Quote:
Originally Posted by mikm
hey Rick ... I mean blue and red colored garters in general. Like Red Spots seem to fade out whereas the Flames retain their red to the best of my knowledge. Just wondering why that is ??? ...  ...
thanks,
marian
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I have a hunch that it's partially a dietary issue and partially genetics/senescence. I've had a number of Oregon red spots that really fade out as old snakes but prior to roughly 7 years old, their color intensifies. I occasionally add carotenoid powder to their diet, and I believe it helps to improve their coloration. They would normally gain carotenoids in their diet by eating salamanders and a number of aquatic "bugs" (macroinvertebrates). You can find more info here (
What). The head of older concinnus seems to fade the most, like in Roy's contest winning photo from March (
http://www.thamnophis.com/) and in this snake of mine (below). She's even more faded now, but she's about 9-10 years old.
Rick
