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I recently picked up 1.1 Telescopus dhara. When I first got them out of the bag, the pair were both the same color, the female has a more slender head (and also had a pushed in nose) and the male a wider head.

Lately, the female is still in her black coloration, even after a shed. The male is gray! He has not shed, and does not appear to be going into shed.

So my question is... are there color differences in T. dhara? Or are they like some other snakes, and can turn darker or lighter on their own? I know my hypo x hog island boa can become "dirty" looking and the speckling disappears the next day.

These Telescopus are pretty interesting little snakes, they remind me of miniature versions of my black mangroves. The male eats thawed mice with gusto, but the female refuses them, so I'm going to try anole scenting.

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http://www.lowergroundreptiles.net/

I also recently got a pair of black dharas. Like yours, my female is much darker than the male who is more of a charcoal (he seems to have lightened up a bit since I got him). When I bought them, the importer also had a positively silver male as well, but I chose the one that was darker at the time. I haven't really noticed any color changes like I see in my CA boas though.

Both mine have eaten live fuzzies and my female just recently took a f/t fuzzy. I had Egyptian T. dhara (obtusus I think) many years ago and they proved to be problem free. Also, just a few days after I got my pair, I caught them locked up really good but I still cannot tell if the female is gravid or not. Waiting to see of she goes into a pre-lay shed in the next week or two. Here's some pics of my T. dhara.

More pics here http://picasaweb.google.com/billypeakseven/BlackTDhara

Billy

Wow, silver? Who did you get your pair from?

My female finally took a fuzzy last night on her own. She's not in the best condition-arrived covered in mites and her skin looks like she was dehydrated-so I have not tried to breed mine yet. Good luck, I hope you get some eggs!

>>I also recently got a pair of black dharas. Like yours, my female is much darker than the male who is more of a charcoal (he seems to have lightened up a bit since I got him). When I bought them, the importer also had a positively silver male as well, but I chose the one that was darker at the time. I haven't really noticed any color changes like I see in my CA boas though.
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>>Both mine have eaten live fuzzies and my female just recently took a f/t fuzzy. I had Egyptian T. dhara (obtusus I think) many years ago and they proved to be problem free. Also, just a few days after I got my pair, I caught them locked up really good but I still cannot tell if the female is gravid or not. Waiting to see of she goes into a pre-lay shed in the next week or two. Here's some pics of my T. dhara.
>>
>>More pics here http://picasaweb.google.com/billypeakseven/BlackTDhara
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>>Billy
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http://www.lowergroundreptiles.net/

I got them from Nick Mole at First Choice Reptiles here in Florida. Sorry to hear about the poor condition of your female, but I'm finding that Telescopus in general are really tough, hardy snakes in general. I also have a pair of T. semiannulatus and the female also was severely dehydrated when I first got them - to the point that I thought I was going to lose her, but she bounced back totally and is now a gorgeous, calm eating machine. Again, I really like Telescopus!

Billy

>>Wow, silver? Who did you get your pair from?
>>
>>My female finally took a fuzzy last night on her own. She's not in the best condition-arrived covered in mites and her skin looks like she was dehydrated-so I have not tried to breed mine yet. Good luck, I hope you get some eggs!
>>

That is an amazing semiannulatus, would love to pick up a pair of those someday. If you have luck breeding those, keep me in mind.

Ian Latella
pituophian@gmail.com