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it was found near Roosevelt Lake in the Superstition Mts. For non-residents, the Superstitions are desert mountains--all rock and cactus. The snake in the picture is just a nicely marked one about two years old or so. Plenty are less vivid--it's not a locale thing, just individuality.

I was out snooping around the banks of the Santa Cruz River near Tucson this weekend and saw a large King, maybe three feet or so (large for a wild king in the desert--there's not much to eat, and a snake like that could have been ten years old). That one was pretty dingy--bands all dimmed by age.

While in Tucson, I went to the Tucson herp show--a tiny, mostly unremarkable show, but there were a few very nice things. Picked up a pair of hatchling Common Kings from Baja bloodlines, form "conjuncta". Jet black with pinstripe clean gleaming white--I'll post pix eventually--they're the Western counterpart of a fine Hillson Eastern...sweet!!

***While in Tucson, I went to the Tucson herp show--a tiny, mostly unremarkable show, but there were a few very nice things***

I agree it may not compare to the California Shows, but the Tucson Show this weekend had more vendors than any show in Arizona in 14 years that I've been here. Just short of 5,000 people came through the doors in 2 days. You may not have been happy but thousands of others were. I personally think it would be a better show if it were moved to Mesa. But this year the facilities were bigger and everyone had plenty of room.

It will be there again next year, September 2005. The good news is that you don't have to come LOL

Later

Kerby...

I DID like the show. I was calling it tiny and unremarkable in comparison to the large shows that have been making forum news lately, like the Daytona Hurricane Show. (There was no hurricane at the Tucson show). It was still a very nice show, and as I said there were some really nice things there. I picked up a pair of Trans-Pecos rats that I couldn't have topped at any show, and a fine pair of hatchling Greybands from Amazing Grays--they were just what I was looking for.

I for sure plan on going back next year, and I promise to not make denigrating remarks about it anymore.

There was a good selection of baby boas and pythons, including some nice Peruvian and Suriname redtails and even Womas, the full spectrum of morphs of corns and kings, tons of Bearded Dragons, a table full of Blue-Tongued Skinks, great deals on mature reduced black knoblocki kings, some Black Milks, pretty much all the tri-colors, a wide selction of dart frogs, and at very good prices...no hurricane, though.

By the way, for kingsnake fans, there were not only a few stunning little Baja phase cal kings (I bought a pair), there were also a fair number of jet black and lemon-yellow banded cal kings--very handsome. I passed on them due to a shortage of nickels, but next year, if there are more of those, I'm in. Then I'll be looking for a nice pair of chocolate and yellow-banded to round thing out. Got to be extra careful transporting chocolate cal kings in this heat, though....they melt, you know.

That's cool! But if you were there on Saturday, then it wasn't cool because that is the day the AC was out But it was fixed for Sunday! And yes, no hurricanes, just HEAT LOL

Although I sold a lot of snakes, I only brought back 6 to include Desrt Kings (1.1) het albinism; Desert Kings (1.2) hypo.

What is funny about shows is that they are different from year to year. I'll have a booth again there next year and the variety of animals will be different. Like Christmas...

We also went out Saturday after the 1st day and made one pass down a certain road and found:
1 Mojave Rattlesnake
5 Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes
1 Long-nosed snake
1 DOR Mojave Rattlesnake
20 Tarantulas
Back to the hotel room by 1030pm

Stop by next year and introduce yourself.

Or do I already know you?

Kerby...

The show was great. My stepdaughter and I made the 150 mile journey from Buckeye AZ down to the show on Saturday. It was VERY reminiscent of the previous day at the high school, no AC and lots of sweaty people!

I saw a lot of very nice animals. Kerby had some that truly tempted me, including some nice high whites and his breeder Newport Cal Kings. I bought one very nice albino female from him.

Also got a couple of nice adult corns, and my stepdaughter got her birthday gift: A redtail boa.

It was a very nice show, lots to see, well set up. If I had a snake building, and someone to tend the animals and the mice and the rats to feed the snakes, then I'd have gone crazy purchasing great animals. As it is, I felt extravagant getting the four snakes I did get. I look forward to the show next year.
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~Sasheena

And next year the show is scheduled for the end of September I believe. So even if the AC goes out it shouldn't be all that hot. BTW, they did fix it for the second day

Also herping at night around Tucson will still be good in Sept for next year.

Glad you liked your cal king.

Kerby...

did you mean 'nitida'? i thought conjuncta was the one with rings and nitida had stripes.