Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis x Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis hybrid?!?!

[Greg'sGarters]

I was putting my snakes into the wine cooler for brumation when I noticed something. I think I saw a hybrid! It looked just like a parietalis (black with yellow lines down the sides). However, when i stretched the scales a little bit, instead of seeing red, I saw a red-blue pattern! It also has a head like a sirtalis (brown head). I had ordered it online, and the other 3 that it came with are parietals for sure. But whats up with this guy. Do I have a hybrid or just a morph?

[RedSidedSPR]

Pictures?

[guidofatherof5]

Or just a normal variation.

[Greg'sGarters]

Or just a normal variation.

If it was a normal variation, why would it have the blue+red instead of just red in between scales? Plus the head, as I mentioned, was brown and did look very eastern-like.

[guidofatherof5]

I certainly am not a sirtalis expert but I do know Easterns have many variations.
If I were you I would contact the former owner and get some history on the snakes.

[RedSidedSPR]

I wouldn't just assume hybrid, cuz like Steve said there's a ton of variations to sirtalis.

Can you post pictures

[Greg'sGarters]

Oh, I thought you meant variations of Red-sided's. I never thought you were talking about Easterns. Ok, I'll definitely contact the forum owner and ask him. And i'll also try to get up some pics so you guys can see.

[Greg'sGarters]

Here are the photos of him. My phone ran out of power and I just found the charger and charged it. Here he is.

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The first one is of his whole body. The second one is him taking a deep breath. You can see how it is both red and blue. The third one is his head. Much lighter of a brown than most parietalis. Eastern, Red-sided, or hybrid?

[BLUESIRTALIS]

I say parietalis, some of them just don't have as much red and i have seen them with a lighter brownish colored head.

[Greg'sGarters]

Ok, I tried calling the people where he originated who were EXTREMELY rude. They refused to tell me which breeder they got them from. But there is only 1 person who is giving their business a 5 star review. There are 3 (4 if you include me) who give them a 1 star review. So I think they're getting back what they give out.

[RedSidedSPR]

Looks like a perfectly normal parietalis to me. Odd, but normal.

[thamneil]

Greg, I have a female parietalis in my collection that originates from an area near the Ontario/Manitoba border. She is very similar looking to yours. Parietalis are extremely diverse and can have red, blue, white, grey, or colorless patterns. Living in the land of the redsideds, I can tell you that for a fact!

This particular snake has a very light head, an unusually high amount of yellow coloration(compared to snakes caught locally), and blue and red checkering. You just got lucky and got a very fine example of the subspecies!

http://sphotos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/22593_464710780248219_1279804699_n.jpg