Need advice on emeralds

[Edwin]

Hi,

I have some questions regarding emeralds;

1) Are there size/weight differences between the male and female?
2) Is there a guide to sexing baby emeralds?
3) I prefer emeralds with solid colours and very little splotching, are the splotches on it as a baby permanent?
4) What about the whites on babies, would a brighter white now stay with it when it is fully grown?
5) Are there any specifics I should look for when picking a baby emmie?


I am totally new to emeralds, and may be obtaining one next month. Hope you dont mind the newbie questions... I am very excited!!!!


Thanks,
Edwin

[ls1grrrl]

I would highly recommend visiting corallus.com (http://corallus.com) and reading everything you can find there, as well as spending time on their message board (from the menu, select Interactive --> Message Board). The guys there are some of the most highly informed keepers of corallus that I've come across!

[suticat]

1) Yes, females are almost twice as big as males.
2) Not really a guide, but common accepted practices. Males will porbe much deeper than females. Females will probe roughly @ 3 to 4 scales. Get help to hold them its much easier.
3) splotching? need more on this one. But baby patterns will go away as adult patterns start to morph in at @ a year of so of age.
4) With the white, its pretty much what you see is what you get. Except with Basins.
5) CBB, CB, vrs gravid wc female dropping in captivity,
good solid gaurantee that it is healthy feeding and well established,
fat bodies, good body weight
high white vrs dark phase vrs NL types
reputable dealer/breeder,
ALWAYS check them out on the BOI first,
shipping methods,
price,
ask if they have any pukers in their colony now. if yes avoid buying one out of fear of it spreading to your colony via the new addition.

These are only a few quick replies. But the corallus.com forum will have much much more indebth information on all aspects of corallus husbandry and purchasing.

[Edwin]

ls1grrrl, suticat,

thanks for the information. I have been browsing the corallus.com forum and have taken lots of notes, there is a wealth of information there.

suticat, 1 more question for you. How soon can an emmie be probed? Also, I read somewhere that probing may cause a kink in the tail, and the saline method should be used.. any thoughts on that?

Thanks!!!!

[suticat]

Since they cant be bred until @ the age of 5 or so, why rush it. But with an experienced herper an ETB can be probed very young with no ill effects like kinks or running the probe to deep and damageing them. You dont want to jam it in and tear hole in something. I know a breeder in Florida that sexes them very succesfully after the first month of life. But again, he is very experienced and has help holding the lil rascals. It's more of a feeling skill, you need to know when to stop and very delicate fingers can make that feel quite easily.


This is a pic of the hemipenis of a male. Note how thin and long it is. That is what you are running the probe down to check for scale debth. Sometimes males are often sexed as females because the probe wont pass down the hemipenis canal. Somtimes the probes are just to large to fit and other times the canals are just missed and not porperly probed. Thats why an experienced herper should always do it or help you do it.


http://photo.redtailboa.org/albums/albuo25/Dscn1791.sized.jpg

[suticat]

This is the other one that fell off the shed. It came from a 3 year old cbb animal, so you can get an idea of size in relationship to sex organs and probe size for a neonate.

http://photo.redtailboa.org/albums/albuo25/Dscn1793.jpg

[Edwin]

Suticat,

Gosh, I never knew emmies had such small weenies...

Thanks for the great info. Looking at your pics, I dont think I have enough experience probing to do it myself. Guess its time to call in the pros.

Thanks!!!!