Thayer's Kingsnake
These small kingsnakes come from the Nuevo Leon Province of Mexico. Also called the variable or Nuevo Leon kingsnake, they are part of the L. mexicana complex. In the wild they inhabit hilly rocky terrain that is arid to semi arid. Like all kingsnakes they are opportunistic feeders and take a wide variety of prey. In captivity they readily accept appropriately sized mice and grow rapidly.
The most interesting feature of this race is the variety of colors and patterns that can emerge from a single clutch of eggs. The four phases generally recognized by hobbyists are the milk snake, melanistic, buckskin phases and the classic Leonis phase. There are also two designer varieties referred to as peach and lemon phases.
My original stock of eight unrelated pairs was selected for variability and vigor from breeders across the country. I am now three generations removed from these original animals and generally keep only 3.3 adult breeders at any one time. To counter inbreeding depression, I continue to bring in new bloodlines from prominent breeders. My colony is very dynamic and I rarely work with the same three breeding pairs for over two seasons. When choosing new breeders I still selected for variability and vigor however, I also look for clean ground colors that lack black tipping, speckling or smudging. I believe these characteristic lead to the most colorful adult specimens.
In 1997 I produced a male bulls-eye patterned Thayer's. Since that time I have produced a few others but they had all been male until 1999 when a female was finally produced. This is a very neat pattern anomaly and it will be interesting to see if it is heritable. Stay tuned, I'll keep you posted!
Thayer's kingsnakes make great pets! Their small size, docile nature and varied color make them a great choice for any hobbyist regardless of experience level. They are extremely adaptable to captive settings and tolerate a wide range of conditions. I divide my Thayer's into Pet and Breeder grades. Though both grades are attractive and viable, the breeder grades are those animals I believe hold the best potential for producing superior offspring.
Pet Grade: $50 ea.
Breeder Grade: $100 - $500 ea.