Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey everyone. I love the (dry) Indigo family and was curious. Which species get the largest? Also, what is its average size and max record size? Thanks, Bradley.

Yellow tails get the longest and Rubidus probably get the thickest. I've heard of 11' YT's and who knows about Rubidus...Alan?

Ok I did not know that. Thank you Alan.

Eleven feet! Are you sure that wasn't Ophiophagus Hanna and not Drymarchon Corais?

I have seen many Yellow Tails over 10' long. Twenty-five years ago they were commonly imported that size. Bii Chase once had 2-3 that might have been 12' long. They were from Peru. At the same time[ 1960's ] he had an Amazon Basin ETB that was likely 9-10' long as well. The Emerald could have easily eaten a 3 pound rabbit.....I personally caught in 1998 in Belize a Blacktail Indigo about 9' long as well....
-----
Tom Crutchfield
www.tomcrutchfield.com

The dealers name was Bill Chase and his compound was in Miami. He was a long time friend now deceased for many years...
-----
Tom Crutchfield
www.tomcrutchfield.com

I remember getting four YT cribps from the Pet Farm that all where over nine feet in the 70's. Funny thing about them...none of them where "biters" and they were all wild caught. My expirence with them now has been been just the opposite...those things can put a hurtin on you!! Tom,,,didn't Bill Chase come down to Florida from Wisconsin? I remeber buying a bull snake from him in the early 60's.

Dan

I had a YT that was just about ten feet when she died and I have one now that is a bit over 9 so 11 feet doesn't seem unattainable.

I was told the uni's got the biggest of the drys, don't know if its true or not! Im new.

I have always heard yellowtails are the largest, and I remember Terry Vandeventer telling a story about a big one he caught and measured, and Bill Chase and Tom Crutchfield have certainly seen as many as anyone. Some big rubidus for sure, back in the day I saw several around 8' and the guys buying them tried to get the smallest ones the Mexican collectors had. I would guess with such a vast range, certain populations of Drys may be really large specimens, and they are not imported. Did you guys see the knock-out Peruvian/Bolivian yellowtail photo that Brian Sharp posted a few weeks ago? Vic H.

Terry was the one that told me about the 11' male, and yeah that pic Brian posted was insane.

Nate

That Yellowtail was a Peruvian snake that Bill Lamar and I nabbed. He was 9'3". Not the biggest but still a monster snake.

Cheers,

Terry Vandeventer

It seems to me all of the Drymarchon melenurus complex have the potential to attain the same adult size if fed a proper diet.
I have large males of all the subs nearing 8 foot or so.
The largest in my collection is a Rubidus male that is just a monster. Here is a older pic of my son holding him when he turned 3. He can eat 3/4lb rabbits along with anything else I throw at him and is still growing.The odd thing about him is he has never eaten a single rat in his life. He won't touch them.
He is a 05 male produced by Jeff Snodgres and should hit a true 9 foot this year.

ALAN B

I only keep Eastern and Texas Indigos. I find that the texans tend to be a little larger than my Easterns, though I'll admit it's a small sample size.

This is my big Texas male...Dr Evil

-----
Paul Weaver
Carolina Herps