Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My 08 male pyro Mazar is still dingy even after two good sheds. He is eating and growing, and otherwise seems in good health.

Mazar this last March with one of his ladies. (He is the smaller of the two. He used to be so handsome. What happened to him?
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Bob
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire
Keeping cats allows man to cohabitate with tigers. Keeping reptiles allows man to cohabitate with dinosaurs.

I noticed (with some of my E-Kings), that when you keep them in a dark environment with no light for extended time (months-years), that a lot of them will actually darken a little as time goes by. But the ones that have more light available, either stay the same or actually lighten up some... So maybe this is what is happening with your Pyros?
See the pics below: The bright white banded Kingsnake (in first pic) was found in the wild, full grown, an old male nearly 5 feet long. The area where he was found at, was in a field with no trees nearby.
The next pic is one that is typical (less white in the bands), of the ones found near the edge of the woods....

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"I am an expert on everything, but I know so little and have so much to learn!" -Carsten "Zee" Zoldy-

None of my other pyros has gotten dingy but you do have a good point. I will move the trio cage to brighter light.
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Bob
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire
Keeping cats allows man to cohabitate with tigers. Keeping reptiles allows man to cohabitate with dinosaurs.

Hmmm that's interesting Bob. I don't have much experience with Pyros, maybe some one else could be more help. He looks like he needs to shed almost, huh?
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
Jorge Sierra

My Site > www.Sierrasnakes.com

He just did shed a few days ago, and another shed previous to that. With the second shed I was really hoping to see the last of this sooty dingy look.
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Bob
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire
Keeping cats allows man to cohabitate with tigers. Keeping reptiles allows man to cohabitate with dinosaurs.

Years ago, I had an adult male pyro who would at times get dingy, and at times brighten up. I asked around, and what I was told is that sometimes, adult males simply just look dingy at times. I saw this also with my adult male Knoblochi. As far as a reason why, I don not know, but am stating my experience.
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Genesis 1:1

I think this dingyness has to do with male hormones, or mating; somehow the act of breeding is responsible for this change.

I have another 08 pyro male who did not mate this year and he looks nice and bright. The one who did not mate is with an 09 female who did not ovulate and trigger him to want to mate. He never went on any hunger strikes/breeding modes like the dingy one did. In fact, since he came out of brumation and I jump started him with a lizard, he has been eating steadily all spring and has put on some real growth. No more sporadic feeding habits for this guy, which is a first for this little male. If next year he mates and turns dingy, I will be certain mating is the cause of this dingyness.

The 08/09 pair this May. He is the one with his head in the center, with not so heavy black crossovers.
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Bob
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire
Keeping cats allows man to cohabitate with tigers. Keeping reptiles allows man to cohabitate with dinosaurs.