Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello everyone, I'm new to the boards. My name is Josh and I just recently bought my first pet snake about a week and a half ago. It is a 4 1/2 month old blotched florida king. IT's (haven't gotten it probed yet, I don't know how)name is Lexus (works for a boy or a girl)and it is a beautiful snake, to me anyways and it's temperament is awesome. It has hissed at me and flicked it's tail just two times, but never striked, and that was the first two days I owned it. I've got some pictures of it to show all of you. They're not really good pictures (still getting used to my new 6megapixel Olympus), but they'll do for now. Tell me what you think, hopefully the links work. I have no idea how to post pics directly onto the site. Sorry.

http://us.f2.yahoofs.com/bc/4263c33d_c756/bc/Lexus/Lexus 1.jpg?BCoGZyCBeL67WfQw

http://us.f2.yahoofs.com/bc/4263c33d_c756/bc/Lexus/Lexus 6.jpg?BCoGZyCBYfQRtQtW

http://us.f2.yahoofs.com/bc/4263c33d_c756/bc/Lexus/Lexus 7.jpg?BCoGZyCBgzmk5.MZ

http://us.f2.yahoofs.com/bc/4263c33d_c756/bc/Lexus/Lexus 8.jpg?BCoGZyCBH5h9NSIY
Link

So, yeah, since I'm stupid and have no idea how to post the actual pics on here, I guess just copy and paste those links into your address bar.

ALSO, if you look closely in the pics, you'll notice it's eyes are a little cloudy. I hope he's in pre-shed phase and that he's not sick. I'm taking him to the vet tomorrow to get a checkup.

Congrats on your new pet. I could not view the pics though? Take a minute to go to photobucket.com and sign up. It is free and many of us use that site to host our pics. It will make it real easy for you to put your pics on here. Tom Stevens

Okay, I know that those 4 links in the first post didn't work, but this link I think will.

Also, how do you EDIT/Delete posts in this forum?
Link

sorry.
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phflame

Okay, I'm sorry guys, but I'm gonna try this one more time. IF this link works, it's got thumbnails of the pictures I took of Lexus this morning. Like I said before, they're not that great, I'm still getting used to my camera and plus, once the snake was out of it's cage, it didn't really wanna pose for me. Oh well, here's the link.
Link

Looks like a hypo brooksi to me.....not a "blotched" king. Here are some pics of a few blotched kings.

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Brandon, are those apalachicola blotched kings?

Can someone post some pics of a Hypo Brooksi? I always thought the Hypo Brooksi had sort of rings or bands that make their pattern? Maybe my pics were very good, I should've zoomed in a little more, but my snake DEFINITELY is spotted (or "blotched).

Also, what is "Hypo" the abbreviation for? "Het" is heterozygous, which means crossed between two diff. sub-species correct?

Hypo is short. Hypomelanism means lacking dark pigment.

Very nice snake you have there. When I first bought mine several years ago they cost $700. each. Now the price has dropped considerably due to breeding success and supply and demand.

Where did you purchase you hypo brooksi at?

Thanks alot for the nice comments bluerosy, it's a wonderful snake, I love it to death. Tomorrow, I'll be getting it checked up at a herp vet and getting it sexed. I bought the snake from a lady named Dawn Bryan, who is a breeder, but deals mostly with the more exotic snakes, especially boids. She bought my snake THE DAY BEFORE I bought it at a local herp show, she said just because it looked pretty to her. So I guess I lucked out there. She told me it was a blotched florida king, but I guess she didn't really know considering she doesn't deal with colubrids much. So thanks ALOT for clearing that up for me.

So, if hypomelanistic means the lack of dark pigment, Amelanistic means the lack of light colors?? And also, just to seal everything tight, the proper name for my snake is a Hypomelanistic Floridana King?

One more thing, can you post a pic of your hypo brooksi??

First welcome to the world of snake keeping. It is a very rewarding hobby and wish you all the best. I do have a question for you. Is there anything that you think is wrong with your snake for you to take it to a Vet? I do commend you on being a responsible pet owner but I would hate to see a newcomer get turned off over Vet visits. Your snake is probably starting to shed like you thought. Get yourself a good book or two and read. Let your snake settle in and after it has shed try and feed it. If it eats more than likely it is healthy. Look it over for mites making sure it doesn't have any. The snake that you have is a pretty hardy species and should fare well with very minimal care requirements. I would hate for you to spend alot of money unneccesarily on Vet visits.

Again welcome, If you need anything there are alot of good folks in here willing to help you out!!

Take care-

Brett

The snake does sound like it is just ready to shed. Eating is rarely a symptom of a problem!

Read a bit and you'll know more about snakes than many vets who will gladly charge you more than the snake cost to look at it, sadly enough.

Note: If a snake is really sick...take it to a qualified vet. Don't get me wrong!

Good luck,

Mike

Your snake is probably going through a shed process. t first your snake will go dull and then its eyes will fog up and turn dark blue. This is reffered to by herpers as " being in the blue" After shed you will see the brilliant colors the hypo brooksi is capable of.

One note is you should not handle your snake before or during the "blue" or "pre-blue" process. Its skin and nerves are very sesitive to touch. Don't stress your snake out during this time by handling. Instead leave it alone. It will probably curl up until the blue goes away and after she sheds you must have some food ready as she will be very hungry.

Well, thanks to all for the helpful pointers. I guess I am overly concerned about my snakes well-being. I'm sure he's fine. After all, I fed him 2 days ago (the second time I've fed him since owning it) and he ate 3 pinky mice, which is also how many he ate the first feeding I gave him. He's a hungry little man, I think he's gonna be an enormous Floridana when he's grown. He's so young and already eating so much. I'm feeding him every 4 days right now, that's okay isn't it? I guess I'll forego taking it to the vet. The only reasons I wanted to go to the vet is to get it sexed and for a fecal test for parasites and such. Although, he eats so well, I doubt he has any internal problems. Another question, how often and how much should they defecate? He's got six pinkies in him right now, and as far as I could see/find in his terrarium, he's only pooped two LITTLE BITY pieces of black, and then a small ball of whiteness (when I went to pick it up out of there, it crumbled to a powdery substance-was this just mouse bones or what?)He ate the first three 7 days ago, and the other three 3 days ago. Is this normal? On to the pre-shed topic. It's been 4 1/2 days now since I noticed the cloudiness and dullness of his body. His eyes are NOT completely blue like you guys are describing. They're a little blue but definitely totally glossed over with opaqueness. How long do they stay like this before they get normal again until the point they shed? He has been pretty inactive the last few days, so I really hope this is what it is.

Once again, thanks for all the help you guys, you're great. I'm really glad I found this wonderful portal of herp information. Sorry for the rambling post.

It is really hard to say how opaque (blue) your snake will get or for how long. Like people, these things vary.

Same with the poop. Snakes vary a lot. Yours sounds normal for a kingsnake. Boa's poop often looks like dog doo (sorry for the techincal terms). Indigos squirt liquid crap everywhere, and often.

The white stuff you see is urates. Notice bird poop is the same, some black stuff with some white stuff. They don't "pee" per se, so the urates are mixed with the fecal mater.

As for bones...they generally don't survive the trip!

Thanks alot Mike for clarifying all of that, that really helped! As for the bones not "surviving the trip", do you mean they just get broken down and sort of dissolve?

I'll try to post some pics of it post shed, I bet it's gonna be so pretty. I can't wait!

Generally the bones will be digested by the time it is defecates. I have had Boas that after examining the poop I find bits and pieces but for the most part they are all digested. As far as feeding goes. It sounds like he is eating great. You can keep feeding him the schedule you are or slow him down to 5-7 days between feedings. Kings have a higher metabolic rate than my Boas and they can feed more often with no ill effects.

Glad you opted to observe your King rather than taking it to the Vet. You probably saved yourself some unnecessary expenditures. He/She sounds healthy. You might be able to take it to your local reptile shop(if reputable) and have your snake sexed if you still wish. They shouldn't charge you a thing or try posting pics of it's tail below the vent, some more experienced herpers may be able to tell just by looking at it's tail. It would be helpful to know, especially if you plan on pairing it up in the future.

Good luck!!

bthacker, thanks for your input. I'm going to be in contact with the lady I bought the snake from here in about a month or so to get it sexed. I definitely plan on breeding snakes when I feel that I am apt to do so, but I'm not sure if I'm going to breed this brooksi.

My only problem on the feeding subject is that I'm going to be feeding him again in a day or two after it sheds, so that'll make 8-9 pinkies that it'll have in it's belly, and he's only defecated once in the last 2 weeks, and there was barely any poop there. Hopefully he doo-doos again before I feed him, that'd make me feel more comfortable.

Just a question (a newby question at that), do snakes eat just because it's there usually, or if they are full, will they decline the offer? Do they know when to quit?

wait until it does defecate again to feed him. I do that with a few of my snakes that I think are taking too much food. It won't hurt him to wait a bit....trust me.

Yeah, he did his duty 2 or 3 days ago. I fed him again today, his biggest feeding ever. A relatively large (as big as they can be anyway) pinky and one Fuzzy (both f/t). This was the first fuzzy he's had and he LOVED it!