Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Back in late 2008, I received a male eastern indigo as a donation to use as an educational animal from Matthew Rand. Thus began my journey raising what has easily became my favorite snake of all time. It's hard to express how much I enjoy interacting with this snake, not to mention how many people he has helped get over their ophidiophobia. He is a permanent resident in my classroom during the school year and invariably, when terrified students walk into my room in August, by October they are interacting with him like they're best friends. I was extremely fortunate a month or so ago to be able to pick up a little 2010 female to start raising as a hopeful future mate, and she is already displaying some of the personality traits I enjoy so much about him.

Anyway, enough talk. Here are the pictures.

This is him back in February of 2009

And today, enjoying a little bit of sunshine

I would say I wish I lived where these things can be seen wild, but then I wouldn't have the pleasure of keeping them!
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Chance Duncan
Science Teacher, Herp Enthusiast, and Reptilian Conservation Proponent

He is awesome Chance!!! I cant wait for mine to get some size to him as well! He is growing like a weed since I got him 3 months ago. The deli cup he came shipped to me in is waaay too small for him to even come close to fitting in it now!
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~Markus

The very existence of flamethrowers means that sometime, somewhere, someone said to themselves..."You know, I really want to set those people over there on fire...but I'm just not close enough to get the job done."

Thanks for the kind words Markus. I'm glad you're enjoying your indigo experience as much as I am. They really are the most rewarding snakes to work with.
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Chance Duncan
Science Teacher, Herp Enthusiast, and Reptilian Conservation Proponent

I definitely am!!! He is growing quickly and becoming much more confident each and every day it seems like! I snapped a couple shots of him with my bberry today

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~Markus

The very existence of flamethrowers means that sometime, somewhere, someone said to themselves..."You know, I really want to set those people over there on fire...but I'm just not close enough to get the job done."

He's gorgeous Markus. You're doing a great job with him, keep up the good work!
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Chance Duncan
Science Teacher, Herp Enthusiast, and Reptilian Conservation Proponent

Thank you sir! I made him skip his bi weekly meal yesterday and he is none too happy about it today haha! He is destroying his house looking for food right now. I had him out for feeding this past Friday and my wife said to me "Which one is that?". I told her it was our baby indigo and she said " Oh my goodness he is getting huge and is a total fat a*s. He needs to go on a diet!" I laughed and looked at him and kind of agreed with her. His body is nice and bulky but tapers off real fast at his vent and makes his tail look like a little tiny noodle hangin off the back of him
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~Markus

The very existence of flamethrowers means that sometime, somewhere, someone said to themselves..."You know, I really want to set those people over there on fire...but I'm just not close enough to get the job done."

They are awesome snakes! I have four 2009s....a pair from Steve Fuller and another pair from Vic Herrick/Robert Harper. I am a biology teacher, and I have all four in my classroom during the year. Two are slightly over four feet and two are slightly over five feet in length. They have just been upgraded to vision cages. The kids enjoy them very much.

I love taking them outside. I will even feed them outside as well. They seem to appreciate the change of scenery. The natural sunlight truly enhances their blue color.

Good luck with them and enjoy the summer.

Chris

Chris, first off, that's a gorgeous indigo! I can't decide which phase I like more, though I think that's an oxymoron. You really can't like one indigo more than another, or I can't anyway. Your indigos are growing very quickly! My little guy has taken a while to get to his current size, but I'm kind of grateful as it has given me ample time to prepare larger housing and my students time to adjust to a large, active snake.

It's awesome to hear about other science teachers who keep indigos. Other than the potty-every-day issue, I think these are perfect classroom snakes. Active during the day, not shy, and he's the only snake I keep that I never worry even a second about reaching down and picking up.

Interesting that you mention natural sunlight. I asked about this on an earlier thread and am interested in looking more into it. I recently relocated him to the alcove area of my classroom where he gets some morning sunlight and some later afternoon sunlight. I've made sure he's able to get out of the light if he gets too warm, but he honestly seems to enjoy his 'basking' time. I'm almost positive that since I made this move, the red colors around his face have became more pronounced. I can't confirm this one hundred percent and it could be a figment of my imagination, but he just seems more rich in color than he did when he was in an enclosure in the back of my room. I'll post some pictures of my classroom under Dave's post.
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Chance Duncan
Science Teacher, Herp Enthusiast, and Reptilian Conservation Proponent

let's see some more classroom pics!
i really enjoyed seeing the ruthveni pics from a few years ago.
keep up the good work.

daveb
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odelay odelay odelay hee hoooo...
heeeeya huhhhh!
~Back in the saddle (Aerosmith)

You got it Dave. I really miss that ruthveni and would like to get another (or 1.1!) sometime. He's at a nature center over in Northeast Arkansas, so at least he's still providing an educational value.

Here's what my classroom looked like toward the end of this past school year. Keep in mind, the room set up is an ever-evolving arrangement and it looks a little cluttered in these photos, but hey, it was May and I was ready for summer break!

This is my door:

This is what you would see if you just walked in through that door:

And this is my alcove area - complete with leaks, loads of brown recluses under anything on the ground!, stuffed badger I sometimes use to relieve stress by terrifying students, super tall cherry tomato plant, and the current home of the indigo snake. He gets sunlight streaming in during the morning from the right side, then during the evening from the left side. It's not the best possible enclosure for him but it's roomy! And he seems to enjoy the space.

Oh and lest you think I have some kind of weird Satan fetish, my school's mascot is the Red Devils, hence the painted red devil behind that glass case.

So that's my little world during the school year. It's about a reptile oriented as it can be, though I have plans to further ramp that up this coming year. I want my students to learn biology by observing life, not just memorizing various cellular processes. I also love the opportunity to help dispel various snake myths and help people get over their ophidiophobia.
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Chance Duncan
Science Teacher, Herp Enthusiast, and Reptilian Conservation Proponent

ahhh.....was a teacher for 36 years......i was the resident "SNAKE DUDE".....and kept a variety of reptiles fish etc......that other staff would borrow....i was the only kat that kept live specimens .....biology teacher by cert....but presented behaviorial science.....the kidz called it "BS".....which stood for "BOB'S SCIENCE"......my students would make me stand in the hall....cuz i was disruptive....shouda never retired......called my classes families......

I would love to be on your waiting list for babies! I am a Wildlife Educator in Northwest Florida and teach a lot of Florida Wildlife programs. It would be an honor to be able to share an indigo with my friends!
Nonie Maines
850-862-9588
nonie@noniesark.com
www.noniesark.com

Nonie, I'd be happy to donate some babies to your educational efforts, but unfortunately it'll be a good 4 or more years before I'm to that point. My female is only a 2010, and I'm going to give her ample time to grow and mature in hopes of avoiding any egg binding issues. Even then, apparently it sometimes doesn't matter and they bind anyway.

Keep up the good work!
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Chance Duncan
Science Teacher, Herp Enthusiast, and Reptilian Conservation Proponent

i may have some....but you should start your fla permit prucess now....aint sure how difficult it is to get state permits....i donated one to FFW at the bay county museum last year....the agents name is harold mitchell.....contact him ....he maybe able to advise you on how to get the process done correct the first time.....donations dont require the FED commercial trans permit....BUTT that fla permit gotta be done ASAP....call me 2159066420

@Chance: Your indigo is lovely, and your classroom is awesome! I wish you the best of luck in your future indigo breeding project!

I'm currently working on getting my teaching certification, and dream of one day teaching in a classroom with an Indigo as an educational animal. Just another year of classes, and a year of in-class internship (Michigan State requires a full year), and I'll be ready to find myself a job. I just hope I find a school that would approve of a classroom pet, it would be so wonderful to have a beloved companion accompany me to work. *dreamy sigh*

I can't help but think of the sheer number of possibilities when it comes to integrating indigos into lectures. It would be so fun to bring up their cohabitation with gopher tortoises when describing mutualism, or integrating their predator/prey balance in a talk on the food web...

@bobassetto: I don't suppose you'd be willing to donate an indigo to a poor college student, so that I may have a few years to tame it before becoming a teacher. Just wishful thinking on my part...