>>Having no real experience with easterns (except catch & release) I had no idea they could go through that kind of color change! I'd assumed melanistic one's were born that way. Is this color change the norm? Of all they easterns I've ever found, all were black except one that was a solid olive in color. It seems you learn something new every day!


I have never seen an eastern baby that looked anything but normal colored. I did come across a 'red' eastern last year but it was a yearling so have no idea if it was born colored or colored up as it got older. I've always understood it to be that melanistic hognoses darken with age much in the same manner that occurs with black rat snakes or black racers.... light colored babies with patterns that gradually fade over the next couple years as they grow. Now, how much a melanistic darkens varies. I lucked out and wound up with one that is solid. I believe the mother was dark but maybe not solid black..have to try and remember to ask the person I bought it from next time I see them at a herp show.
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PHWyvern

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