Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm far from my field guides. Can anyone tell me the record bairdi length?
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...and I think to myself, "What a wonderful world."

I think the official record was a snake just over 63 inches that John Malone collected while doing a herp survey of Lost Maples State Park. I am pretty sure it was this snake -

Of course, we have discussed the identity of this snake on here before.

I suspect that this represents some lack of adequate collection, because I have caught a few that were around the 5 foot mark so there must be a 6 footer out there somewhere!

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Chris Harrison

Chris -
I guess we shouldn't visit the identity of that snake again. I've heard there is a 6 foot Mexican Baird in the San Antonio Zoo. I just heard it from someone who was there so I'm not sure that is the case. I would imagine Alan Kardon could confirm or negate that claim. The Mexican Bairds seem to have a more robust body and I would think they could possibly surpass a record length of a Texas Baird. What are your thoughts since both Texas and Mexican Bairds are grouped as P. Bairdi. There are no bairdi subspecies listed.

Terry Parks

>>I think the official record was a snake just over 63 inches that John Malone collected while doing a herp survey of Lost Maples State Park. I am pretty sure it was this snake -
>>
>>
>>
>>Of course, we have discussed the identity of this snake on here before.
>>
>>I suspect that this represents some lack of adequate collection, because I have caught a few that were around the 5 foot mark so there must be a 6 footer out there somewhere!
>>
>>
>>-----
>>Chris Harrison

I was under the impressionm that Mexicans were actually generally a bit thinner than TX. Of course that would not affect the length(or shouldn't).
BTW, Chris, I guess lindheimeri influence would definitely affect the length, but like you, I suspect that baidi could go over 5', though rarely.
BTW, someone-I think it was the Hammacks-are currently doing some sort of research into speciation of the 2 "morphs."
I'll email Alan K. and see what he says.
Thanks, y'all
-Jack

>>Chris -
>> I guess we shouldn't visit the identity of that snake again. I've heard there is a 6 foot Mexican Baird in the San Antonio Zoo. I just heard it from someone who was there so I'm not sure that is the case. I would imagine Alan Kardon could confirm or negate that claim. The Mexican Bairds seem to have a more robust body and I would think they could possibly surpass a record length of a Texas Baird. What are your thoughts since both Texas and Mexican Bairds are grouped as P. Bairdi. There are no bairdi subspecies listed.
>>
>>Terry Parks
>>
>>>>I think the official record was a snake just over 63 inches that John Malone collected while doing a herp survey of Lost Maples State Park. I am pretty sure it was this snake -
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Of course, we have discussed the identity of this snake on here before.
>>>>
>>>>I suspect that this represents some lack of adequate collection, because I have caught a few that were around the 5 foot mark so there must be a 6 footer out there somewhere!
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>-----
>>>>Chris Harrison
>>
>>
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...and I think to myself, "What a wonderful world."

Shaky.........I have a listing for 62" in my old Peterson/Conant field guide. The male below is my largest Bairdi. You peaked my curiousity, so I pulled him out and measured him. He goes 64" and was hatched in '99. I'd say that captive raised have an edge in attaining a greater length, but I'll bet there are some out in the wild that are pushing 5 and 1/2 feet. Back in '99, I saw a bairdi that Alan Kardon brought to the National Breeders Expo the last year they held it in Orlando. That animal was easily over 5 feet and pretty stout. It was one of those gray-headed Mexican forms. That may be the individual that Terry is talking about.

I hope you find a female with that chartreuse color to go with your male. I would love to see some bairds with those colors on them.

Terry Parks

>>Shaky.........I have a listing for 62" in my old Peterson/Conant field guide. The male below is my largest Bairdi. You peaked my curiousity, so I pulled him out and measured him. He goes 64" and was hatched in '99. I'd say that captive raised have an edge in attaining a greater length, but I'll bet there are some out in the wild that are pushing 5 and 1/2 feet. Back in '99, I saw a bairdi that Alan Kardon brought to the National Breeders Expo the last year they held it in Orlando. That animal was easily over 5 feet and pretty stout. It was one of those gray-headed Mexican forms. That may be the individual that Terry is talking about.
>>

Wow! What a great shot!
Thanks for the info

>>Shaky.........I have a listing for 62" in my old Peterson/Conant field guide. The male below is my largest Bairdi. You peaked my curiousity, so I pulled him out and measured him. He goes 64" and was hatched in '99. I'd say that captive raised have an edge in attaining a greater length, but I'll bet there are some out in the wild that are pushing 5 and 1/2 feet. Back in '99, I saw a bairdi that Alan Kardon brought to the National Breeders Expo the last year they held it in Orlando. That animal was easily over 5 feet and pretty stout. It was one of those gray-headed Mexican forms. That may be the individual that Terry is talking about.
>>
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...and I think to myself, "What a wonderful world."