Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I definitely recomend the juice from a tuna can for scenting. A few days ago I got my hatchling to eat a live pinkie with that scent (her first meal with me). Today I got her to eat some frozen/thawed pinkies with the same scent. She came out and downed three of them in under a minute.

I like it as a scent option as it's easy to get (I just make sure I eat a tuna sandwich at each feeding ) and, I imagine, something canned is about as clean and germ free as you can get.

This is a great example of a someone showing the kind of persistence and ingenuity that is required when raising baby indigos...good job Josh! Although this method may not work for every baby, it worked for Josh (and has worked for many of my stubborn cases) and that is the primary point to consider; that, every indigo is an individual and you must try lots of "tricks" to induce feeding in those early months. Once feeding, just about every indigo I have ever encountered turns into a mechanical feeding machine. I get frustrated when people who obtain baby indigos from me call me two weeks later saying that their indigo won't feed and they they are really worried...but, I quickly find out that they didn't make any effort whatsoever in trying different methods (and there are many!). Thanks for sharing. Rob

That's exactly the reason I try to have them well established on F/T rat pinkies before I let them go, even though it may take several weeks or even a few months to accomplish. New Drymarchon owners may just have no idea what it takes sometimes to get the youngsters started. Maybe all of the Indigos they've seen were adults or established juveniles, which are generally garbage disposals and think that neonates should be the same way. I'm just afraid that they will let them go beyond the point of no return if the animal isn't already well established. It's not really their fault, it's just a lack of experience. Even if you have them well established before you let them go, it still doesn't preclude the possibility of problems after the new owner takes them. People who get their first new baby Indigo have a tendency to want to handle them a lot. Sometimes they don't give them an opportunity to acclimate to the new surroundings before they try to feed them and keep them stressed by handling them too much and the baby won't eat, even though it was doing very well for the breeder. But, at least if the animal is well established before it goes to it's new home, it has a fighting chance.
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We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Yeah, one of the big advantages I had in getting my indigo from Rob was that I lived only a half an hour away so I was able to keep in contact very easily before the purchase (him letting me know what I would have to go through to get the baby to eat) and afterwards (keep him updated and get questions answered on a regular basis). So I think I had a better idea what I was in for.

I've tried not to handle the hatchling too much (but you're right...it is a temptation). I've had her for almost a month and I've handled her four or five times in that time (never for over five minutes a piece). She has gotten bolder and more curious since she started feeding. She still has this crazy notion that I'm going to eat here...but she has taken a greter interest in what I'm doing (don't know if she connects me with food yet), peeking her head out of her hide, even when I'm doing something close to the cage.

Given my situation, I'm glad that I was able to go through this process with her. It's given me a tiny, bitesized taste of the work I would need to do to raise a bunch of youngsters when and if I ever decide to breed them down the line.

Out of curiostity, is there a special "breeders" permit (in IL) or would you just take on hatchlings to the owners permit you already have?

Josh,

Each time you acquire an additional indigo you must get an additional permit.

But, in the case of hatchlings, I don't think you need a permit unless you plan to keep them. However, you have to account for them at years end on your annual report form to the state.

For instance, if you have 1.1 adults & they bless you with 6 hatchlings that you in turn sell; you would fill out your permit indicating that you had 1.1 indigos at the start of the year, you produced 6, giving you 8. Then you sold 6 leaving you with a total of 2 indigos in your collection at years end.

Rob, if there's more to it than that please enlighten us.

Eric

Eric, you're on the right track. It'd probably be best if you had a permit in IL for a pair of indigos and then was blessed with six babies that you let Springfield know ASAP so that your current permit can be amended to add the six. If it then was your desire to sell any or all of those babies, you would need a SEPARATE permit that allows you to sell or offer for sale those babies (and additionally you'd need the USDI permit for selling to folks outside of IL). Most people with IDNR permits in IL are only for acquisition and possession. That separate additional permit for sale or offer for sale is required if you're going to do more than possess or acquire. Hopefully I haven't confused you or anyone else reading this.

Sorry, Rob if I didn't give you ample chance to address this.

Scott Ballard

Thanks for the clarification Scott. It probably would be a good idea to let Joe know!

I didn't realize you followed the forum. Do you keep indigos?
I'll be picking up a male from Rob in a couple of weeks to complete my trio so, hopefully i'll have to have my permit amended to reflect those 6 hatchlings in a few years!

What's the herp activity been like down your way this year with the cooler temps? I'm planning a trip down there in mid October. Normally we see lot's of herps that time of year but, i'm a little concerned it may be too cold this year.

Eric

Eric, way to go on rounding out your trio. I have kept indigos in the past, and have always thought they're one of the neatest snakes.

Temps down here have been goofy at best. Not a typical summer. Its been quite a paucity of herps anytime I've been out. I'm like you, I think we'll probably have an early frost this year. Did you see my post on the Snake Road regs (Aug. 26)? Just in case you get down there this fall. HOpe everything is going well and doing good in your collection.

Scott