A few short weeks after GBU produced the world's first axanthic blacktails cribos, we hatched two male axanthics out of one of our clutches of clean line blacktails. This breeding was using one of our clean line male breeders to a holdback female on breeding loan from Jim Paschall. We have not yet been able to trace the history GBU's blacktails back to our clean line, but it would be a huge coincidence to have multiple axanthic blacktails hatch out from two different lines in such a short amount of time. We won't know for certain until the GBU axanthics are bred to the Black Pearl axanthics.
Blacktail Cribos, Drymarchon melanurus melanurus, are the Central American cousins to the Indigos. Of all the drymarchon I keep, I think these guys are my favorites. The contrast between the yellowish/tan bodies and the coal black tails is striking. They are alert, active, and will eat anything you put in front of them! When they reach lengths of 7-8 feet, they are truly formidable snakes.
This snake needs little introduction. Widely regarded as one of the most intelligent snakes in the world, the Eastern Indigo has been the object of fascination for snake keepers for decades. They are generally docile, and make for hardy and rewarding captives if cared for properly.
Mexican Redtail Indigos, or Drymarchon melanurus rubidus, inhabit much of the west coast of Mexico. They are very similar to Eastern Indigos in appearance, although there is variation throughout their vast range. Rubidus are generally black with a white chin and throat and can reach lengths of over eight feet! They are generally very docile and very handleable.
Texas Indigos are similar in appearance to Eastern Indigos and have similar temperaments and captive care requirements. Once outside of the state of Texas, Texas Indigos are not protected and can be shipped across state lines without a permit.For the last few years, we have been selectively building a genetically-diverse, high-quality breeding group.
Blacktail and Unicolor Cribos can be extremely similar in appearance, personality and in care requirements. Most people view a “classic” blacktail as a tannish animal with a jet-black tail. Likewise, most people view a “classic” unicolor as a solid tan animal without the black tail. However, within their respective ranges, blacktails and unicolors can vary tremendously in appearance.
Yellowtail Cribos are the longest of the Drymarchon genus and have been recorded at lengths of over ten feet. They have a more slender build, and on average, tend to be the most aggressive of all drymarchon. They have an extremely large range throughout most of South America and their appearance can be highly variable.
