They are black because they need to bask and heat up fast in the day because of the cold nights. After one very cold night I temp gunned a basking Diamond this January and it was 96 degrees and still basking. My guess is that they like most herps need to be able to CHOOSE the temps they want to be and not kept at the temps you THINK they want to be. On all my herps I try to give them a WIDE range of choices and not decide for them. After all they KNOW what they need and we're just beginning to realize what these parameters are. THE KEY IS CHOICES MADE BY THE KEPT AND NOT BY THE KEEPER. THEREIN LIES MOST PROBLEMS AND REASONS THAT SOME SPECIES ARE "HARD" TO BREED. WE DON'T GIVE THEM CHOICES....


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Tom Crutchfield
www.tomcrutchfield.com

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