OK, I want to know the difference between a northern black pine and a black pine (melanistic) I know melanistic means all black. Supposedly Northern black are black but near the tail you can see some brown, and they might not be jet black. But is the northern black pine, just a dark northern pine, or is it a sub species that's melanistic? I'm not even sure my questions make any sense. I was bugging the reptile guy at my store to order me my snake, i said, black pine, and he said, so a northern black pine, and were got onto what the differences were, but i'm still confused. The pictures of black pines on the web, are they northern black, or just blacks? and i got nothing on Northern black pines, except northern pines.
PLEASE someone help me
thanks
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northern/black pine
Replies (5)
Well...there is no " northern " black pines, and because that guy at the pet store did say that...it is understandable why there would be confusion.
Just about all black pines, when they are babies, have some pattern on their tails and also sometimes throughout their bodies. As they get older, the black intensifies and they lose virtually all pattern.
There is some breeders selling baby black pines on the classified section of this site. Go check those out. I would recommend them over any store that tells you that northern black pines exist.
Take care! I wish you luck! 
Billy
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Genesis 1:1
Here's a John Ginter produced black pine that was black with no pattern showing as a hatchling.
Terry Parks
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Genesis 1:1
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I must clarify that this one was all black to me when I got it as a hatchling from John. The other 2 black pines I got had a faint pattern towards their tails. The pattern disappeared as they reached adults. John's eye probably saw a pattern in the one I said was all black. I don't think he believes his hatchlings are all black, but he sees a lot more than I did or do.
I had to try and post a pic of one of my snakes that might stand up to the pics of those excellent looking holdback red bulls het white sided and red northern pines het albino. Both the red bulls and northern pines have excellent pattern on them.
Terry Parks
