NC L.t.t. Thanks Dave! (Can't get a pic of him that does justice to his color)

Wow - some really nice animals in this thread, everyone! I'm jumping in a bit late (been working out of town), but I'd like to contribute, too. It's really hard to pick just one... I guess that's the reason we have "collections" and not just a pet or two, huh?!

Here's a photo my buddy LamproPolice took of one of my Sheridan County, Nebraska Lampropeltis triangulum multistrata a few years back. He's even better looking these days, with a nice, butter-yellow background color. Truly a stunning beast.

I've gotta say, though, that every one of my Golden, CO L. t. gentilis vie for a spot near the top of my "favorites" list. This isn't even the best looking animal in my colony from this locale.

Probably, my all-time favorite animal, though, is this L. t. multistrata from Carbon County, Montana. The sentimentality behind this critter would be hard to match.

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_______________________

-Cole

I haven't posted in a long time. It's hard to choose just one favorite (my favorite is often the snake I'm holding at the time), but one of my favorites is my Black Milk, "Mamba". She's in blue right now, so no recent pics. She's got a great personality.
Another of my favorites is "Spike", my Rhino Rat. I love his colors and he's so cute!

you're right... you haven't posted in some time Nice of you to take a moment to join in, thank you for it.

Gerry

Well Im a little late as well. I only have two snakes but this girl would be my favorite

This sockhead pueblan I got as a baby from PetSmart of all places.

Cool looking snake but it looks like their might have been a little something else roaming around in the wood pile.
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Randy Whittington

How will one ever know what was in that woodpile? I've recently seen sockheads posted that look similar in terms of head markings. But again, we shall never know. What I do know is I got her because I love the way she looks and she has never failed to impress me with her beauty.

That is a great looking snake! I recently saw one similar to that for sale in the classifieds. I was soooo tempted to get it.
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
Jorge Sierra

My Site > www.Sierrasnakes.com

Thanks, Jorge! Yeah, I saw that one too and guess it was sold before I could get him.

Cool post, mine would have to be Protobothrops jerdoni jerdoni. These guys are awesome and unfortunately not in my possession right now(two young children) but I hope one day will find their way back.

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Gerard

"Destruction of the empty spaces, is my one and only crime."

www.livebaitclip.com

GONE FISHING!!!

SWEEEEEEET!! Very nice Gerard. What an awesome creature.

Joe

Thanks dude, it was hard to give them up but one of my really good friends has them. I know they are in the best possible hands.
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Gerard

"Destruction of the empty spaces, is my one and only crime."

www.livebaitclip.com

GONE FISHING!!!

I guess it's time to say this thread has played out... thanks to all of you that posted a picture of your own particular favorite.

Each and every post has been a pleasure to read and see but I have to say...

Being a big fan of stark contrast, Mr. Kruse's black & white/anery Sierra zonata are just the b@lls. If I ever expand away from Central American milks it will be for those guys!

Gerry

Oh, btw... since it's still slow... feel free to prove me wrong in thinking this thread has played out... I know there are more of you out there with nice things to share... Cindy, surely you have a favorite?

OK Gerry, I'll play along and prove you wrong.

I read this when you first posted and thought about it and even with the very small collection that I keep I was finding it hard to pick my one favorite. How can I possibly go against my black milk? Great hardy animal, very easy to keep, never refuses a meal, etc.

But my favorite snake has to be the one that got me back into the hobby after a hiatus from keeping for about 10 years or so. Like many here as I child growing up I was always in the fields and woods finding snakes. Growing up in MA we do not have a great variety of native snakes, and my favorite seemed to vary back and forth between 3 or 4 species based on which one I was having the most difficult time finding. I always had a fondness for L.t.triangulum because it was one that I rarely found back then. Fastforward twenty to thirty something... years later and I just happen to stumble upon this albino triangulum while doing yardwork. It has brought me back to my childhood by getting me back into what we now call "fieldherping". Back then I was just the crazy kid who chased snakes around, now I'm a fieldherper, lol. It has also helped me to spend a lot of valuable time with my kids introducing them to the outdoors and one of my favorite old pastimes...

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Joe

Bad ass!
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Gerard

"Destruction of the empty spaces, is my one and only crime."

www.livebaitclip.com

GONE FISHING!!!

Yes, that was truly a monumental find!..simple as that Joe..

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

serpentinespecialties.webs.com

Very nice Joe... for something you just stumbled across.

I for one can't go against my Black Milk. Not only is she simply an awesome animal but she's also a present from my son.

Thanks for proving me wrong.

Gerry

>>Oh, btw... since it's still slow... feel free to prove me wrong in thinking this thread has played out... I know there are more of you out there with nice things to share... Cindy, surely you have a favorite?

Oh I do. My Beloved Madness. And since you asked I expect no flames.
Madness, my Irian Jaya X (Oh HELL YEAH ITS A HYBRID) Jaguar Carpet Python bred my Psychotic Exotics. Pics from his arrival day

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Cindy Steinle
PHFaust
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mean intergrade. Not that it matters with carpets anymore. That's what happens when no one cares(making intergrades). He looks bad ass though, I have been thinking about getting a albino or two.
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Gerard

"Destruction of the empty spaces, is my one and only crime."

www.livebaitclip.com

GONE FISHING!!!

>>mean intergrade. Not that it matters with carpets anymore. That's what happens when no one cares(making intergrades). He looks bad ass though, I have been thinking about getting a albino or two.
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>>Gerard

Intergrading an australian animal with an irian jayan animal is not possible naturally. It is a hybrid.

In a way you are right. But while carpet people are more accepting of hybrids, we are also FAR more judgemental of mislabeling animals. We are more protective of the good lines that are out there that we accept as pure and purity is only as good as the breeders name associated with it.
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Cindy Steinle
PHFaust
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I agree with you that they are hybrids. I was just poking fun. It's weird, you say they would never meet and intergrade naturally? Just like a Florida king and Mexican black king would never meet in the wild. Would you agree then that those are hybrids? It's different when you don't have a choice of what too buy, like with carpets. That's a good example of what not caring leads too. I still think those Albino Darwins are sick! Thanks for responding.
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Gerard

"The only difference between myself and a madman is that I am not mad."

www.livebaitclip.com

GONE FISHING!!!

" Just like a Florida king and Mexican black king would never meet in the wild. "

But wait...getula is getula is getula, right?
LOL!!!!

You gotta love inconsistent thought patterns, eh?
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Genesis 1:1

>>" Just like a Florida king and Mexican black king would never meet in the wild. "
>>
>>But wait...getula is getula is getula, right?
>>LOL!!!!
>>
>>You gotta love inconsistent thought patterns, eh?
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>>Genesis 1:1

Not so inconsistant. King hybrid/intergrades are still kings right? They just arent pure, but they are still kings and require same care.
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Cindy Steinle
PHFaust
Visit kingsnake on Facebook!
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>>I agree with you that they are hybrids. I was just poking fun. It's weird, you say they would never meet and intergrade naturally? Just like a Florida king and Mexican black king would never meet in the wild. Would you agree then that those are hybrids? It's different when you don't have a choice of what too buy, like with carpets. That's a good example of what not caring leads too. I still think those Albino Darwins are sick! Thanks for responding.
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>>Gerard
If they can not naturally meet, I call em hybrids. If they can I call em intergrades. None the less, a king is a king is a king. Discussion of hybrids in the morelia world is so much more civilized.
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Cindy Steinle
PHFaust
Visit kingsnake on Facebook!
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I certainly wouldn't flame you... I might have... without posting it of course... had you put up a... oh never mind, I won't say it just in case.

So if you're willing to indulge my curiosity a little more... what did your little beauty do to deserve such a name as Madness?

Gerry

>>I certainly wouldn't flame you... I might have... without posting it of course... had you put up a... oh never mind, I won't say it just in case.
>>
>>So if you're willing to indulge my curiosity a little more... what did your little beauty do to deserve such a name as Madness?
>>
>>Gerry

Ya'all asked my fave. Tis my hybrid.

All my snakes are named in relation to who they came from. This one was bred by Psychotic Exotics, which is owned by Kerry King. He is the guitarist for Slayer. The day UPS came with him, I had the song Exile in my head and the chorus is "Madness is coming your way".

Madness came my way and he is purely stunning and gorgeous.
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Cindy Steinle
PHFaust
Visit kingsnake on Facebook!
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Is the coolest snake name story ever!
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Gerard

"The only difference between myself and a madman is that I am not mad."

www.livebaitclip.com

GONE FISHING!!!

I just played a youtube vid of the song she mentioned, and it sure as heck doesn't match with a name like "Cuddles"..HAHAHAA!!!

~Doug

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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

serpentinespecialties.webs.com

>>I just played a youtube vid of the song she mentioned, and it sure as heck doesn't match with a name like "Cuddles"..HAHAHAA!!!
>>
Yeah well, Doug you have met me. You have seen me squeal over my pretties... Now imagine me in my jammies, doing dishes really really slow so I can see the UPS truck drive up singing that song. I also greeted the UPS man singing it and squealed as I signed the paper. He knows I am crazy
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Cindy Steinle
PHFaust
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Have to agree with Gerard... very cool story on how the snake was named.

Not being a fan of death metal I however couldn't finish listening to Exile as Doug seemingly did... didn't even make 15 seconds... give me Hawkwind any day

Gerry

War Ensemble!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Genesis 1:1

>>War Ensemble!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I actually thought of naming him Angel.

I had a blood python named after his daddy. Rich Crowley. He was my favorite til our furnace issue this year. His name was Allister and I sang Ozzy's Mr. Crowley to him every time I dealt with him.

I may like to put forth this bad ass personality, but somewhere deep inside me occasionally is a girl that comes out
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Cindy Steinle
PHFaust
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These guys are high on my list.

But this is my favorite snake, and I was just able to convince Mike King to sell me his sister, so I should be super happy this summer! They are from a blue line which has not been reproduced as of yet. Maybe I'll get lucky?

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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
Jorge Sierra

My Site > www.Sierrasnakes.com