Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am contemplating a new project for this year. I have a few questions if you guys have some time.

I have NO experience with Black Pines. Some look awesome.

Can anyone suggest any breeders with solid black pines? I've noticed that some are more dark brown than black.I find the solid black striking. I guess it's similar to Nigritis?

Is it unrealistic to hope for solid black animals or do solid black parents generally produce solid black babies?

From checking some of your posts it looks like babies can be spunky but adults can be extremely gentle?

I have kept Affinis and Sayi in the past but it's been awhile. Thanks, I appreciate any info you can give.

Bob.

I fealt kinda bad that no one responded so I am mostly just saying hi. I bought my first Black Pines this year so I am not a authority. I got some killer adults but I have been looking for about 2 years for babies. I never found what I was looking for in the babies. Most had some white on them and I was told that this stays with them. The male I picked up this year is jet black from his nose to his tail. The female is mostly black with brown spots on the bottom sides of her body here and there. She has a few (4-5) spots of white in the brown spots but that is it. So you can find jet black pines cuz I have one but from what I have been told the jet black males are rarer than the jet black females. Both snakes are very calm except when feeding then they get really shy and get angry at any movement but still do the pine thing and eat. Hopefully I said something wrong and someone will correct me so you get some better info.
Thanks Jason

That's very nice of you. I have been getting some info. I saw your pics in the Gallery. Nice snakes (including the sharp looking Blairs)

Have a good one ,
Bob.

LOL It sucks when nobody responds to you. I will have to get some pics of my new black pines up. They are really smokers. The female which is the ugly one is better than most I have seen in person. One of the best pairs I have ever bought.
Later Jason

I'd encourage you to get black pines. Of the eastern pinesnake varieities, they are by far my favorite. Not as docile as the northerns (on average) or as hissy as the southerns (again on average), but a good mix of both possibilities with a tendency towards being more girthy than either. The lengths are often VERY exagerated (be leary of so-called 7' parents - they are out there, but most of the 7' ones I've tried top verify shrunk when a tape measure got near them).

Also, and people always argue ovber this, there is in my opinion, no such thing as a solid, jet black, black pinesnake in captivity. Period. No if, ands, or buts. Some are close, some have no white, some have almost no brown, etc. BUT, take the so-called ones out in sunlight and look them over closesly. You'll see they aren't solid jet black. Most will have at least a little bit of brownish-black banding near the tail. Look good and you'd see what I mean on all of the "solid jet black ones." The closest ones to "solid black" that I've seen were NOT "jet black." They might have had almost no banding even near the tail, but they were not the nice JET black that everyone seems to want.

When I have called people on it in the past, the usualy reply was "yeah, but that part doesn't count" or "that is black, but not as black as the rest, so it is solid jet black." Both reposnes make me laugh. I'm always amazed at how well people are at convincing themselves into what they WANT to believe. I have been guilty of that fault (like all humans), too.

KJ

>>I am contemplating a new project for this year. I have a few questions if you guys have some time.
>>
>>I have NO experience with Black Pines. Some look awesome.
>>
>> Can anyone suggest any breeders with solid black pines? I've noticed that some are more dark brown than black.I find the solid black striking. I guess it's similar to Nigritis?
>>
>> Is it unrealistic to hope for solid black animals or do solid black parents generally produce solid black babies?
>>
>> From checking some of your posts it looks like babies can be spunky but adults can be extremely gentle?
>>
>> I have kept Affinis and Sayi in the past but it's been awhile. Thanks, I appreciate any info you can give.
>>
>> Bob.
The pituophis Page

I'm a bit of a perfectionist so I'm sure that would really bother me. It's one of the things I like about my Gaigeae, the uniform black color. I have found most Nigrita I've come across are very dark brown even the nicest ones I've gotten. Still like them though!

I just saw a picture of John Cherrys' Trombower Golden Hypo Bulls. WOW!! He put me on the list to be notified when/if he gets any this year. I think I'm going to go in that direction.
Thanks very much for the info.

Bob.

np