what is she???

[~Suntiger~]

Hey everyone,

A little while ago I bought this snake as a Mexican Black Milksnake ... but when I read things on here about other peoples' Mexican Black Milksnakes, they sure didn't look like mine! So I'm a little confused, what is she after all?

Here's what she looks like, she's completely black except for a few tiny white marks that you can barely see under her chin.
http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/3582Morena_014-med.jpg

[Dark_Angel_25]

a Mexican Black KINGsnake maybe? that's what it looks like to me...

[mrsogle]

I agree with Dark Angel. She looks a lot like our Mexican Black King that we have.

[Andy_G]

Yeah, that is definitely a mex black king, and a nice one at that.

Black milksnakes are not from Mexico, nor are they called Mexican Black milksnakes :). They are mainly located in high altitudes of Panama and Costa Rica. Black milks are extremely hard to find in Canada because there simply is not a lot of them and they are somewhat hard to find in the states because they are so popular that they sell out veryt fast.

Where did you buy this snake and how much did it cost?

[reverendsterlin]

black mexi king so sure. Andy your asking too much personal info for someone to give willingly.

[~Suntiger~]

Ok cool, so she's a kingsnake! Thanks!

I was trying to find out her scientific name just now, but I've found a few options that appeared a few times each on the search I did ...

Lampropltis getulus nigra
Lampropeltis getula nigrita
Lampropeltis getulus nigritus

Which one is right?

[ChaosCat]

That is definitely a mexican black kingsnake.

-cat

[Ace]

L. getula nigrita is the right use for a Mex.Balck. The nigra is a Black kingsnake. Getulus nigritus is the outdated version for Mex.Black. Something about the using the correct forms I THINK?

[Andy_G]

Originally posted by reverendsterlin
black mexi king so sure. Andy your asking too much personal info for someone to give willingly.

Explain to me, what was too personal?

I don't think it's too personal for me to say I got my black milk from Grant from PCPC for 250. I am stumped rev. :(

[Stockwell]

the Black King is NIGER! AS far as I know there is no Nigra
And yes your snake is definitely a L.g nigritus. Its is in the same family as California Kings, Florida Kings and Speckled Kings... the Lampropetlis Getula group

[Ace]

Depends where you look I guess. I have 2 of Markel's books. The one from 1990 lists them as niger, the one from 1995 lists them as nigra. Probably when they went through and changed from getulus to getula, they had to change it to keep things "proper" ;)

[crimsonking]

Mex. black king= L. getula nigrita. Black king= L. getula nigra. As I see it now. I'm lucky , I have 'em both.
:Mark

[Vanan]

I'm lucky , I have 'em both.

:p

[Ace]

Heck, you probably have ALL FOUR!!! LOL :D