Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I like a lot of different things but these days I'm really enjoying my Black milks. Got a bunch from several sources. Most are from San Antonio zoo stock.

I've kept Black Milks Bob (very cool).

It's a hard question for me as I have kept literally hundreds of species. I'm an oddball freak (I love doing the research). So right now I have about 40 sps in my home.

But favorites?

Ok...my collection is never without a chain King of some kind. Common yes, but I love them.

My South Florida Mole King is a special member of the collection.

I also have a Southern Pine (a rescue-we cannot buy or sell them here).

I also keep a colony of Waglers Vipers which are my favorite venemous species.

Pete, my Sidewinder is a pet-definitly.

But my favorite is....My Ryuku green Snake. She is from Japan and came in mis-IDed as a Rat Snake. Feeding her is a ritual as she expects a set procedure. (I should mention that she loves a habitat that most snakes would die in...Cold wet spagnum moss 70-75F)

To get her attention I pour water into a corner of her tank thatis bare glass. She will go to the spot and wait for her two night crawlers that she gets every three days. After I drop them in she goes over to feed. Always, it's the same.

Very cool snake...

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

Cool. Chain kings are a favorite. Recently I've gotten to like the overlooked Nigrita. Not much flash, but rewarding mellow attitude and subtle beauty.

I am presently downsizing a bit. Giving away a lot of my long term animals to freinds. My Northern bluetongues I've had for around 15 or so years and while they are not impressive by todays standards, my leusistic Black Rats I've had about 12 years.Also Pyro,speckled and other kings.

After taking a break for a while thought I'd try Black pines. It's been a while since I kept a pit. And maybe Unicolors because I can't keep an Eastern Indigo in N.J.

Sounds like you've got an interesting bunch of animals there.

Have a good one Frank,

Bob.

Black Pines are awsome. I would have one except too many of my snakes will get big-so room limitations rule. Hence just the Southern.

I prefer the Eastern Black (niger) to the western (nigrita)

This years Breeding projects include.

House snakes (one litter this year)
Wags (one litter this year)
Eyelash Vipers (litter on the way)

Future projects.
Savu Pythons
Bismark Pythons
Dumerill's Boa
Elaphae Climicaphora
Mangroves-Boiga d. Have a trio with one being choclate instead of the usual black and yellow.

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

Nice!. Phil Peak over on the Kingsnake Forum has posted some really nice photos of the Black kings( I believe from Kentucky) if you're not already aware. He had one that had the faintest but consistent chain pattern. A real looker. I noticed the black on them seems much more intense than a lot of the Nigritus.

Stay well.
Bob.

The easterns do seem more intense (possibly it is because they appear glossier than the westerns).

While I am usually oposed to crossing I did put a Niger male to a floridana female. The litter looked mostly like getula babies except one that had a real weird pattern (like a goins with twice the blotches) Unfortunately I never got a picture of it. Nigritas allways seemed more "Milk snake" like to me.

Right now I have nice juv outer banks and antheristic Brooks.

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

I kind of like the more "common ' stuff myself.

climicaphora, I think Loyd Lemke used to work with those if I'm not misstaken and I vauguely remember something about there being a naturaly occurring amel?
I sort of wish I could keep them all but lately I have to confess I'm getting tired of snake poop and cleaning cages.

I'm sort of even going in reverse.Instead of gravitating toward "natural " caging, I find myself moving toward larger super clean newspaper substrate caging with multiple hides(warm,warm/damp,dry cool, damp/cool)

While on the common side, I've been keeping my Leucistic black rats in large 6' Neos and they drape all over their branches and display nicely. But now I'm feeling good about the Black milks contently hanging in their hides as long as they are eating ,pooping, shedding and seemingly fine with being handled.

Life would be real boring without this hobby I think.

Bob.

They look awsome! I have only seen pics in the photo gallery.Big,tame and impressive. I even spoke to trumbower breifly( seemed real nice)and he told me to also check out the "Stillwater Hypo Bulls" Hey... it's nice to have dreams....