I have *spotted* a King!

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Chris_VE.
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I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Chris_VE. »

Hello California! Haven't had a post on here in a little while, but I've been lurking around still :P

So today was totally awesome on herps! And I hope I am not the only one who loved it! Found 22 snakes! It was totally awesome. But one snake topped them all that I flipped... A dotted kingsnake! :shock: I was lost for words. Best snake I have ever found! Found a spot on google earth and decided to check it out :D found some shaqs and stuff falling apart and what not and other trash to flip. So I was wondering, what is the "name" of this kind of snake? Found in Riverside County. I do not think I need to give more locality information than that... But heck, Hubbs could probably tell off the fourth scale behind his right eye alone that this snake is found at.... :lol:

And here is my prize of!.... My whole herping life so far? Yeah, that sounds about right!

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It really is both such a dissapointment, and as well as a thrill to watch such a beautiful snake go on it's way, knowing it will someday pass it's spectacular trait onto the next generation.... :)

And here is a little bit from my day :D

First King of the day!

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First Baby Boa!

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First Ruber :shock:

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First? Helleri...

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More Kings :)

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Rubers!

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Another Baby Boa :mrgreen:

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Tried to catch him yawning too...

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Did I mention we got a Coastal Horned Lizard? 8-)

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That is just a little bit of my day.


Here are our results:

Kings-5 (Does the dotted one count as more? :lol: )
Rosy Boas-3
Rubers-3
Red Coachwhips-1
Helleri And Gophers-10
Coastal Horned Lizards-1
Aligator Lizards-Too Many To Count
Granite Spinys-TMTC
Side Blotched-TMTC
Skinks- About 20


And I think that is everything!

-Chris





(I think this is my largest post to date :beer: )
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Mike Waters
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Mike Waters »

That is one awesome kingsnake. Congrats on your success.
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Judson
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Judson »

EPIC! Love that dotted King, what a beauty!

-I
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Speckled Rosy »

What an awesome Day! that dotted king is a beauty!
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Ross Padilla
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Ross Padilla »

Congrats! That is one of the nicest wc Dotted Cal kings I've seen. There's a ton of complete dots on this one. What a day. I'm jealous! :mrgreen: :beer:
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DMong
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by DMong »

Wow!,...........excellent finds indeed!

Ironically, the "dotted" king you found is technically called....well, a "dotted" king :lol:

It looks strikingly similar to the preserved/tagged museum specimen in Hubbs' book also found in Riverside County on page 101, only yours has more dots and are somewhat smaller. Same solid dark dorsum, and exact yellow ventrolateral area and ALL!

Also, your dotted king was a definite female from the nice tail shot you took.

Congrats on all of those nice finds! :beer:


~Doug
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by LouB747 »

What a great day! Beautiful spotted king.....
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by SurfinHerp »

Way to go Chris! That king looks pretty cool, but I like your baby rosys perhaps even better. You definitely found yourself an awesome herping spot.
Want to share any photos of the red racer or some of the gopher snakes?
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by rtdunham »

DMong wrote:...It looks strikingly similar to the preserved/tagged museum specimen in Hubbs' book...on page 101.
Doug, you've done a lot of damage by revealing the location so precisely: Author. Book. The exact page number! I think in the future we'd do better to simply refer to a specimen "found in some libraries".
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by hellihooks »

What an awesome day Chris. Good job! jim
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Chris_VE. »

First of all, Thanks to everyone so far for the compliments :D
DMong wrote:It looks strikingly similar to the preserved/tagged museum specimen in Hubbs' book also found in Riverside County
I have sadly have yet to get his book... So I wouldn't know what it looks like :? You say it's bigger and all, so I was wondering, was the dark portion still as black? Or did it lighten up? Because that was something I was if could happen as this snake aged, as do a lot of riverside kings.
SurfinHerp wrote:Way to go Chris! That king looks pretty cool, but I like your baby rosys perhaps even better. You definitely found yourself an awesome herping spot.
Want to share any photos of the red racer or some of the gopher snakes?
I am more of a Kings guy, so he out impressed the rosies ;) and also I flipped the King, but it was another friend of mine who found the rosies. But I still totally agree thy were totally awesome! And to answer your Gopher snake/Racer Question... Well we were going to spot, after spot, after spot.... All day. Somehow I got lucky, and managed to remember my camera for the really cool herps, but for the gophers (every gopher somehow), racers, and a few helleri, I hadn't had my camera on me, so I took pictures with my phone. I will get them up later though, when I have time :)

-Chris
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by DMong »

rtdunham wrote:
DMong wrote:...It looks strikingly similar to the preserved/tagged museum specimen in Hubbs' book...on page 101.
Doug, you've done a lot of damage by revealing the location so precisely: Author. Book. The exact page number! I think in the future we'd do better to simply refer to a specimen "found in some libraries".
Oh..geeez!,..yeah, I'll have to be more careful about not revealing precise "page locality" next time for sure! :lol: :lol:


~Doug
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by DMong »

Chris_VE. wrote:First of all, Thanks to everyone so far for the compliments :D
DMong wrote:It looks strikingly similar to the preserved/tagged museum specimen in Hubbs' book also found in Riverside County
I have sadly have yet to get his book... So I wouldn't know what it looks like :? You say it's bigger and all, so I was wondering, was the dark portion still as black? Or did it lighten up? Because that was something I was if could happen as this snake aged, as do a lot of riverside kings.

-Chris
I actually only meant the dots were just somewhat smaller on your specimen, not the snake itself.

It's impossible to know the precise color of the preserved/tagged specimen, or even how big it actually is from the photo. The preserving fluid can often fade a snakes colors anyway to varying degrees. It looks to be a fairly dark chocolate brown, or could've been jet black when it was alive, just know way of knowing. But by looks alone, it could easily pass as an almost identical clutch mate sibling any day of the week to the one you just found, that's for sure. :beer:

ps, I have no idea when the specimen was captured either....could've been decades ago as you can't make out the tag on the animal.




~Doug
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by SDherp »

Nice King for sure! I'm more of a Rosy guy myself, but that King would top 2 YoY Boas any day of the week! Congrats Chris.

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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by hellihooks »

Heck... I'd have been happy to see half the herps Chris did. I was out yesterday, and besides seeing a helli in Riverside co, (which is pretty unusual) had a very slow day... couple of ruber, small gopher, 3 skinks and SB's/Sclops... :roll: A king or rosy would have made my day. :crazyeyes: jim
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Chris_VE. »

Oh I meant to say this earlier Doug, but we popped it expecting it to be a female but it was actually a male just so you know...

-Chris
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Brian Hubbs
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Brian Hubbs »

So, I come home from a little book sale trip and see THIS... :x :x :x
The snake is a juvie, that's why it's dark...it will lighten as it grows.
Not sure if it's like the one in the book because we couldn't see a full body shot. Any little stripes at all? Or all dots and bars?...there were a few bars in that photo...so at best it would be a Dotted & Barred morph... :roll: Oh, wait...I see a couple dashes too...so it would be a Dotted, Dashed and Barred morph...too bad...Pure Dotteds are tough to find...
You suck...PM me for book info... :lol:
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Ross Padilla
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Ross Padilla »

That's a "Dotted" morph. He's jealous too. :lol:
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Brian Hubbs »

:lol: :lol: :lol:
Not really, I've seen many of those... :lol:

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But, here's the REAL deal:

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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Chris_VE. »

Brian Hubbs wrote: Not sure if it's like the one in the book because we couldn't see a full body shot. Any little stripes at all? Or all dots and bars?...there were a few bars in that photo...so at best it would be a Dotted & Barred morph... :roll: Oh, wait...I see a couple dashes too...so it would be a Dotted, Dashed and Barred morph...too bad...Pure Dotteds are tough to find...
You suck...PM me for book info... :lol:

I was experimenting with photos, took him to the shade, and posed him on my black t-shirt (Hoping for like a black backround) and got this picturehere that shows his upper half very nicely :D


Image

And I am sorry Hubbs, but I prefer my pattern over yours ;) It looks a little cleaner :lol:

except for the pure dotted... THAT is a killer! :shock:

And of course you are jealous Hubbs, this is what you are all about! ;) Just kidding :lol:

-Chris
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Brian Hubbs
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Brian Hubbs »

Yes, that is probably the cleanest one I've seen outside of the dead one from the museum, but it's still a Dotted, Dashed and Barred morph. Congrats, and if you found that at one of my spots I'll pummel you... :lol: Were there a lot of boards spread around, on several levels?
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Zach_Lim »

Excellent finds! Although the king is truly a looker, I'm blown away with how cool the baby rosies were! The high band count getula is a looker too!

Zach
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Ross Padilla
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Ross Padilla »

Brian Hubbs wrote:but it's still a Dotted, Dashed and Barred morph.
That's proof of the jealousy. :lol: Of course when Hubbs finds a king with with about 75% bars, its a "Barred" morph, but when someone finds a king with 90% dots, its a dotted, dashed, and barred morph.

Image
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Chris_VE. »

Brian Hubbs wrote:Yes, that is probably the cleanest one I've seen outside of the dead one from the museum, but it's still a Dotted, Dashed and Barred morph. Congrats, and if you found that at one of my spots I'll pummel you... :lol: Were there a lot of boards spread around, on several levels?
Based on our PM's and this here.... I think I am going to turn around and start running while I have a chance ;) but it didn't look like a line set by herpers so much... More trash and sheds and shaqs falling apart.

Zach_Lim wrote:Excellent finds! Although the king is truly a looker, I'm blown away with how cool the baby rosies were! The high band count getula is a looker too!

Zach
I don't know my Kings well enough AT ALL! One is high banded and that is rare? Lol which one!? Hahaha

-Chris
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Ross Padilla »

Chris_VE. wrote:Based on our PM's and this here.... I think I am going to turn around and start running while I have a chance ;)
Chris, you are effing smart! :D I knew he would contact you privately. :lol: My phone rang non stop in 2006 when I was posting aberrant kings. "Where'd you find that snake?" "Where'd you find that snake?" "Where'd you find that snake?" "Where'd you find that snake?" "Where'd you find that snake?" "Where'd you find that snake?" "Where'd you find that snake?" "Where'd you find that snake?" "Where'd you find that snake?" :lol: :lol:
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Brian Hubbs »

:lol: :lol: :lol:
Don't get cockey!
People who live in glass Padillas shouldn't throw kingsnakes... 8-)
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Ross Padilla »

Brian Hubbs wrote::lol: :lol: :lol:
Don't get cockey!
People who live in glass Padillas shouldn't throw kingsnakes... 8-)
:lol: :lol:

You're loads of fun, Brian. :lol:
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Chris_VE. »

Ross Padilla wrote:
Brian Hubbs wrote::lol: :lol: :lol:
Don't get cockey!
People who live in glass Padillas shouldn't throw kingsnakes... 8-)
:lol: :lol:

You're loads of fun, Brian. :lol:
From what I know so far, I have to agree :beer:

-Chris

PS While I have both of you kingsnake experts (and zach has left it appears...) Can someone tell me about this high count king??
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Ross Padilla
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Ross Padilla »

He's probably talking about the one right after the dotted king. It does have a pretty high band count. Of course Hubbs will probably post his record high band count now. :lol:
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Brian Hubbs »

I think he's talking about the first banded you posted, but you can't see the whole body...

This is the old record holder, beaten in 2010 by a snake with 48 bands.
Image

Ross was almost right... :lol:
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Ross Padilla »

Brian Hubbs wrote:Ross was almost right... :lol:
Close enough. :D
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Brian Hubbs »

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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Chris_VE. »

Just counted it, and if right, 45 bands.... missed it! hahaha too lazy to get a pic up that you can count the bands right now though. That one I have found in the same spot three times in a row now!
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Ross Padilla »

Chris_VE. wrote:Just counted it, and if right, 45 bands.... missed it! hahaha too lazy to get a pic up that you can count the bands right now though. That one I have found in the same spot three times in a row now!
Did you count the rings on the tail too?
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Chris_VE. »

No. I counted Hubbs pic, and off of that figured that I do not cout the tail rings. Should I of?
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Ross Padilla »

No, just checking if you did. :P
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Brian Hubbs »

And, you only count broken bands if they reach the middle of the body. 2 broken = 1 band. Put up the pic so we can count...
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Chris_VE. »

Well at this point I am stuck in bed on my phone, so you are going to have to wait for tomorrow Brian. Sorry
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Brian Hubbs »

Of course when Hubbs finds a king with with about 75% bars, its a "Barred" morph, but when someone finds a king with 90% dots, its a dotted, dashed, and barred morph.
The snake has 15 dots, 14 bars, and 4 dashes...I stand on my description, ROSS! :lol:
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Chris_VE. »

Brian Hubbs wrote:
Of course when Hubbs finds a king with with about 75% bars, its a "Barred" morph, but when someone finds a king with 90% dots, its a dotted, dashed, and barred morph.
The snake has 15 dots, 14 bars, and 4 dashes...I stand on my description, ROSS! :lol:
Brian, take that picture from up top, and edit in like red which are dots, bars in blue, and dashes in green or something like that. Because IMO a lot of those look more like dots :lol: but then again, what do I know? :D
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Chris_VE. »

And wouldnt that make it just a dot-bar without the dash in the name with only two dashes?
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Ross Padilla
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Ross Padilla »

Brian Hubbs wrote:
Of course when Hubbs finds a king with with about 75% bars, its a "Barred" morph, but when someone finds a king with 90% dots, its a dotted, dashed, and barred morph.
The snake has 15 dots, 14 bars, and 4 dashes...I stand on my description, ROSS! :lol:
I counted 27 dots and some of those things you are calling bars, are actually in between a bar and a dot. You count those in betweeners as bars because you are jealous. :lol:
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Ross Padilla »

Chris_VE. wrote:And wouldnt that make it just a dot-bar without the dash in the name with only two dashes?
He doesn't make up the rules. There are no rules with these aberrants. 99% of these aberrants have dots, dashes, stripes, and bars. Your snake is a Dotted morph and that's all there is to it. :x :x :lol:

BTW, I forgot some of that info I just edited out is in Hubbs book and we don't want to share all that for free. :beer:
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Brian Hubbs »

Image

Yellow: Dots
Blue: Bars
Light Purple: Dashes
The 7th one could be a bar...The 16th one could be a dash...The 11th one could be a dot...it's a matter of interpretation...See, if they are wider than long, they are bars, if they are longer than wide, they are dashes...if they are about equal in all directions...well, then they are dots...morons (sorry, I mean, Ross)... :roll:
Rules according to ME... :lol:
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Ross Padilla »

Numbers 5, 9, 11, 17, 21 are not bars. Maybe leaning toward bars or in betwwen bars and dots, but not bars. The reason why you count them as "definite" bars is because you are hating on this snake. Big time. :lol: Quite being jealous and tell Chris he found a nice Dotted morph. You've called kings with even less of a dotted pattern than this, Dotted morphs. ;)
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Ross Padilla »

To think you actually took the time to put that all together in photoshop, is hilarious. :lol: I must be really getting to you, Hubbs. :lol:
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Brian Hubbs »

No, this is FUN...and just because hellihooks hypnotized you into being irrational with his series of "wink, winks, and nod, nods"...doesn't mean you are always right... :lol: Get some glasses boy, this is embarrasin'....

See, if they are wider than long, they are bars, if they are longer than wide, they are dashes...if they are about equal in all directions...well, then they are dots...anyway...you're just mad because I now have more posts than you. :lol: :lol: :lol: :shock:
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Ross Padilla »

OK, so an oval shape is a bar. :roll: Oh Mr. Hubbs, you should be ashamed of your self. Hating on this poor snake just like you hated on Lou's CCB Newport a couple of years ago. "Who's he trying to kid? He didn't find that thing." :lol: :lol:
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Ross Padilla »

I'm going to bed. I hope you have nightmares of Dots chasing you and biting you. :lol:
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Re: I have *spotted* a King!

Post by Brian Hubbs »

I had a dream that you were taken away to a school that teaches the difference between a dot, bar, and dash. You were in a straightjacket... :lol:
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