Hi, I’ve had a MBK for a few years now and he’s consistently had golden dots all down his back. I’ve heard MBKs can have patterning when young, but he’s ~4 now and showing no signs of fading to fully black. Any info on what this trait is/means and if other MBKs have it would be great!
10 Likes
Did you get him as a hatchling or before his color shift? If so do you have pictures of him then.
Likely that it is probably an effect caused somewhere in its linage of hybrid breedings.
It’s completely normal for an MBK to have pattern spots. We line bred them to be all black, they’re naturally a patterned animal. There are all ‘black’ animals in their range but they’re not the crispy deep black we’ve turned them into in the hobby.
10 Likes
Completely normal. Not all are pure black. I know a few people who have had them with markings. Ones even got a big white patch under her chin!
9 Likes
Did not know this, I have personally only seen black with white under chin.
6 Likes
I like his little golden freckles 
But yes this is normal as the others have stated. You’d be surprised by how many MBKs that are not solid black actually, some can have an off white color to their underbellies, some have very clear and present patterns as hatchlings and some adults keep that patterning.
Solid black MBKs with very little to no other color are line bred to be that way.
7 Likes
I think he’s adorable. I know he’s not the classic line bred solid coal black, but I like his looks. I’ve always been fond of what Dad referred to “buttermilk king snakes” I used to see.
5 Likes
I love his freckles! I actually didn’t know that captive MBKs have been line bred to be pure black. I just assumed they were a naturally all-black species. I think I actually prefer the look of them with freckles and/or a bit of pattern. I love the look of a black snake with little bits of pattern and colour poking through.
5 Likes
Thank you so much! I was wondering why none of the other captive MBKs I’ve seen had patterns (for a moment I even wondered if I somehow ended up w a hybrid!). This makes total sense as he’s most likely wild-caught or descended from a wild-caught MBK. He was given to me when his previous owner moved, so I never 100% knew his origins but I’ve always wondered lol
2 Likes
Thank you! This week he’s started getting ready to shed and I can barely see anything but gray, but I always love how he looks right after because the gold really shines like he has little stars
2 Likes
I love this description. 
looking forward to seeing his fresh look for the holidays!
2 Likes