Carolina Pygmies

Dedicated exclusively to field herping.

Moderator: Scott Waters

Post Reply
User avatar
soulsurvivor
Posts: 530
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:09 am
Location: NE Florida
Contact:

Carolina Pygmies

Post by soulsurvivor »

I went on a weekend jaunt to the Carolinas this weekend to find me a pink pygmy. Temps dropped quickly at sundown, and it was looking bleak, but as I was calling it a night, nature threw me a bone.

ImageCarolina Pygmy Rattlesnake by soulsurvivor08, on Flickr

I ran into another herper there, who had found a pygmy the night before on the same stretch of road. It was great to be able to photograph the two examples together to see how variable they can be. Interesting also, his pygmy was nervous and twitchy, while mine was mellow as could be.

ImageCarolina Pygmies by soulsurvivor08, on Flickr

ImageCarolina Pygmies by soulsurvivor08, on Flickr

Both pygmies were released where they were found. I can't wait for the next trip to see even more variations!

~Bree
User avatar
Josh Holbrook
Posts: 2196
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 8:11 am
Location: Western North Carolina
Contact:

Re: Carolina Pygmies

Post by Josh Holbrook »

Gorgeous pygs.
Tamara D. McConnell
Posts: 2248
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 11:42 am

Re: Carolina Pygmies

Post by Tamara D. McConnell »

So very beautiful.
User avatar
BillMcGighan
Posts: 2362
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:23 am
Location: Unicoi, TN

Re: Carolina Pygmies

Post by BillMcGighan »

What they said.
User avatar
umop apisdn
Posts: 395
Joined: June 13th, 2010, 6:06 pm

Re: Carolina Pygmies

Post by umop apisdn »

Sweet! Are those from NC or SC?
HerpMan ATL
Posts: 84
Joined: August 30th, 2014, 12:36 pm

Re: Carolina Pygmies

Post by HerpMan ATL »

really nice... love the color comparision.
User avatar
soulsurvivor
Posts: 530
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:09 am
Location: NE Florida
Contact:

Re: Carolina Pygmies

Post by soulsurvivor »

These are some Southern beauties.
User avatar
umop apisdn
Posts: 395
Joined: June 13th, 2010, 6:06 pm

Re: Carolina Pygmies

Post by umop apisdn »

I've seen lots of pigmies in SC, never seen on that pink! I've had terrible luck with them this year. Every time the weather was nice, I had to work. As soon as I'd get out...rain, cold weather, or no-shows.
User avatar
soulsurvivor
Posts: 530
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:09 am
Location: NE Florida
Contact:

Re: Carolina Pygmies

Post by soulsurvivor »

It's the lightest I've seen from the area. I was most pleased. :)
User avatar
Noah M
Posts: 2293
Joined: November 3rd, 2012, 7:00 pm
Location: Gainesville, FL
Contact:

Re: Carolina Pygmies

Post by Noah M »

Computer monitor problems, general colorblindness :? :?: The one looks really light, which is neat. I'm not trying to detract from your find. I just don't see the pink. :(
Carl D. May
Posts: 362
Joined: June 2nd, 2011, 4:17 am

Re: Carolina Pygmies

Post by Carl D. May »

Is that one example a hypo---or something? I've never seen one even close to being that pale before.
User avatar
soulsurvivor
Posts: 530
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:09 am
Location: NE Florida
Contact:

Re: Carolina Pygmies

Post by soulsurvivor »

captainjack0000 wrote:Computer monitor problems, general colorblindness :? :?
Sorry for your luck, Chuck.
User avatar
soulsurvivor
Posts: 530
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:09 am
Location: NE Florida
Contact:

Re: Carolina Pygmies

Post by soulsurvivor »

Carl D. May wrote:Is that one example a hypo---or something? I've never seen one even close to being that pale before.
I have considered this, Carl, since there is absolutely no black on it. I'm no morph expert though, and haven't seen a ton of wild Carolina pygmies to know what is atypical.
rtdunham
Posts: 219
Joined: January 11th, 2011, 2:43 pm

Re: Carolina Pygmies

Post by rtdunham »

soulsurvivor wrote:
Carl D. May wrote:Is that one example a hypo---or something? I've never seen one even close to being that pale before.
I have considered this, Carl, since there is absolutely no black on it. I'm no morph expert though, and haven't seen a ton of wild Carolina pygmies to know what is atypical.
Based just on those two examples, I'd say yes, the "pink" one's hypomelanistic. It would be interesting to breed two pink ones, see if all babies are pink; breed to the darker one found on the same road, see if half (over a large statistical sample) are hypo/pink, which would suggest it's a simple recessive and that the dark one's heterozygous or carrying the gene. And if none are hypo from the pink x dark cross, then breed the offspring--to each other and back to the pink one--and the results should show if it's a simple recessive. (the things i've learned, from breeding color morphs!) :-)
Jimi
Posts: 1955
Joined: December 3rd, 2010, 12:06 pm

Re: Carolina Pygmies

Post by Jimi »

It would be interesting to breed two pink ones, see if all babies are pink; breed to the darker one found on the same road, see if half (over a large statistical sample) are hypo/pink, which would suggest it's a simple recessive and that the dark one's heterozygous or carrying the gene. And if none are hypo from the pink x dark cross, then breed the offspring--to each other and back to the pink one--and the results should show if it's a simple recessive. (the things i've learned, from breeding color morphs!)
Sounds like a lot of baby pigs to get feeding! Argh. I've never bred Carolinas. I got some cbb Hyde reds once as a gift from a friend, and boy they were a damned hassle to get going. I've produced a few of my own litters of streckeri. That was ugly. Worse than the Hydes. Weird 'cause the WC adults were cake, a real joy to work with. I know some neonate duskies are a pain, some are easy pink feeders; it seems to vary by locality.

So, who here has raised neonate Carolina sandhill pigs? How did that go, are they like Hydes or more like, say, Okeechobees? I've sure enjoyed the look of some of the grey & lavender (and now this pink...) adults from GA & SC. But are they a nightmare to raise up?

Just curious...

cheers,
Jimi

PS Bree - nice find! don't mean to hijack your post, and I'm going to side with "hypo" too
User avatar
soulsurvivor
Posts: 530
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:09 am
Location: NE Florida
Contact:

Re: Carolina Pygmies

Post by soulsurvivor »

Hi Jimi! Nice to hear from you. I always think of you when I drive by Sunset Bar and Grill. :lol: I hope all is going well for you. We bred streks once, too. Don't 100% recall how they did, but I don't remember having problems with them feeding. Never tried Carolinas though.

~Bree
User avatar
NewYorkHerper16
Posts: 140
Joined: August 13th, 2014, 7:50 am

Re: Carolina Pygmies

Post by NewYorkHerper16 »

Beautiful snakes!
Post Reply