Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Do any of you have or have you seen any ALL black timbers. I have seen one, but i hear they are fairly common? I would realy like to get my hands on one of these velvet beauties. Please let me know. thanks chris

In our area (Western NC), they are known primarily, as one might expect, from higher elevations, where some herpers theorize that their darker color may be a competitive advantage, allowing for greater retention of heat on cold days. I have seen a fair number of black or very dark specimens, unfortunately many of them have had contact with a hoe, machete or shotgun before someone brought them (often for reasons obscure to me) to my doorstep. In this region, many people believe erroneously that the yellow (xanthic) specimens, which are also common here, are one sex and the black (melanistic) specimens are the other. As with most myths, there is a wide variety of opinion as to which is which. In NC, collection of wild C. horridus is only by permit, and is almost never allowed, with the exception of serious scientific research. If I can answer any other questions, please feel free to contact me: pgbsteve@wnclink.com.