What are y'alls thoughts on "runts" of a litter? Will they grow to be smaller adults? Is it a sign that they are some how unhealthy?
Welcome to kingsnake.com's message board system. Here you may share and discuss information with others about your favorite reptile and amphibian related topics such as care and feeding, caging requirements, permits and licenses, and more. Launched in 1997, the kingsnake.com message board system is one of the oldest and largest systems on the internet.
What are y'alls thoughts on "runts" of a litter? Will they grow to be smaller adults? Is it a sign that they are some how unhealthy?
>>What are y'alls thoughts on "runts" of a litter? Will they grow to be smaller adults? Is it a sign that they are some how unhealthy?
I've never owned a "runt" but I had a female that ended up being a dwarf. She was an 02 and had some sort of tail abnormality where there was a very drastic change in girth rather than a nice even taper. I posted pictures years ago and others mentioned seeing the same issue with other dwarf indigo's.
At around 3 years of age she was barely over 3' long and nearly as big around as my wrist.
Here are a few pics.

>>>>What are y'alls thoughts on "runts" of a litter? Will they grow to be smaller adults? Is it a sign that they are some how unhealthy?
>>
>>I've never owned a "runt" but I had a female that ended up being a dwarf. She was an 02 and had some sort of tail abnormality where there was a very drastic change in girth rather than a nice even taper. I posted pictures years ago and others mentioned seeing the same issue with other dwarf indigo's.
>>At around 3 years of age she was barely over 3' long and nearly as big around as my wrist.
>>Here are a few pics.
>>
Here's a close up of the tail

>>>>>>What are y'alls thoughts on "runts" of a litter? Will they grow to be smaller adults? Is it a sign that they are some how unhealthy?
>>>>
>>>>I've never owned a "runt" but I had a female that ended up being a dwarf. She was an 02 and had some sort of tail abnormality where there was a very drastic change in girth rather than a nice even taper. I posted pictures years ago and others mentioned seeing the same issue with other dwarf indigo's.
>>>>At around 3 years of age she was barely over 3' long and nearly as big around as my wrist.
>>>>Here are a few pics.
>>>>
>>
>>Here's a close up of the tail
For the 1st year she seemed to grow fine and then she just stopped gaining length and began putting on girth.
Here she is as a yearling with her sister from the next years hatch. BTW, the smaller one is the mother of the babies I just had hatch out.
>>

I had a pair of easterns purchased from the "San Juan Snakeman" back in the 1990's and both grew to be runts. As adults, they were thick as a typical adult indigo, but only maybe 3' in length. Friend of mine many years ago had a runt Texas indigo. I believe runts crop up in indigos at a higher rate than other colubrids. I wonder if it has to do with a more limited available gene pool of captive breeders, than say cornsnakes or kingsnakes. I do not think the cause was environmental; mine ate anything and everything, they just never put on length, only girth!
Help, tips & resources quick links
Manage your user and advertising accounts
Advertising and services purchase quick links