Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi all,

I have put a deposit on my first Indigo snake, and started the permit process. I'm getting red-throat female that will be a couple months shy of 1 year (born July 2012) when I receive her. I currently keep dwarf boas, GTPs, and colubrids.

I'm starting to look ahead at caging, although I understand I won't put her in a full size cage immediately. I have some questions.

1) Is a 6x2 cage large enough to accommodate an Indigo for its life? If not, is 6x3 or 8x2 better?
2) For heat, I was looking at using an UTH and an incandescent light (which will also enhance viewing). Is this a good option? I use RHPs for my boas and GTPs, but I know Indigos don't really need such elevated ambient temps.
3) I'm getting a female because, well, they seem to be more desirable and a better "investment". I also have the opportunity to add a 2011 male, but he is more expensive. For those that have kept these animals, do you recommend starting with one before diving in and getting two?

Thanks!

Six by two should be fine for adult female. However, I keep babies to yearlings in a sweater box size tub in a rack. The young ones are sort of skittish until they gain some size and confidence. Once they start growing it is off to the races and you can get them out of the tub and into a larger cage. They definitely do not like high temperatures, despite being from the southeast. I keep mine at ambient mid 70 degrees with access to 80 at the warm end. High temps will impact them much more severely than cool temps. When opaque, I supply them with a box filled with damp sphagnum moss. Give them lots of food and fresh water. I feed my babies a lot. My opinion is that you should mix up the diet; do not just give them rodents exclusively. Mine eat quail, chicks and pieces of DOR snakes, along with some rodents. I see no reason not get a pair and raise them up if I were you. One permit from FWS will cover more then one animal. Males larger and more bold than females.

One Dry is never enough, once you are hooked thats it, they are wonderful snakes. Good luck with your new aquisition & the bigger the cage the better.

Andy.

Thanks to all for the replies. I'm seriously considering a (unrelated) 2011 male to the purchase. It would be $2K for both. The female is CBB by Black Pearl Reptiles; the male by Seth Smith (both in CA).
I think this is a reasonable deal, based on my limited knowledge of this species.

Caging-wise, I am looking at 6x2 cages for them as permanent cages. I would love to go bigger, but cost and space may prevent it.

Thanks for taking the time to respond.

just be careful. just because they come from different sources does not mean they're unrelated. unfortunately, back in the early 2000's some of the larger breeders were notoriously inbreeding their indigos for higher red throats to get more $$$ for them. since there's been no legal influx of wild indigos genes for 15 years, be very careful. the two sources you're obtaining your indigos from are pretty honest so try to get as much info as u can.