Mex. Black Kings largest size?

Crazycorn · 07-19-04, 10:38 AM

Anyone know what the largest size for MEx. Black Kings is? Mine is now ~55" approx and huge compared to what my book says (Kingsnakes and Milksnakes by Ronald G Markel) it says they can reach 40" but more common of 24-36". Thanks for any info. My big male is still shedding about once a month and hes shed twice in the last 3 weeks so hes still growing fast.

Tim_Cranwill · 07-19-04, 11:01 AM

L getulas (Common kings - Cals, brooksi, easterns and etc) grow to more than 36".... they'll likely hit that in the first 18 months. Maybe you read wrong or the book was averaging all Lampropeltis... though that number would still be a bit low... That IS the size <i>some</i> kings/milks get but not Mex Blks.... I had an adult female that was about as big as yours.

Here is another source for average adult sizes... Though there are ALWAYS exceptions. Take it for what it's worth.
http://www.pitt.edu/~mcs2/herp/Lampropeltis.html

thunder · 07-19-04, 11:36 AM

my adult female black king is 41 inches at last measurement. they do tend to be smaller some of the other subspecies, but that is just the average. it is perfectly normal for an individual to be larger.

Crazycorn · 07-19-04, 12:27 PM

Thanks, has there ever been a record for the largest Mex. Black King though? Or do I have to set one?

LOL

Katt · 07-19-04, 02:56 PM

Quote:

grow to more than 36".... they'll likely hit that in the first 18 months

What the heck are you feeding them to grow them up that quick? In cal kings that is. Easterns are quite a bit bigger.

Tim_Cranwill · 07-19-04, 03:09 PM

Katt, my breeder male Cal King is over 36" at 2 years old and I fed him like a male... every 7-10 plus a few leftovers now and again... even less than that since he's been out of brumation. If I even "pushed" him a little, he would be bigger. I always aim for the "1.5 x girth" rule too.

That means I don't continue feeding pinkies until they are 6 months old, maybe 6-10 meals. I might bump them up to the next size a bit sooner than some but it's never "too soon"... in fact, I don't usually even see a lump after feeding.

Maybe there's something in the water...

Katt · 07-19-04, 03:32 PM

3 ft at two years I can believe, but not in 18 mos!!

I feed undersized meals myself. Very paranoid about regurging.

Ace · 07-19-04, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Maybe you read wrong or the book was averaging all Lampropeltis...

Actually, I have that book too, and Markel does have Mexican Blacks lengths listed to be 24"-36" and adults reaching UP TO 40"! Kinda hard to believe, since my first one was about 48" and my present one is at 37" at just under 2 years old! He does make the statement that "This is a nocturnal desert snake about which little is known", and the book was published in 1990, so maybe they grew since then?

Tim_Cranwill · 07-19-04, 07:15 PM

That is probably the hole in his descriptin right there...

Crazycorn · 07-19-04, 07:56 PM

Yeah thanks for the quotes thats what I meant, and I am specifically talking about Mex. Black Kings in my post. I know about other king species.

crimsonking · 07-19-04, 08:27 PM

Well, where's the pics? You know we have to have pics!
:Mark

Crazycorn · 07-19-04, 08:55 PM

I will get htem mark don't worry about that, I just been lazy and my camrea didn't take any good pics they were a bit blurry.

Tim_Cranwill · 07-19-04, 09:03 PM

Mexican Blacks are TOUGH to photograph well!

It's kind of funny, they are JUST black, how hard can it be, right? Well, it IS hard!

Vanan · 07-20-04, 12:24 AM

About the book stating the average size of Mex blks, alot of it is probably based on wild populations. There may be a higher incidence of finding younger kings than the more experienced and shy-er "seniors".

Will · 07-20-04, 12:35 AM

Quote:

3 ft at two years I can believe, but not in 18 mos!!

Not sure if you guys want to count Milks or not, but 3 of mine are all over 3 feet easy, and range between 400-500g.... And they just past their first birthday this week...

They get fed every 6th day, 1-2 adult mice. None of them have 'wasted' the food - and by that I mean they put it all into growth, not fat. None of them look over weight, even the biggest female who at 12 months, has got to be close to 3.5 feet(I don't measure length), and weighs 515g, looks slim and muscular.