Re: Indigo losing lustre

Posted by FRED{Aztec Reptiles} on November 04, 2000 at 13:41:27:

In Reply to: Indigo losing lustre posted by Patrick McNeely on November 03, 2000 at 20:19:14:

: I have a five year old male Eastern Indigo that has lost it's shine or "lustre." You can see skin in between his scales. I think it's because he has been eating too much, but I'm not sure. Also, I just had an egg surgically removed from my female that was lodged just above her cloaca. That't odd for her to develop an egg six months before she was supposed to. Indigos are beautiful, but they can have problems.

Patrick,
Usually when Eastern Indigos lose their "Shine" it is because they are going into a shed phase. But the skin in between his scales is a clear indication that you have been feeding him to much, which is a common mistake that is easy to do , since the Eastern Indigo readily eats at almost any time. Cut back on the FREQUENCY of his feedings and if he isn't allready in one, put him in a cage that allows him room to move around. With breeding season approaching, he may go off food anyway, but better to start the proces now and help hm trim down. Overweight Indigos make lousy breeders and it has been MY expereince that they usually produce bad sperm to boot.
As for the female developing a SINGLE egg before she was "Supposed To" that is indeed odd. The only explanation I can think of is that she retained sperm from an earlier breeding in the year and has ovulated prematurely. Impaction often results when folks try to breed these snakes every year or breed them to small/to young.
They can't be pushed like many other colubrids. I have never had an egg impaction with Indigos, and i feel a lot of it is due to the fact that 'I refuse to breed them at anything under 4 years and 6 ft in length. Indigos are difficult, if they weren't they would be as numerous as Cal.Kings, but the extra efort is worth it, and when if it stops being worth it, you just sell them and get something else that catches you fancy. you have to like what you keep, and unfortunately you have to take the good with the bad.

Regards,
Fred
Aztec Reptiles

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: : I have a five year old male Eastern Indigo that has lost it's shine or "lustre." You can see skin in between his scales. I think it's because he has been eating too much, but I'm not sure. Also, I just had an egg surgically removed from my female that was lodged just above her cloaca. That't odd for her to develop an egg six months before she was supposed to. Indigos are beautiful, but they can have problems. : : Patrick, : Usually when Eastern Indigos lose their "Shine" it is because they are going into a shed phase. But the skin in between his scales is a clear indication that you have been feeding him to much, which is a common mistake that is easy to do , since the Eastern Indigo readily eats at almost any time. Cut back on the FREQUENCY of his feedings and if he isn't allready in one, put him in a cage that allows him room to move around. With breeding season approaching, he may go off food anyway, but better to start the proces now and help hm trim down. Overweight Indigos make lousy breeders and it has been MY expereince that they usually produce bad sperm to boot. : As for the female developing a SINGLE egg before she was "Supposed To" that is indeed odd. The only explanation I can think of is that she retained sperm from an earlier breeding in the year and has ovulated prematurely. Impaction often results when folks try to breed these snakes every year or breed them to small/to young. : They can't be pushed like many other colubrids. I have never had an egg impaction with Indigos, and i feel a lot of it is due to the fact that 'I refuse to breed them at anything under 4 years and 6 ft in length. Indigos are difficult, if they weren't they would be as numerous as Cal.Kings, but the extra efort is worth it, and when if it stops being worth it, you just sell them and get something else that catches you fancy. you have to like what you keep, and unfortunately you have to take the good with the bad. : Regards, : Fred : Aztec Reptiles

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