Progression: Shadow the Eastern Indigo Snake

This has been a hard secret to keep, but it has been a long journey and many things could have gone wrong, so I waited until now to share this.

Tomorrow morning we hit the road, drive about an hour, and pick up my new baby, Shadow. I have one hatchling video from mid July, but it's not on YouTube and I have no permission to post it. Shadow was totally adorable in it with his feisty attitude and white baby speckles.

I came up with the name Shadow from his dark color and the amazing total eclipse we saw last month. An eclipse is also a moon shadow. I didn't like Eclipse or Moonshadow for names so settled on Shadow and it has stuck.

This has been in the works since June of 2016. Only my family and vet knew. The breeder and I struck up a casual conversation at a Chicago Herp meeting and he mentioned he had a pair of unrelated eastern indigos (microchipped and in the stud book) that he had raised and hoped to breed. I immediately got his contact information and we have been in touch off and on ever since. His adults bred last fall and his female laid 8 big beautiful eggs in April. About the same time in April he had his male at ReptileFest and I got to hold him. All the eggs hatched in mid-July.

No, I hadn't planned to get another snake; but when this opportunity came up I couldn't pass it by. When I was in high school, before they were so endangered and protected, we had an eastern indigo in our sophomore biology lab and I helped care for that snake. That year I handled that snake a lot. I loved that snake. Because I went to an unusual school where juniors and seniors go to a different campus, I only had that year; but I have never forgotten that snake. To top it all, that snake was a black throat and my baby is a black throat.

Because this is in state, no permit is needed. I've been studying, saving, hoping, praying, and working towards this for over 1.5 years and tomorrow is the day. The weather should be about perfect for it. It's always easier not to deal with insulation if I don't have to. I will update and post as soon as I can.

As excited as I am over this "dream" snake, I got each of my snabies for just as special a reason and none will be pushed aside or favored over another. I'm both excited and a little scared. I'm always scared a little when adding a new family member. To me that's just a reflection of how much I care about making good decisions about how many snakes I can give excellent care to.

Here is the picture of the "empty nest" that I readied over the weekend in consultation with the breeder.

Congratulations! They are beautiful snakes. Will be fun to watch him grow. He'll be a big guy.

Thank you!

I just got home with him. I'm overwhelmed. Will post pictures as soon as soon as I catch my breath here. I say "he" but he hasn't been sexed yet, so we think he but we don't know. My breeder works with Chelonians except for this eastern indigo breeding project, so he did not sex the babies. . I have a great snake vet who can sex Shadow in due time.

I understand being overwhelmed. I'm always anxious/stressed when I add another pet.

Yeah, but it's a good stress. The kind that tells me I care. I have that too and have had it every time I add to the snake family. That goes away in a couple of days. However, kind of overwhelmed is actually the "in awe of" kind. In spite of dreaming of and working towards this snake, the reality of its beauty and being is overwhelming.

Photo dump! Meet Shadow!

Hatched July 20. 48 g today. Sex unknown, presumed male for now.

He is a nice sized chunk! Looks very thoughtful.

Ty. I so appreciate your kind comments! Do you own one or another of the Drys?

He was one of the larger hatchlings in the clutch. I got to see all 8 of them and got my pick. That was amazing as well. I'm still totally pinching myself.

I did want a baby with some attitude. He definitely has an intent gaze. It's amazing how such young snakes clearly display their personalities. A D. couperi with attitude all the way!

We made it fine through the first night. After spending the day stretched between hides he's curled up under the cool hide this morning. These snakes are kept cooler than most. His warm hide is 79 and his cool hide is 71.

Love your viv
Congratulations it's nice to get something you have been waiting for
I am going look up about that snake not heard of them
Enjoy you new baby
Pat


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Sorry just looked at the photo
He is beautiful really beautiful
Pat


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Thank you Patmart. He is a stunner. He truly is an adult (except for the baby speckles) in miniature.

You probably would not have heard of them. They are native to the USA, protected and endangered. While I don't need a permit because I got this snake in state, and they are legal here under state law, I need to make sure I have the paperwork as to its source and ownership if that is ever called into question.

The only eastern indigos (Drymarchon couperi) in the UK are probably in zoos. Exporting one from the US is nearly impossible unless you are exporting to a zoo.

Do they bite it sounds like might but I can understand why you wanted him he is lovely
Pat x


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Congrats DollysMom! He is gorgeous. When I was a kid I got to hold an 8 footer at a serpentarium near Miami. He was so docile and beautiful. I'd love to own one but I just don't have the space at this time. Maybe someday everything will align just right but until then I'll admire them from afar.

Hi how big does that lovely snake grow to ?
Pat


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Just looked on YouTube they are the best looking snake I've ever seen
You are so lucky please keep me updated as he grows up
Pat x
Pat


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Patmart said:

Do they bite it sounds like might but I can understand why you wanted him he is lovely

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They can, but rarely do. It is almost always a feeding response bite from a very hungry and confused snake! My attitude is that if I get bit, its my fault.

blacktip said:

Congrats DollysMom! He is gorgeous. When I was a kid I got to hold an 8 footer at a serpentarium near Miami. He was so docile and beautiful. I'd love to own one but I just don't have the space at this time. Maybe someday everything will align just right but until then I'll admire them from afar.

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Thank you so much blacktip. Yes, they are truly are amazing to hold. Once you hold one you never forget it. I believe that a genuine passion for them helps things to align. Best wishes!

Patmart said:

Hi how big does that lovely snake grow to ?

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Usually 6 to 8 feet with males being bigger than females.

Patmart said:

Just looked on YouTube they are the best looking snake I've ever seen
You are so lucky please keep me updated as he grows up

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Thank you kindly. I will update on this thread. That's what a progression is -- a thread that shows pictures and gives information about the snake growing up.

Do I just start a new topic to do that ?
Pat x


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P.S. For those who don't already know about them, I really like this video
as an overview of eastern indigos.

https://youtu.be/RAK7ueCG8sw

I was blessed to see presentations by these folks, The Orianne Center at the Central Florida Zoo, and also another by the Orianne Society (http://www.oriannesociety.org/) at the Midwest Herp Symposium last fall.

DollysMom, Shadow is amazing! He does have an intense gaze, doesn't he. He is so lucky to have you. His home is comfy looking. And is that HIS egg and baby sheds? How did you EVER keep this a secret? You have to update your signature now! k_01: