Reptile & Amphibian Forums

How many others have found melanistic hogs in the wild, and in what areas of the country? Don't get me wrong, I know for a fact they are a somewhat common phenotype. From what I understand, it is also a recessive trait, and intermediate offspring of the normal and melanistic form aren't produced. Does anyone have any pics of some and/or any offspring clutches?

I found one in Ft.Pierce, Florida some years back crossing an off-ramp on I-95. It was fortunate that I was the one to see it and stop to get it from the center of the road instead of someone else that would have ran right over it instead without a second thought.

I enjoyed keeping it for a little while, but later decided it was best to let him go in the desolate orange grove area right near where I found him. He did eat a couple toads that I was lucky enough to find at my place prior releasing it on its merry way once again.

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

serpentinespecialties.webs.com

I collected some melanistic eastern hogs in Pope County, southern Illinois many years ago. My recollection is that they were just as common as the normal form. Also collected some easterns in the sand prairie region in Mason County, Illinois. Those were really beautiful animals with lots of orange between scales. All were purely toad eaters and were eventually returned to their collection point.

Thanks Tim....yeah, that's interesting how melanistics can be far more abundant in certain areas, and in others far less common.

I didn't keep mine long enough to try to switch him to toad-scented rodents, but it would have been neat to find out. I sort of wish I still had him now....but oh well..

That's cool about the gold in beteen the scales. Similar to some dark Texas Rats..LOL!

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

serpentinespecialties.webs.com

Hi Doug,

Sadly, I found a road killed jet black eastern hog in Volusia Co. just west of Daytona beach in April of 2001. I did one lap on this desolete road, finding live yellow rat and a fresh killed blue garter. The only other car on that stretch of highway killed the black hog about a hundred yards from me as we were closing. Sickened me. He was still squirmin' when I came up on him. It looked like someone sprayed him with a can of flat black spraypaint. I cruise that same stretch every august that I make the expo, but I haven't seen another black hog.

Will

Hi Will,..

Man, that is SOOO sad that it got killed before you could get to it. Yeah, the one I found was a very solid flat black too.

When I got to my friend's house with it (which was where I was heading when I found it) I real seriously and slowly poured it out of the bag and told everyone to keep their distance from it because it was a venomous escapee "cobra" I just found..LOL!!! It was all hooding and hissing and all as I moved my hand in front of it to portray the drama of it being a "cobra" to them.

Then I SLOOOWLY and carefully put it back in the pillowcase and as I lowered it in, I acted like it suddenly bit me. You should have seen the looks on all their faces when I snatched my hand out of the bag clinching it looking for puncture wounds.

I instantly told my friends wife let's bolt to the hospital, and after she ran and got the keys and we just got to the car, I told her I was pulling their legs the whole time! Man, we were all cracking up for a good while over that one.

HAHAHA!!!

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

serpentinespecialties.webs.com

....I had an over 3 foot female and one around 2 foot....both black....both NC found by others....both ate mice, rats ,toads frogs, anything....I think both female...don't remember the small one....large one laid like 32 eggs for the guy that gave her to me....he gave away all the kids....they were all shades of yellow to bright oranges....

another guy found a dark female...eastern PA , she laid eggs...all kids were realeased as well as mother within a week....at same rock...huge rock...she was digging ....not sure how black she was , I forget.....but the kids were same...yellows to oranges.....same area almost ,different mountain...the guys found a little one on a trail, looked amelanistic they said...

NOW...My thought....do females get black more than males?....makes sense if they do....I think it's all related to the sunlight .....?....just my thought....just like eastern milks...dark, greys,browns and ugly...yet if you have them in captivity their whole life....they stay more red....(yes ,some are red and orange in the wild too)...but I think the sun fades the colors and makes them darker to keep warmer faster....

just a thought......even though I know North Carolina isn't a cold northern state ....
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........JY

Wow!,..32 eggs is insane!

It's my understanding that the melanistic form start out looking typical, then undergo their gradual ontogenetic darkening as they mature, much like that of L.t.gaigeae. So many of those orange/yellow hatchlings you saw could have easily been recessive melanistics if they were raised up.

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

serpentinespecialties.webs.com

..........( off the record....a bunch of kids were raised by a guy once...from a black girl....the orange and yellows stayed throughout the first 4 years....none faded in captivity....

....again....no sun....

....just a thought....they are all gone now so...no idea what color they still are...

and also...!!! for the people saying "rodent diet will kill an eastern hog in a year or two"....well....it won't ....
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........JY