Description:
Scientific name: Drymarchon couperi
Life span: Up to 25 years in captivity
A huge non-venomous snake species in the Colubridae family is called the eastern indigo snake (Drymarchon couperi). The dorsal and lateral scales of these snakes are consistently blue-black, while the cheeks, chin, and throat of some individuals can vary from reddish-orange to tan in colour. Its glossy, iridescent ventral scales, which in bright light appear blackish-purple, are what gave them their common name. Indigo snakes have somewhat larger mature males than females, which is unusual for snakes.
Native Region/Habitat
From extreme southwestern South Carolina south through Florida and then west to southern Alabama and southeastern Mississippi, eastern indigo snakes can be found. They live in areas with sandy, well-drained Flatwoods, hammocks, dry glades, stream banks, cane fields, and riparian thickets.
Behavior:
Eastern indigo snakes are nocturnal and solitary animals. They keep the corridors connecting these various ecosystems because these snakes’ seasonal changes in cover requirements. Snakes must be able to move from Sandhill communities and upland pine-hardwood communities to creek bottoms and agricultural areas from spring through October. They hibernate in gopher tortoise tunnels throughout the winter, which are typically located in open pinewoods with thick understories of herbaceous plants. Although snakes will settle for armadillo holes, hollow logs, and debris piles if they cannot find gopher tortoise burrows, eastern indigo snakes may even coexist with them in their burrows. Eastern indigo snakes make extensive use of the waste materials left over from site preparation work on tree plantations. These mounds are frequently removed for aesthetic reasons, but they ought to be undisturbed since they offer both the snake and its victim an essential place to hide.
Care As a pet/In captivity:
Enclosure: Eastern indigo snake hatchlings will survive in a plastic container with good ventilation. The size of your snake’s enclosure should increase as it develops. A 2 x 1 x 1 foot enclosure is required for an eastern indigo snake that is six months old. A 6 x 3 x 2 foot enclosure is required for adult eastern indigo snakes.
Make sure your eastern indigo snake’s enclosure has enough height for it to ascend.
Food and Water: Feeder snakes, birds, bunnies, chicks, and rodents are all acceptable food for eastern indigo snakes. You might get ideas for meals at your neighbourhood reptile store. Snakes from the east will consume practically everything. For eastern indigo snakes, the safest food is pre-killed or frozen-thawed food. Your snake is likely to suffer injury if it tries to catch live prey inside of its enclosed habitat.
Eastern indigo snakes have quick metabolisms and are busy animals. Every 7 to 10 days, you should feed your snake. You should make sure that each meal is smaller than your snake’s girth because these snakes’ jaws can’t open as widely as those of other snakes.
Provide your snake continuous access to a clean water supply. Put a dish of water within your enclosure, and change the water every day. Eastern indigo snakes have the ability to detect unclean water and won’t ingest it. Keep the water in your enclosure as fresh as you can to ensure your snake is well hydrated.
Temperature and Humidity: The temperature in the enclosure of your eastern indigo snake should range from 70 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Even though eastern indigo snakes don’t need hot weather, you should nevertheless provide a basking place that is about 85 degrees. Your snake can control its body temperature by moving between areas of the enclosure with varying temperatures. After basking, your snake needs to cool off in a cool area away from the sun.
With big tanks, providing temperature fluctuations is simple. Use a thermometer to gauge the temperatures in the tank and the basking area to ensure that they are appropriate. For eastern indigo snakes, humidity is not a significant influence. It won’t be necessary to use a sprayer, fogger, or humidifier because a damp hide box will supply enough humidity.
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