Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I went to reptile show today, and picked up the first baby kingsnake I've had in over a decade. (He seems so small!) I got him as a pet since I liked his looks and how calm he was for a baby. But now I'm hoping to find out more about what type of kingsnake he is. The seller called him a flame brooksi, said he'd get redder as he gets older, and that he will only get 3 feet long. I really doubted his imformation because I thought brooksi was a type of Florida king and would get bigger than 3 feet. So I'm just looking for any info I can get. Thanks!
http://s818.photobucket.com/user/snakemother/media/babyBoyd_zpsc07fb458.jpg.html?filters[user]=106803003&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=0
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1.0.0 277 Graybanded Kingsnake, Boris Karloff - R.I.P.
1.0.0 Crockett Graybanded Kingsnake, Julien Sands
1.0.0 Ball Python, Frank Langella
1.0.0 Blue-eyed lucy, Ian McKellen
1.0.0 spider Ball Python, Martin Freeman
1.0.0 Sweet Rosy Bourke Parakeet, Didgeridoo
1.0.0 Ringneck Dove, Pimmdale Plumington
0.1.0 Smart & Loving Daughter

Not the greatest pic, but it looks like a "blaze" L.g.goini (aka Blotched Kingsnake) to me. I can't make out any thin cross-bars and the head is also much more indicative of goini as well. The seller was snowing you when he claimed that they get redder as they age too. They most definitely get duller and lose more red and tend to get browner as they mature.

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

serpentinespecialties.webs.com/index.htm

Can you take a photo of the entire snake from above?.......thanks!

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

serpentinespecialties.webs.com/index.htm

Here's a pic I took from him above. He has a black stripe down the back, black speckling on the sides, and is a brick red right now. The other babies they had that they said were from the same clutch had that checkerboard pattern instead. I had actually been looking at them, but this little guy caught my daughter's eye. He was so calm when we held him I decided on him.
http://s818.photobucket.com/user/snakemother/media/4a423c40-42dc-46fa-b925-b843e84e3897_zps6424ef64.jpg.html?state=copy
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1.0.0 277 Graybanded Kingsnake, Boris Karloff - R.I.P.
1.0.0 Crockett Graybanded Kingsnake, Julien Sands
1.0.0 Ball Python, Frank Langella
1.0.0 Blue-eyed lucy, Ian McKellen
1.0.0 spider Ball Python, Martin Freeman
1.0.0 Sweet Rosy Bourke Parakeet, Didgeridoo
1.0.0 Ringneck Dove, Pimmdale Plumington
0.1.0 Smart & Loving Daughter

And thanks for telling me about the color thing - it makes sense to me he'd getting duller rather than brighter as he ages, and now when it happens I'll know it's normal and nothing wrong with him. How big do these guys generally get? I don't trust the vender's statement of 3 feet. I am kinda wondering if he could be a mix, since I've not seen one with a stripe before, but I also hadn't really been researching brooksi or goini before. Thanks so much for taking the time to help me out here.
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1.0.0 277 Graybanded Kingsnake, Boris Karloff - R.I.P.
1.0.0 Crockett Graybanded Kingsnake, Julien Sands
1.0.0 Ball Python, Frank Langella
1.0.0 Blue-eyed lucy, Ian McKellen
1.0.0 spider Ball Python, Martin Freeman
1.0.0 Sweet Rosy Bourke Parakeet, Didgeridoo
1.0.0 Ringneck Dove, Pimmdale Plumington
0.1.0 Smart & Loving Daughter

You are very welcome. Yes, the snake's outward visual look (phenotype) is definitely Blotched King (goini/meansi) without question. They can be anything from completely patternless, to striped, to displaying any degree of random aberrant blotches and striping. The seller definitely didn't know what he/she was talking about, and unfortunately this is very typical too now days. Adult goini/meansi will average somewhere around 4 feet or so, but certain individuals can get larger into the 5 plus feet range. It all depends on may factors like the size of the parents, size of prey and frequency of feedings, and their individual genetic pre-disposition for size. That is a normal and typical red coloration for them. Now depending on it's specific lineage and past breedings, it "COULD" possibly have some Florida king (L.g.floridana)in it's genetic makeup, but it isn't evident at all in your snakes appearance. It looks to be a straight-up striped phenotype Blotched king (L.g.goini/meansi).

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

serpentinespecialties.webs.com/index.htm

Thanks so much! Your reply was extremely helpful and informative to me. I can't wait to see how he turns out as he grows.
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1.0.0 277 Graybanded Kingsnake, Boris Karloff - R.I.P.
1.0.0 Crockett Graybanded Kingsnake, Julien Sands
1.0.0 Ball Python, Frank Langella
1.0.0 Blue-eyed lucy, Ian McKellen
1.0.0 spider Ball Python, Martin Freeman
1.0.0 Sweet Rosy Bourke Parakeet, Didgeridoo
1.0.0 Ringneck Dove, Pimmdale Plumington
0.1.0 Smart & Loving Daughter

Yeah, goini make great pets and do very well, so have fun with it! Here is a very sinilar goini that a friend of mine has for sale at his Miami store. Only it's duller because of being in shed mode.

cheers, ~Doug

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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

serpentinespecialties.webs.com/index.htm

A sibling of the other one I posted. They can be highly variable even within the same clutch.

~Doug

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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

serpentinespecialties.webs.com/index.htm

Not very common to come across such uniform blotched phase of these kings presently.

As for the striped phase of same that was the start of this thread, good find. Should make for an excellent addition to your collection. They become quite impressive kings at maturity.

Agreed. Many years ago, one would definitely see WAY more blotched-patterned phenotypes for sale than you do now days. But like you said, the goini will no doubt make a nice addition for her.

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

serpentinespecialties.webs.com/index.htm

......since hers isn't either a "blaze" goini or "flame brooks", I am betting hers will speckle up real nice and become more golden speckled or "salt & pepper" speckled as is typical of many normal goini.

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

serpentinespecialties.webs.com/index.htm