Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello all…I am thinking about getting a pair of Black Pines…I have noticed that the Northern Pine dominates in this forum…Are the Black Pines not as desirable? Are they more aggressive? Do more people just like the Northern Pines better? I have a pair of Northern Pine that I truly love…I have heard that they hiss a lot…Mine hiss VERY little…They are very relaxed and don’t even do the bluff that Pines are known for…They are active and are in good health…As a matter of fact, they don’t use their hide boxes that much even…Well anyway if someone would help me with my dilemma about the Black Pines I would appreciate it…One last thing...Is there anyone in Tennessee who breeds Pines? Thanks…
PredsFan

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. If you like black Pines, I think you should buy as many as you can! All pits are great.

There are just fewer people who breeed black pines. They have to be much larger than other pines since the eggs are so large. I have a great demand for them but I can never produce enough to meet demand LOL suppose that a good thing huh? Once the hatchlings start showing up online in pics the inquireies will increase 10 fold. Mine are the hissingest, show boats I have ever seen in a pit ... They will actualy try to hiss while eating!!! LOL

Del

I'm not positive about this, but you may be on legal thin ice in Tennessee with Northern Pines. I know they are on Tennessee's list of State Protected animals as a Threatened Species (S3 status, meaning that they are known from the state by less than 100 specimens). I also know that normally a Scientific Collection Permit is required to possess animals on the list. I don't know if special provisions are made for captive born animals from non-Tennessee breeding stock.

You are correct about the Northern Pines being on Tennessee’s list of State Protected Animals…You only have to pay the fee of $5 to import them from outside the state…After that you only need to be able to show where they came form…i.e. sales receipt…After reading you post I called TGW just to make sure…Thanks for the concern and trying to keep me out of trouble…
PredsFan98

I would like to address two different subject in this post,

First as far as black pines are concerned, pure black pines are one of the rarest of the pituophis group in the wild. They are extremely hard to find and until the recent surge in captive breeding they were only occasionally offered for sale. That coupled with the hissing that most pits do ( which turned off a lot of folks), many folks are just really getting started with the pits as a group. They are absolutely beautiful animals that deserve a lot of consideration when folks want to expand thier pit. collection.

Second, it is wierd how some topics come up when everyone participates in these forums. Just last night a friend, who is an individual not a dealer in the hobby called and we talked for nearly an hour about his current problem with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife folks. It seems he has committed a Lacy Act violation and is going to have to get an atty., spend a lot of money and defend himself because of it.

He caused animals that were regulated by a state law where he resides to be attempted to be transported across state/federal lines. These animals were part of a trade deal and no cash was exchanged.

Everyone needs to understand that if you transport or cause to be transported across state lines any animal protected by an governmental agency from which the animal comes from or into, you are in violation of the Federal Lacy act. Also realize this can be a Federal felony and no laughing matter.

Please try and make sure that you know the laws of your state ( prior to ordering or otherwise accquiring any given animal) and abide by them until you can get them changed if they are out of line.

A perfect example is my state, the La. Pine is protected here and even though a good friend of mine has some of the best ones in the country ( Daryl Camby )that are captive born. I don't have any in my collection as neat as they are, even though I could PROBALLY get away with it.

Additionally, just last week I had an individual offer me three beautiful recently collected Northen pines from the barrens area in New Jersey, I explained that he was not allowed to collect them in that state (according to some folks a license to do so can be had, I do not know for sure though)and I was not interested in them in any shape or form.

Bottom line in this hobby we do NOT need adverse publicity that the bleeding hearts can use against us. In the last few years things have gotten bad enough with all the new laws that pertain to reptiles. I for one have real trouble trying to keep up with them and there is no central spot to check current regulations that I am aware of.

Headlines are always sensational front page stuff and retractions or corrections are always back page stuff when it comes to keeping of reptiles.

Be aware, abide by the laws of the land and work with your local herp clubs etc. to change unfair laws as they occur.

Good Luck everyone,

John Cherry
Cherryville Farms

Cherryville Farms - Reptiles

Northern Pines dominate? Gosh, I didn't think so...LOL! Maybe so, but they do seem a bit more common plus I keep posting those darn cute pictures of the only pits I HAD till today, added a pair of jani. Pics coming soon...and see...more pics...but anyhow, my input, my babies sure are hissers, coiling and striking once disturbed but my adults are just like yours. You never hear a hiss out of them anymore. Big gentle giants now. Black Pines are pretty cool, don't know what I was thinking when I didn't pick up a pair from the Meltzer man last year when I was offered... We both still kick ourselves, cause those were nice babies, BUT this year they produced again and I'll be sure to pick up a pair this time!
Russell

My baby Black Pines (from Frank Edwards) are comedians. They take (snatch) F/T pinkies out of my fingers, hissing the whole time. That's the only time they hiss, though. My bigger ones don't even hiss anymore. They just take a mouse out of my fingers and swallow it.

ABSOLUTELY!Black pines are an impressive animal;I have 4.4 in my collection, too many for most people, but these are some of the most interesting creatures I have come across.A good breeder with good stock (attractive adults with a good temperment) is a "must find"
dB

Black pines are excellent snakes, but due to their low reproductive rate and the fact that to many people they are "just another black snake" has a limited the number of people breeding them. They are just as wonderful as Northern pines (I work with both).

Tim

Third Eye