New 75% diamond/25% jungle male from Luke Snell :)

[Will0W783]

Here is my latest new addition- a 2010 75% diamond/jungle carpet male from Luke Snell (Morelia in Wonderland). I've been searching for a perfect male for my 75% diamond/jungle female and this dude just completely fit the bill. I picked him up yesterday and could not be happier. He far surpassed his pics. He's got such vibrant tipping and has only had 3 sheds, but his color is really coming in. I'm hoping for great things from this boy and you'll all probably get sick of seeing pics of him as he goes through his color changes...lol!
I'm working on a good name for him now, suggestions always welcome ;).
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh115/Will0W783/91861097_photobucket_35159_.jpghttp://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh115/Will0W783/91861097_photobucket_35151_.jpg
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh115/Will0W783/91861097_photobucket_35153_.jpg
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh115/Will0W783/91861097_photobucket_35155_.jpg

[marvelfreak]

Sweet DJ love he diamond marking. It's always fun watching them color up. I don't think anyone will complain about to many pics of that handsome guy.

[Freebody]

i cant imagine ever getting sick of seeing pics of this little guy, that would be one sad day. keep the pics coming please :) He looks Great!! Grats!!

[Will0W783]

I am soo excited about his color change. I've never had a snake young enough to go through the change with me, so this will be an exciting year!

[percey39]

Nice snake, your in for good times watching him change his colours!!

[Will0W783]

I can't wait. I was holding him tonight and just staring at his tipping...it's so incredible. Like each scale is yellow and perfectly rimmed in black...ooooh so happy. I'm so silly, like a kid on Christmas morning.

[gonesnakee]

Diamonds ALWAYS make the nicest crosses out of them all ;) Mark

[Will0W783]

I love diamond crosses...you have some pure diamonds though don't you Mark? I love pure diamonds but can't afford them and am worried because they are so much harder to care for. I have a 75% DJ female too, but she isn't nearly as clean as this new guy
I'm hoping the pairing will produce decent babies though.

[gonesnakee]

I love diamond crosses...you have some pure diamonds though don't you Mark? I love pure diamonds but can't afford them and am worried because they are so much harder to care for. I have a 75% DJ female too, but she isn't nearly as clean as this new guy
I'm hoping the pairing will produce decent babies though.
Nothing but PURE, other than my Diamond Jaguar which is a 50/50.
Actually Diamonds are the easiest of the "Carpets" to care for, not sure who thinks otherwsie? Someone that hasn't kept them maybe? LOL
They are not bitey as babies like most all other Carpets, they have super strong food responses & switch off mice onto rats really easy if they were not started on rats to begin with as they should if possible.
They can tolerate cooler temps over all other Carpets as well so minor husbandry errors do not affect them much.
Of course they are also the nicest as well & make for the nicest Jaguars too. Mark

[Will0W783]

I've heard that they are very susceptible to sudden death, people call it "diamond syndrome"? At any rate, I figured this fellow was a good introduction and the best of both worlds. Luke has got some incredible DJ's...he has Python Pete line blood in his collection, which is what I was after because that line tends to hold the most diamond traits through into the hybrids, from what I've seen. Some day I will be able to afford the pure Diamonds though.

[gonesnakee]

I've heard that they are very susceptible to sudden death, people call it "diamond syndrome"? At any rate, I figured this fellow was a good introduction and the best of both worlds. Luke has got some incredible DJ's...he has Python Pete line blood in his collection, which is what I was after because that line tends to hold the most diamond traits through into the hybrids, from what I've seen. Some day I will be able to afford the pure Diamonds though.

Thats due to these retards that think just because they are exposed to extreme temps in the wild that they have to be cooled that way to successfully breed in captivity :rolleyes:
I do not even cool mine LOL & they breed every year attempted.
Heat pads at the same temps as summer 24/7 & lights on the same 12 hour cycles. I will kill lights or heat pads in the summer so they are not too hot as thye do prefer it slightly cooler than most Carpets.
The room is a corner one so it is naturally cooler in the winter & it does have a window so the natural light is less but thats it, nne of this 40-60F crap etc. folks talk about. Mine never get cooler than room temp EVER & always have a heat pad on the other end of the tank as well.
They DO NOT need to be cooled at the same temps Colubrids do at all in order to breed its a myth & has been directly responsible IMHO for many Diamond deaths.
Only Diamond I ever had die was an eggbound female & one burst inside of her poisoning her. Not one of the offspring has ever died either (touches wood LOL).
I also think lots of folks overfeed & powerfeed them too as if you allow it most Diamonds would eat daily or until they were full enough to puke, they are very big eaters & easily overfed as well if one allows it to happen, Mark
P.S. also this "syndrome" IMHO was also an excuse for many to cross them to Jungles using it as an excuse to make the bloodlines stronger :rolleyes: they already ARE the hardiest of all the "Carpets" if anything they make the other subspecies bloodlines stronger, not the other way around LMAO Cheers

edit - on the breeding I think elevation has a lot to do with it. guys I know on the Coasts & out east by the great Lakes have crap luck, I am in the foothills less than an hiour from the mountains & I think that is a large part of my success due to where they come from in the wild Vs being keep at close to sea level etc. & this overKILL cooling crap

[Will0W783]

Thank you soo much Mark! I prefer talking to people who have success with particular species than just believing the vast slew of often contradictory info out there. But I can't afford a pure diamond right now anyway- they are near a grand here in the US, if you can find them.
I don't plan on breeding him for a few years yet; he's just a wee fellow. He will be kept on the same feeding schedule his breeder had him on- f/t rat pink once a week. Tonight he is due again but he's only been with me 2 days so I don't know if he will take it or not. I'll give him a shot though.

P.S. I'm thinking of calling him Mr. Bling, because of the diamond influence...lol. Or Karat. What do you guys think?

[marvelfreak]

I remember read some where a Diamond breeder was talking about the first year he didn't do the cooling down of his diamond was the best season he had. Both of his female layed more eggs and for the first time he had no still born.


I like Mr. Bling it's got a ring to it. The names Bling. Mr. Bling. LOL
It been 7 months and i still haven't decided on a name for my Diamond x Jungle. I am leaning towards DJ Jazzy Jeff. lol

[gonesnakee]

The more ultimate the conditions are the more likely to breed yep.
Sure they are exposed to lots of cold weater in the wild but why expose them to extremes for no reason?
Same reason we feed FT instead of live as it is NOT required so why take the risks? Mark

[percey39]

Diamonds are the easiest carpet to keep in my mind as well Mark. As they need a slightly cooler ambient temp and thrive if given a hot spot of 32 degrees celcius and a cool end around 20 degrees celcius. They are strong feeders as you say, grow quick and are very docile. I agree that diamond syndrome is an excuse for bad keeping in most cases. People are coming up with ideas that diamonds need UV light, To be cooled to ridiculously low temp to breed and brumate. Some of the temps people give these guys is just stupid!!

[shaunyboy]

I've heard that they are very susceptible to sudden death, people call it "diamond syndrome"? At any rate, I figured this fellow was a good introduction and the best of both worlds. Luke has got some incredible DJ's...he has Python Pete line blood in his collection, which is what I was after because that line tends to hold the most diamond traits through into the hybrids, from what I've seen. Some day I will be able to afford the pure Diamonds though.

i keep all my diamond crosses the same as carpets

re diamond python syndrome

imo that was when folk were keeping pure diamonds as carpets.hot all the time.they pretty much cooked them.

as mark has said diamonds are one of the easiest carpets to keep.economical to as i only have a basking spot on 4 hours per day for mine.i have a heat mat set incase the temps drop too much but that never happens.

i just gave mine her last feed for to clear her gut ready for her cooling cycle.

i prefer to take her down to 50f to 55f for 4 months of the year.i feed her 6 or 7 months of the year.

your new guy is a beauty willow would love one of his brothers in my collection.

morelia is slowly but surely taking over your house pal :yes:

cheers shaun

[Will0W783]

With the jungle blood in him, do I keep him the same as my jungles? I.e. hot end 85, cool end 78-ish? Or do I want him cooler due to the high percentage of diamond in him. He's doing well and exploring his new environment very actively. I offered food last night but he didn't take it. I think it's too soon in the new place, but it was on his schedule.

[shaunyboy]

With the jungle blood in him, do I keep him the same as my jungles? I.e. hot end 85, cool end 78-ish? Or do I want him cooler due to the high percentage of diamond in him. He's doing well and exploring his new environment very actively. I offered food last night but he didn't take it. I think it's too soon in the new place, but it was on his schedule.

i have a high diamond influenced black and white diamond jungle.she has done great being kept at jungle temps.

the diamond temp range is truely fascinating.the first time i cooled mine down i just could'nt believe how active and healthy she was at 55f.

i'd give him a week or 2 and try another feed.dont know about you but i just cannot settle until they've ate.

my new irians ate after leaving them 5 days before trying.i was a tad nervous as all the irians ive ever worked with were nervous and fussy feeders.this time round though things seem ok.will get pic's up after they eat 4 times for me.

cheers shaun

[Will0W783]

Yeah, I don't feel calm until they've eaten for me. I've been lucky in that most of the snakes I've gotten have chowed down within a week for me. I will try him again on Monday or Tuesday and see how he does. He is hiding under his paper towel substrate even though I gave him a nice log hide. He's quite shy, but he's such a wee little guy I can't blame him. Sooo handsome though. I'm in love already!

[peaches]

I don't know if you have a name for your very handsome snake yet, but I think he looks like a Nathanial to me. 8) he's is very pretty.

[ineedsoap16]

Beautiful carpet.