Reptile & Amphibian Forums

not that it helps much.

JIM

Hi,
From this picture I can see that its laterally distorted. That threw me off with the one where only your chest is visible and snake looks as fat as a boa. With that in mind and looking at the other pictures. Iam convinced that its an axantic Masticophis flagellum fuliginosus, yellowless Baja coachwhip, ReptileZ has found a good picture of one above. Imagine that snake with no yellow pigment and you have your snake exactly. Personally I have had hand tame coachwhips about that size, but never ones that were good eaters. If you find any more let us know.

I totally agree with Rick. Thats what I said it was at first. Its not a drymarchon at all. Its a Baja California Coachwhip, just lacking the yellow as Rick put. Its a nice find and update me and all of us on your recent looks for some more. THANKS, WILLIAM H. AND THE GREEN PINE MUSEUM.
Green Pine Museum Website

axantic Masticophis flagellum fuliginosus, is not even close! I geuss because I had the snake and could see it better then these pictures can show , and I know its temperment and eating habits. its hard for people to get the full picture. these pictures are not that far off. the snake was not half as long as a coachwhip with the same size head and body. its tail was not as long and thin as one and the color is way off. the one only had bands in the middle of ots body, and they are streched twords its head. also as I said before this snake unlike any coachwhip I seen was as calm as a boa, never tried to bite ,and eat rats. and its head not long and thin like a coachwhip. its head was almost as wide as it was long. these pictures wetre taken right after I got it so it does look i bit thin in these pictures. but after eating rats for a few weeks it was more the size of a golf ball or bigger. plus I would think that if this were axantic Masticophis flagellum fuliginosus, that Robert Applegate or some of the other well known breeders that saw the snake first hand would have known or at least geussed that. but they all thought it looked more like a Indigo of some kind . and the professor at San Diego State University after doing scale counts and looking through all his books and his own knolage could not come up with any good ideas. I supose the only way I will know is to go find some more of them! I am going to look for some this Sunday and if I do find some I will be telling you all. Thanks. and fill free to let me know any new thoughts.

JIM

Well there's no disagrement on it being a beautiful snake and great find! I hope to hear that you have found some more, please let us know.