Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am curious from those that have kept Indigos (specifically Easterns) if they lose the sheen and iridescence as they age or grow...Many of the picts I have seen over the years of the Easterns show them to be extremely shiny and iridescent such as the pict by Tobias Ahlen on indigosnakes.com. While some of the pictures I have seen posted here of really large ones (including the one of the woman in the field)don't look like they have that same glossy look. Just wondering.. Thanks! -Milt

Eastern indigos are all glossy.

They tend to become much less glossy when getting near shed cycle.

Also...fat snakes always tend to look less glossy. Healthy indigo snake scales are shiny like wet nail polish.

But...unlike most snakes, indigos, even when not fat, don't have much "overlap" on the dorsal scales. Because of this, if they are even a little overweight, the skin begins to show through the scales. The skim is dark but not shiny...so basically the fatter the snake, the less glossy it appears, at least on the dorsal.

The vental is pretty much always glossy and iridescent.

Thanks Dean