Those are the worst belly scales i have ever seen. i have been keeping snakes for 38 years & breeding for well over 20 years. Have kept several Indigos & Cribos but never bred them.

I purchased several Indigos from a well known breeder. One red phase female had split belly scales & stunted growth & then she died suddenly at around 3 -4 years of age.

Another female died with eggs inside her, some had burst.

The remaining animals were all relatively perfect but went out in trade. I still have one gorgeous 6ft black phase male.

In my experience of breeding other snakes, deformities can occur from fluctuating temps. Maybe these belly scale issues are to do with temps? & or in breeding. There seems to be way too much in breeding throughout the hobby.

Carpet pythons can have neurological issues for example. All Australian herps originate from probably WC smuggled animals & are probably somewhat in bred. australia does not allow the export of ANY wildlife, nor does South Africa as well as many other countries.

We need to be more aware of this issue & try to avoid in breeding & think about the animals we are producing & putting out there.

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