Slow Year, but found a King

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LouB747
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Slow Year, but found a King

Post by LouB747 »

I haven't been able to get out much this year. I did find my first king today. A nice little dark thin banded one.

Image

Image

Hopefully it's just the start of the season on the coast. As per my notes for the last few years, I usually start seeing kings regularly mid March.

Lou
Zach_Lim
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Re: Slow Year, but found a King

Post by Zach_Lim »

Can't believe I missed this post! Awesome find, Lou! Looks like a nice melanistic king!

Grease king?
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LouB747
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Re: Slow Year, but found a King

Post by LouB747 »

Yeah, not sure. Definitely a darker one although I've seen darker. One day I'll see one without bands! On some, the bands are about a 1/2 scale in width.
repaphin
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Re: Slow Year, but found a King

Post by repaphin »

Nice Hyper!
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Speckled Rosy
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Re: Slow Year, but found a King

Post by Speckled Rosy »

Thats a screaming hyper king! Someone sent me a pic of a hyper found yesterday or something. Might it be the same one?
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LouB747
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Re: Slow Year, but found a King

Post by LouB747 »

Yeah, probably the same snake. Pic has been passed around a bit I think. I found it yesterday morning.

So all the dark ones like this are hypers? What's the telltale sign? Just the dark color, blackish head, and dark thin bands?
repaphin
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Re: Slow Year, but found a King

Post by repaphin »

Darker heads, thinner bands, darker color.
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shredsteban
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Re: Slow Year, but found a King

Post by shredsteban »

Very nice Lou! The photos came out great
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LouB747
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Re: Slow Year, but found a King

Post by LouB747 »

Thanks, just an iPhone for pics. But not too bad.

There must be more to it than dark color, black head, right? Are there degrees of hyper or is it either yes/no?
repaphin
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Re: Slow Year, but found a King

Post by repaphin »

There are degrees to hypermelanism, Some have darker heads than others, wider bands etc... But there are dark "normals" out there. And light Hypers..
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Brian Hubbs
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Re: Slow Year, but found a King

Post by Brian Hubbs »

There's a book called "Common Kingsnakes" that explains what makes a hyper and has lot's of pictures...just thought I'd share that... ;)
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LouB747
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Re: Slow Year, but found a King

Post by LouB747 »

One of the best books I own. I'll have to review a little.
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Brian Hubbs
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Re: Slow Year, but found a King

Post by Brian Hubbs »

I hope I explained it good in there... :lol: But, basically a hyper is a kingsnake that has dark coloration where the white rings should be, which could be an overall tan or brownish color, or dark interspaces between the light scales, which may or may not bleed onto the lighter scales. Generally the head is darker also, as well as the belly. Hypers are variable in appearance, but all of them are hypers. Yours is a nice hyper. it has the darker head, bleeding of dark pigment onto the light scales, as well as the dark interspaces.
Zach_Lim
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Re: Slow Year, but found a King

Post by Zach_Lim »

Brian Hubbs wrote:I hope I explained it good in there... :lol: But, basically a hyper is a kingsnake that has dark coloration where the white rings should be, which could be an overall tan or brownish color, or dark interspaces between the light scales, which may or may not bleed onto the lighter scales. Generally the head is darker also, as well as the belly. Hypers are variable in appearance, but all of them are hypers. Yours is a nice hyper. it has the darker head, bleeding of dark pigment onto the light scales, as well as the dark interspaces.
Goddamnit, Brian haha :lol:
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