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GBK Breeder

nicklandovich

nicklandovich

New member
I have been awestruck many times by pictures of good examples of the grey banded king snake. I want to locate a breeder of good examples of this snake but Google yields few places aside from ones I wouldn't feel comfortable with buying from. A search of this site yielded some info on the breed but most the breeders/sites suggested in the old threads are being updated circa '05.

Anyone know of any current breeders of this snake? Not looking for a snake immediately, just want to know where to go when my corns get here and established.
 
Bob Applegate of Applegate Reptiles is fairly well-known for prodicing nice Kingsnakes & Milksnakes. He attends a few of our local expos.
 
I think so, it says to email him, with a link.

You can check Fauna Calssifieds as well. Just be sure to check the BOI before buying from someone.
 
They seem pretty rare on faunaclassifieds as well. I don't know if they are less popular than other morphs or just rarer. Seems odd because I thought this as a pretty standard snake
 
It's also an off time for having babies. Usually breeders (in general) are doing their pairings now, so you won't be seeing avaiable babies for a little while. Most try to clear out available snakes by now, so give it time, & see what hatchling season brings.
 
I worked with them for a half dozen years, but the babies got me out of the species. My honest 2 cents is July to September or so is when you want to shop. And don't buy any under 10 grams. Mine usually hatched at 7 or 8, and if they were eating, they were little growing machines. Fact was, some would not eat mice without being tricked. It is my belief that those should not be bred, and we would have hardier captive gray bands. But I'm retired from that fight, and mess with other species now. I dug up an old pic, though:
(This was two pinks, one's butt looked like another head)
4l4xgw.jpg

There are a lot of good GBK breeders, consult the BOI. They are beautiful serpents, the young ones with fresh batteries are breath-taking!
 
20 pages into the kingsnake section on Faunaclassifieds and there has only been may 8 GBK ads and most those are for 2011 hatchlings/breeding pairs. Possibly they are more rare and out of season.
 
20 pages into the kingsnake section on Faunaclassifieds and there has only been may 8 GBK ads and most those are for 2011 hatchlings/breeding pairs. Possibly they are more rare and out of season.
 
I have found over the years that there are not a lot of people who work with them because as Chip mentioned, some of the hatchlings are really hard to get eating on mice. I bred them a few years myself and did not have a high success rate. My last attempt I tried something different while the eggs were still developing and had better success. I would have continued with that project, but due to circumstances and finances I quit breeding not long after that.

Applegate does produce some of the best quality and most beautiful kingsnake morphs. Not just the GBK's. He is a respected and reputable breeder. Another person I know of that produces fantastic GBK's that are well established is Lee Abbott. Most people know him for his Okeetees, but his GBK's are amazing.
 
I've seen something referred to as a Route 277 GBK. Do these have the same feeding issues? Visually they seem very similar to the GBK.
 
In GBK, locale specific breeding lines are very popular. The Route 277 just means that is the location where the parents or grandparents were collected originally. Different locales can have variations on their patterns - different width in bands, more red or more gray etc...
Any GBK hatchling could potentially be a difficult feeder. That is why it is recommended to get one a little older - not a fresh hatchling - and from a reputable breeder who can verify if they are eating mice already.
 
Nick, John of coloradocorns has some christmas mountain locale GBKs. He hasn't bred them yet, I think he might this year for the first time, or maybe next year.
Also, I will PM you contact info for a guy that does GBKs here in the Denver area.
 
I believe John Cherry of Cherrryville Farms still breeds them and has some great stock ... I personally have Thayeri, Corns, Black Milks, and Sonoran Gophers from him and all are top quality in my opinion.
 
Buy a yearling or darn well-started baby, would be my advice.
 
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