Overlooked, but stunning and beautiful

Katt · 03-13-04, 10:56 AM

Speckled kings are a species Vanan sought for quite a while before obtaining a trio through the states. This girl down below is the last of those three, kept b/c she was the best looking of the lot. When Vanan put her up for sale, we were both surprised that no one inquired after her. A year before Dean Goodie in NB had mentioned that he would have liked her, but shipping is quite killer. Anyhow, Vanan and I keep seperate collections, as in, his snakes are as foreign to me as the next guys. Sometimes we get together and show off our snakes to each other to see how much they've grown, temperament changes, etc. It's like having our own reptile show!

Anyhow, I asked to see the snakes that he was selling and when he pulled out this beauty, I was like WOW. It's like a diamond python, but in a colubrid body. This female is highly speckled with just a nice tinge of yellow to the speckles. However, she had a bit of an attitude and that does turn me off. Over the course of a day or so, I couldn't get the little girl out of my mind, so Vanan and I worked something out, so I could get this snake. Seeing her, I just can't believe that NOBODY showed any sign of wanting her.

It's amazes and saddens me to see awesome species for sale, and not sell, but ball pythons which are as common as dirt, sell quick. Doesn't say much for our Canadian market. I only hope that once the boid-money making thing wears off, people will find beauty in the small, beautiful and "cheap".

I commend people like Roy, who does breed small and beautiful, Jordan, who keeps the strange, Lowell Shaw, who breeds, gorgeous and delicate species, Tim Cranwill, Classic, Marisa, vanderkm all of which are Lampro lovers and aren't afraid to show it! Simon S (tigers, cavers, oh my!, Simon F (corn king diadem rats) and to all of those who keep small, over looked, and low cost species.

Anyhow, enough of my tirade. Here's Estrella!

<img src="http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/137estrella-med.jpg">
<img src="http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/137estrellaside-med.jpg">
<img src="http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/137estrella2-med.jpg">

All those speckles on her body boggle the mind. There are many speckles which show faint banding as their nearest relative is the desert king, but some speckles have very even speckles. They are small kings, don't get much bigger than four feet. Not often seen, but I believe Lisa has a speckled female somewhere out there (which Vanan was jealous of for quite some time).

Just to be clear, I do like boids, I have owned boids in the past, mostly Erycines, but some big 'uns too, but I am most certifiably a colubrid lover. They really capture my heart with their beauty and intelligence.

As for the rest of you, you missed out on this beautiful gem! But never fear, I'll post pics for you!

Tim_Cranwill · 03-13-04, 11:53 AM

It's so strange to me that lampros aren't more popular. I could brag about them for hours! People will come around...

Nice little girl, Katt.

ruthupton · 03-13-04, 03:23 PM

She is a real cutie.

marisa · 03-13-04, 03:26 PM

Wow nice looking!

I am a HUGE kingsnake fan, although my taste lies heavily with California Kingsnakes, that is super cool looking! So many dots it almost hurts to look at.

Marisa

Dani33 · 03-13-04, 06:54 PM

Beautiful!!!!!

Janiman · 03-13-04, 07:16 PM

Nice snake. I had a nice speckled about 10 years ago that I sold in order to raise money for my first house. Always nervous, but I never actually got bitten.

crimsonking · 03-13-04, 08:24 PM

Don't get me goin' Katt! You know I love them all. And could you imagine seeing a beauty out in the wild??? (Where most are in their majesty in my opinion) I might pass out! I know of people who honestly have no idea these snakes even exist in their areas.
Great snakes. Another that in my opinion looks much better in the normal phase rather than the albino. A few years ago they (albino hoolbrooki) were all the rage down here and have since tapered off -so to speak. That's o.k. now they are even a better bargain for a person who wants a beauty that not everyone else has.
:Mark

Simon Sansom · 03-14-04, 12:51 AM

Beautiful snake!

Yes, you're right Katt - the <html><i>Lampropeltis </i></html market up here just ain't what it is in the 'states, especially when it comes to tri-colours. At every herp show I attend, it seems that boids are the stars, while most colubrids, kings and milks in particular, go begging. It always seems as though the same kings and milks are there at the end of the show that were there first thing in the morning. They just DON'T sell. A real shame.

I've never quite been able to understand the overwhelming dominance that boids have historically held in the market, particularly these days when most muncipalities have by-laws which exclude their ownership. You'd think that folks would go for something a bit smaller, easier to work with and by-law friendly, wouldn't you? I don't get it.

Colubrids are definitely a hard sell here north of the border - sure glad I didn't sink a load of cash into those <html><i>Elaphe frenata </i></html> that I was thinking about, LOL!

Cheers!

Simon

ChaosCat · 03-14-04, 12:59 AM

Gorgeous! I love speckleds!

-cat

Simon Sansom · 03-14-04, 01:14 AM

Hi Katt,

This may be the wrong place for this but...
I'm constantly amazed by the RIDICULOUS amount of reticulated pythons being offered for sale in the U.S. - I mean, let's face it, how many of these poor buggers are actually purchased by someone willing to care for the animal properly for it's lifespan - not many at all, I'll bet. And what happens to them all...? You probably don't want to know.
To me, this is irresponsible herpetoculture at it's worst.

I've kept big constrictors, and I've been in a feeding accident (my fault) with a good-sized Burm, and you have no idea of the power that these animals are capable of until you've been grabbed by one in full feeding mode - absolutely TERRIFYING! The speed, the power, the ferocity...blood everywhere... After that incident, no more really big snakes for me.

Sorry if I've gone off-topic - it's late, lol!

Cheers!

Simon

crimsonking · 03-14-04, 08:32 AM

Simon, I agree. Although I may keep 1 or 2 boids, the fact that I cannot stomach the selling/buying of potential 10'+ers to youngsters or inexperienced herpers IS EXACTLY why I have kings, corns rats, etc. Seeing a "first timer" walking around at a show with a baby retic or burm in a deli cup, I have to wonder of that snake's future. To be certain, I wonder about them all!
I mean, just what % of them ever live out a "normal" lifespan?
It is hard however to make generalizations and not come off as hypocritical, huh?
:Mark

Katt · 03-14-04, 10:54 AM

Alright, let me hijack my own thread!

I hear you Simon on being bit by large snakes. The largest snake I"ve been tagged by was an 8 foot boa, it wasn't a feeding bite so I wasn't constricted, but it sure was scary!!

I too have no idea how all those retics and burms find homes in the states, I guess that's why so many end up in animal rescue or just killed from negligence.

When I first got into snakes, I didn't want to breed, but then ol' Roy snagged me into the breeding, but I've lost that breeding taste and just want to keep this that I enjoy, to heck with breeding, to heck with the market!

I think the email I got from you Simon on the cavers really drove home that decision.

As for Lampropeltis, I'm not a huge fan, my first snake was an eastern milk and thoat species remains to this day my favourite Lampro. I've dabbled with some tri-colours, and various kings, and have settled on my appalachicolas, mex blks, and now this speckled king. However, I would like a desert striped cal king, that would complete my king list.

People keep snakes for various reasons; I got my first snake as a grad present to myself. I had had experience with other snakes, the first snake I've ever seen was an ETB, and I would regularly handle burmese pythons. They were beautiful alright, but when I started cruising the net and saw pics of snakes I'd like, well, they were all colubrids! They have the colour and activity level I want in a snake. Plus a manageable size for a small girl like me.

vanderkm · 03-14-04, 11:41 AM

Gorgeous king - glad she is in a great home and look forward to you keeping us up to date with photos. Wish I could have more of the different species I appreciate, but have to limit it so I will be able to enjoy those I do have more,

mary v.

gonesnakee · 03-15-04, 08:15 PM

Funny you mention Diamonds because I thought that right away prior reading your post (I like to look at all the pictures first LOL). Very impressive & yes obviuosly overlooked. People will consider an extra digit when considering a Boid but refuse to buy much cheaper & easier to maintain Colubrids at a tenth the cost. Whatever eh! Mark

marisa · 03-15-04, 08:32 PM

"but refuse to buy much cheaper & easier to maintain Colubrids at a tenth the cost"

Yeah well I guess the saying is true, "size does matter" LOL

It seems the bigger (longer and fatter body) snakes are usually more popular.

Marisa