Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm interested in getting either an alterna or a mexicana. One thing that appeals to me is their "listed" small size. From what I've read, they top out @ about 36". Is this correct? Anyone ever come across a significantly larger individual? I keep a WC female Cal King currently. Thanx.

reako45

They can get quite a bit larger than that. I've seen alterna around 48" give or take a few inches.
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Steve W.

that was me swinging down rt 90 chasing tiny's truck....details to follow

He was asking about LaRgE specimens.
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Steve W.

one-legged bob & me caught a 45' fugly dark phase male at the radio towers west of town...."darth vader" .....i took it to clean up that gene pool.....gave it to george...it escaped........

whoa that was 45"

I have some graybands that are 8 years old and about 36". Some of my males are about 4 feet at 4 or 5 years old, Maybe they grow bigger here in NJ! all kidding aside, I think it is wrong to say that 36" is accurate to pick as an "adult size", more like a range of 42 to 50" for adults, at least based on my experience oh, and in captivity.

Remember they can definitely live for 20 years or more, and grow continually so they may each 36" and be adults but will continue to grow anywhere from 3" to 1" per year after that. wild caughts are usually 24 to 36", often smaller and sometimes larger. I have a friend who has a female blairs he aquired as a hatchling in 1981, and a male he aquired a few years later. both are healthy fat and about 4 feet long, the female is actually 25 yeasr old and was producing healthy young untill he retired her from breeding a few years ago!

Jim

Thank you. I guess the statistic I read was based on reports of wild specimens found in a certain locale?? The snake I'd be getting would be an '05 hatchling anyway so I wouldn't have to worry about adult size for a few years anyway.

reako45

The record size for alterna is something on the order of 56", IIRC (don't have a reference handy to check).

I've collected adults in the field around 42", and the largest I've personally seen was around 48".

Troy

Troy
I have an Juno Rd. male that I purchased from Byron Barnes in 1995 that is right at 55 inches. When Steve Boyd seen him he stated that it was the largest Alterna that he had ever seen.
Vance

The largest one I have seen so far was in 1972 at Skipper Chamberlin's place. 44-46 inches big old blairs phase. I believe he said (it has been awhile) that it was found at the intersection of Hwy 90 and Langtry Loop east side. That was before Bill Chamberlin moved the family west to the Exxon Station at the other side of the loop.

Largest L.t. annulata, 1.1 oil field south texas, sold to Joe Teska, each 44 inches! who says the big guys don't stick together. Another big annulata "dead on road" out front of "old Shumla station" by Buzz Ross when his eye-sight was better. Approximately 40 inches more or less.

Who remembers the "good old days" other than John Hollister(where ever he is serving his time) and Buzz Ross. Maybe Earl Turner if he is still functioning!!

cheers
Bill Lamoreaux
Living somewhere other than the great Republic of Texas.
Alpacas and Light Indian Pythons are my new conquest.