Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Just picked this one up yesterday and she's already under my thumb, gotta love the co-operative eaters.

Great looking snake. I am deciding between an albino ruthven or albino nelson. I think the neslsons might be a bit more "out going" from what I have read but not sure but I prefer the smaller size of the Ruthven both have pros/cons but find them both great looking. As natural colors or albino.

Pardon the ignorance, but is that snake an Arizona King?? It's beautiful and Jlassiter, I LOVE that Albino. Where are "Ruthies" from and what really seperates them identification wise?

Lampropeltis Ruthveni are from the Mexican state of Queretaro.
These snakes were once thought to be milksnakes (triangulum), then they were grouped together with Lampropeltis Mexicana. At the present taxonomists are deciding wether or not to make Ruthies a separate subspecies.
I can't wait to see the striped albino Ruthveni. I am working on getting a pair of double hets this year.

And yes the albino Ruthveni is amelanistic. There are different types of albinism depending on which pigmentation is absent. Amelanistic means no melanism (dark pigment).
John Lassiter

thanks Fleck, i've found that most milksnakes are way too jittery, and the mexicana/ruthie types much more mellower, there are exceptions tho.

Posted by: JETZEN at Mon Jul 11 00:43:00 2005 [ Report Abuse ] [ Email Message ]

thanks Fleck, i've found that most milksnakes are way too jittery, and the mexicana/ruthie types much more mellower, there are exceptions tho.

Thank you very much its a hard toss up between them and albino nelson but think going with the ruthvens due to smaller size and nelsons can be just as nervous give or take.

Great looking Ruthveni Jetzen.
I like the mottled nose. Most Ruthies have a solid black snout.
Some have the white and red speckles though. Justin Mitcham's striped Ruthveni and hets have that speckled nose look to them as well.
Here is a couple of mine.
John Lassiter

Or is that an amelanistic?

hey John, those are real nice, i'm very impressed with the calmness of this type of Lampro. absolutely no jitteryness.

Posted by: jlassiter at Sun Jul 10 19:27:48 2005 [ Report Abuse ] [ Email Message ]

Great looking Ruthveni Jetzen.
I like the mottled nose. Most Ruthies have a solid black snout.
Some have the white and red speckles though. Justin Mitcham's striped Ruthveni and hets have that speckled nose look to them as well.
Here is a couple of mine.
John Lassiter

How do you like their tempermeant ? I was leaning towards an albino but the reg colors are great to. I imagine darkens up as adult? Which makes me like the albino I do like lots white in snakes. Not much info out on these snakes dont seem to popular.

Their temperment is very characteristic of mexicana. They rarely or never strike at you and are not squirmy like milksnakes.

The albinos do go through an ontogenetic change and the white will turn yellowish, but as in all albino tricolors each one varies.

One thing that others and I have noticed is that female wild type Ruthveni tend to turn grey in the white bands more than the males do....Just an observation.
John Lassiter

Thank you very much for the great info.