Blue Beauty extravaganza!!

[Katt]

I have no idea if I even spelt that right, but here they are! Some baby blues!! The adults are just so hard to photograph. I will have to devote a sunny day to take them out. My male is over seven feet and they're just both pains to work with. Move all over the place.

Anyhow, here is one of the males I produced this year. He has a big ole kink in his side. Makes his ribs go in. All three males I hatched were born with kinks. He's not too bad an eater and very pretty!!

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v147/Kattia/Rats/myblue.jpg">

Here two of the female blues I got from Mark IsBell. A not so beauty shot.

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v147/Kattia/Rats/twobeauties.jpg">

And two way better pics showing their sweet eyes.

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v147/Kattia/Rats/blueface.jpg">

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v147/Kattia/Rats/bluecute.jpg">

I'm not sure why, but blues aren't as popular as the corn, and there's no reason why. Only one of my blues is a mean (but she's a baby!) and the rest are nice and calm. They require more handling than a corn to remain docile, but they're so beautiful, with such intricate patterns. My two big ones live in a 6x2x2 in our living room and during the day they move constantly about. They go to sleep at night and wake up in the morning to cruise some more.

The interesting thing about my blues is that they do not like big prey, you can not put a big ole rat in them. Their body girth or lower. They are more wiry than taiwans. I also love when they latterally compress. Very fun to watch. The black interstial skin looks nice with the blue scales.

Anyhow, enough rambling!

[oscar]

although new to the snake scene, i have seen these, but not very frequently. i know their pricing isnt prohibitive, but i think people's lack of knowledge about the species keeps them rare. i often wonder the same about chinese cave geckos. i have had mine for a while and he's easy to care for and his pattern is pretty neat IMO.

[vanderkm]

They are all lovely Katt - especially the eyes! Impressive snakes but seems large colubrids just aren't as popular as large boids. I wonder if it has something to do with just how active they are and the amount of space they use. People can keep and breed corns in much less area than it takes to house these guys. They likely have a bit of a reputation for being snippy too. I love the blue color - that adult female you have posted before is incredible, but suprisingly, what doesn't appeal to me is their pattern - the way it changes from front to back. I like uniformity and the shift from plain, to saddles to stripes is what doesn't appeal to me. If they looked like their front third all the way to their tails - I would love them.

Is always great to see pics and get updated on how these guys mature and progress. I like that you provide information on the behaviour and attitude of your snakes when you post pics!

mary v.

[nburgmei]

Well I'm personally new to the snake keeping scene and this very well might be my second snake. I have fallen in love with the large colubrids, particularly the Asian rat snakes.

[Invictus]

I'm sorry Katt, but your VBBs being calm seems to be the exception, not the rule. I love large colubrids, but you can talk to *almost* anyone who owns VBBs, and they will tell you that they are absolute terrors. My personal experience with them definitely confirms this, but that was 2 littermates. I'd love to find some nice calm ones, and see if they can be bred for temperament.

Nonetheless, they are some INCREDIBLE snakes. Their beauty is absolutely unquestionable, as is their speed and grace. I love their big eyes... so deceivingly innocent-looking.

[nburgmei]

I saw a few calm ones at the Midwest Reptile Show in Indianapolis last month. The guy was letting people hold them and they seemed fairly tame.

I talked to another guy that said his were somewhat akin to the devil though.

I think they're probably pretty iffy. That doesn't deter me though.

[gonesnakee]

Those were the specially trained "attack ones" I gave you Ken. All the rest are dogtame honest. Other than babies I have only been bitten once & I was provoking her (ask Mary she was there LOL) Mind you I don't usually mess with my adult male either, but when push comes to shove he tries to bolt over bite, choosing to run & hide most of the time. I find that they strike with their mouths closed usually. I personally have been biten more times by Taiwans then VBBs. I had an adult male that would bite ya everytime if he didn't have a full belly. Kyle took about six tags last time I bagged him up LOL Beauty snakes are fun, Mark
P.S. Ken I know an eight year old girl who has one who says "he shouldn't be scared" reffering to you LMAO Mind you she did take one to the chin last week

[Invictus]

HAHAHA... cute quote, but I'm hardly afraid of them. I have Papuan pythons that think they are white lips, and they don't scare me... believe me, a VBB is a walk in the park compared to those guys, lol

I guess I could be incorrect on the VBBs, but I still know way more people who say they are terrors than people who say they are calm.

[Scales Zoo]

Taiwans are so tame and cuddly, what do you mean mark?

Maybe you got a hold of an underfed 2002 specimine with a good feeding response, I've seen a few.

The 2004 clutch of Taiwans are remarkably tame for babies, and I suspect they will follow their parents tameness.

Ryan

[Simon]

Congrats Katt!


Those shots of the beauties eyes were awesome!!

Those are true beauties!!

[gonesnakee]

Just had to yank your chain there Ken LOL We all know its usually the animals (& people) afraid of yourself ; ) Mark

[Invictus]

HAHAHA... I don't know why. I look so calm and professional-like.