Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Here's my male Northern Pine I held back almost two years ago now. He really has turned out nice! He and the female pictured below are out of my young adult pair of Northern Pines. Great snakes to work with! Just pulled my adults out of hibernation yesterday. So another breeding season is about to start up for me.

Here he is a bit closer up. Enjoy!
Russell

That's an exceptional animal, thanks for posting the pics

Horridus@aol.com

thanks! His father, my younger adult male, really turned out some nice babies the last two years! This year I think I'm going to once again breed him to both of my adult females. I'm hoping for another good year! And I'm curious to see what they'll throw, something not before seen would be cool!
Russell

Great snakes Russ!

When did you put them down for winter? My colubrids still have a month or so to go. Also, what is a good minimum breeding weight for a female northern? I'm hoping my 03 northerns will be big enough for next year, I can't wait to produce northerns!
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It's just like the story of the grasshopper and the octopus. All year long the grasshopper stored up acorns for winter, while the octopus mooched off his girlfriend and watched tv. And then the winter came, and the grasshopper died, and the octopus stole all his acorns, and he got a race car. Is any of this sinking in?

They went down in Mid October. We'll see how this year plays out for them. Anyhow, I go more for age than size, they probably hit the size they need when they turn two. Now, that isn't cause the calender turned to a new year, but when they turn two, as in their birthday. That's what I call a two year old, so they will be two in June...Anyhow, so then my two year olds would go into hibernation in the fall, and breed in the spring of their third year, IF, I feel they have enough body size to handle it. For me, I've got enough snakes breeding, so waiting another year isn't going to hurt, and that's less babies to feed if they are successful. Anyhow, best of luck with your efforts! Nothing like opening an egg box and seeing those little babies! I always get a thrill!
Russell

And he looks thrilled to see you as well!!

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Lloyd Heilbrunn

Palm Beach Gardens, Fl.

you know, with so many out there wanting a "pet" snake, they don't want to hear it bites, or like these guys, that they hiss like crazy and act like they are going to tear you apart. Yet that is exactly a point of WHY I love the Pituophis group so much, especially the pines! I LOVE attitude! Once I bought a snow southern pine, and told the guy I like attitude, so he sent me the one with an attitude! She hissed the moment I pulled her from her shipping container. It was love at first hiss! LOL! What I'd give now to have a pair of locality southerns that had nasty attitudes! Yet the market, people as a whole, call for snakes without a temper. Oh well! With me, I've had babies start out with a temper, but they've always lost that attitude once they hit yearling or two year old age. Oh well! It could be ugly having a seven foot pine snake that had a nasty streak! Though I've had Big Girl sound off one night when I came home from work and woke her up as I checked on her. What sound you can get from a six and a half foot Northern Pine!
Russell

The general consensis from the board was that my 03 pair was not big enough to handle eggs this year. I raised them a little slow, knowing that they ate smaller food items but not knowing that I should have fed them more often. She looks big to me, but I'm going to put some more weight on her this year and breed her in 07. What is a good weight, 1000g or something? I should go weight her and see what she is at.

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It's just like the story of the grasshopper and the octopus. All year long the grasshopper stored up acorns for winter, while the octopus mooched off his girlfriend and watched tv. And then the winter came, and the grasshopper died, and the octopus stole all his acorns, and he got a race car. Is any of this sinking in?

Yep,
I'd say she's still too small to being pushing out those huge eggs! I'd wait another year.
Russell

Awesome snake. So much white...... I bet the babies are killer looking.

Scott

Shoot Russell..those are both just killer! Man, I got 5 black and white northerns, all varying with looks, and seeing these pics makes me want to buy even more!

Keep up the great pics and posting them!

Billy
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Genesis 1:1

Hey Billy,
I know what you mean! It's even harder as a breeder to keep from keeping them all back when they hatch! It's interesting to me how much even Northern Pines change from hatching to adults. I still can't get over how much that one red sided baby John got from me turned out so nice a black and white. Or the other male hold back I had from before who was so nice and black and white as a baby, somehow turned darker, and wasn't so impressive as an older baby. Still beautiful, but not as high white. Odd! Anyhow, take care, and post new pics of your Pits sometime, this forum is moving a tad slow!
Russell