6 month old Diamond Python - how much to feed?

[Venomous1111]

Going of the shiresnakes site there do seem to be pure diamonds and intergrade looking snakes that are listed as diamonds.. To the op what was it sold to you as?

Apparently these are "Gosford" diamonds..

 

[bobby-van]

Another random Diamond hatchling.. looks identical to mine.

Going of the shiresnakes site there do seem to be pure diamonds and intergrade looking snakes that are listed as diamonds.. To the op what was it sold to you as?

Apparently these are "Gosford" diamonds..

View attachment 259234View attachment 259235

Sold to me as a pure Diamond.

 

[Venomous1111]

I'd think some kind of coastal x darwin. BUT looking at the head shape throws me off a bit. what is it???

Apparently a diamond, but IMO it's not.

Available Diamonds

If you check that out that's what my interpretation of a pure diamond hatchling/juvi should look like..

Another random Diamond hatchling.. looks identical to mine.

Sold to me as a pure Diamond.

the old pure diamond/intergrade/coastal debate this is why people breeding coastals and diamond together and calling them intergrades piss me off.

 

[Norm]

Yeah maybe not the best example of what some call a "true diamond" but striped jungles don't look much like "true jungles" to me. Just my opinion.

Sent from my GT-S5830 using Tapatalk 2

 

[bobby-van]

the old pure diamond/intergrade/coastal debate this is why people breeding coastals and diamond together and calling them intergrades piss me off.

So wth have I got?? The breeder told me that judging by it's colours at this age, it will look somewhat similar to another one of their Diamonds, this one:

 

[Norm]

You've got a beaut little hatchie that should grow into a nice looking snake!

Sent from my GT-S5830 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Rissi]

So wth have I got?? The breeder told me that judging by it's colours at this age, it will look somewhat similar to another one of their Diamonds, this one:

Now this DEF looks like a diamond.

Can't believe it will colour up like that , amazing.

Apparently a diamond, but IMO it's not.

I guess the lines are blurred these days ey?
Personally I'd like to know my coastal is a coastal and my diamond is a diamond.
I bought my coastal to get big i'd be disappointed if it wasn't a giant haha

 

[bobby-van]

You've got a beaut little hatchie that should grow into a nice looking snake!

Haha yeah I know, I won't be disappointed no matter what she is.. would just really like to know for sure. Now I'm even questioning whether it's a female or not...?

 

[Rissi]

Haha yeah I know, I won't be disappointed no matter what she is.. would just really like to know for sure. Now I'm even questioning whether it's a female or not...?

Mine was sold as a male and is most definitely female (had her checked after doubting it). Wait till it grows a little then get it sexed just to be sure?

 

[Norm]

Haha yeah I know, I won't be disappointed no matter what she is.. would just really like to know for sure. Now I'm even questioning whether it's a female or not...?

I had the same thing happen to me when i bought my second snake a few years ago. Bought it as a diamond, saw both diamond parents but was told it wasn't by "experts" on here. I am the first to admit he doesn't look like a typical diamond...but he's Cracker of a snake. The breeder got involved in that thread and put everyone straight but i still yielded and now refer to that snake as an intergrade. Look on the diamond threads and you'll see plenty of questionable diamonds but people prefer to knock the newbies. In the end shrug your shoulders and be happy with what will be a very nice snake and learn from this experience.

Sent from my GT-S5830 using Tapatalk 2

 

[moreliamanic]

Glad to see you've up'd her feeding size, you were definitely underfeeding her. My diamond hatchy went on to fuzzies every five days as soon as she came out of the egg. Underfeeding her has definitely affected her appearance and size, as she still has a very large amount of browns and blacks in her! By 7 months she should be showing whites and yellows. This has probably affected peoples opinions on what species she is. She'll just be a slow starter! Good luck

Jaye

 

[notechistiger]

I'd hate to think of the poor young snakes in the wild that aren't fed large feeds every five days. Obviously underfed.

It's relevant while the snake is young since they use the food to grow, but I'd be inclined to be slow on feeding a diamond and control the heat to help combat DPS. I don't see the point in making a snake grow as fast as it can.

http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/australian-snakes-37/experiences-dps-65233/
http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/australian-snakes-37/experiences-dps-part-2-a-135920/

 

[Pythoninfinite]

I had the same thing happen to me when i bought my second snake a few years ago. Bought it as a diamond, saw both diamond parents but was told it wasn't by "experts" on here. I am the first to admit he doesn't look like a typical diamond...but he's Cracker of a snake. The breeder got involved in that thread and put everyone straight but i still yielded and now refer to that snake as an intergrade. Look on the diamond threads and you'll see plenty of questionable diamonds but people prefer to knock the newbies. In the end shrug your shoulders and be happy with what will be a very nice snake and learn from this experience.

Sent from my GT-S5830 using Tapatalk 2

I don't think telling a newbie that the snake they've been sold is not a Diamond, but a Coastal, is knocking the OP at all, it's simply putting them on the correct path. It's of no concern to me one way or the other. These things change dramatically in the first 6-12 months of life, but by 6 months you'll know basically what it will look like as it develops, and it will have the characteristic pale or yellow dot on each scale, typical of Diamonds. This one does not exhibit that characteristic. My bet is that it will develop into a classic brownish Coastal pattern, as seen from around Coffs Harbour to Brisbane. I would never say that one is better than the other, if that's what you're suggesting Norm, but in the interests of the OP, it's fair enough to point out a misidentification. I live smack in the middle of the range between Coastal in the north to Diamonds in the south, in intergrade country. I see them all the time in summer, around the house and on the roads at night, maybe 30 a year in an average summer.

The snakes shown as Shire snakes adults are far more Intergrade influenced than Diamond influenced, and just because it shows bright yellow does not indicate that it's a Diamond - we sometimes get incredible yellows in the intergrades up here, but... they always have the "Coastal" influenced patterning to a greater or lesser extent. However, I've NEVER seen one which is a perfect example of either a Diamond or Coastal, they always have some characteristics of both.

But hey, in the end who cares, it's someone's proudly owned pet, and that's all that matters.

Jamie

 

[Venomous_RBB]

Looks like a Intergrade to me, however whatever he/she is, you have a nice looking little snake
Be happy with what you have

 

[Norm]

Jamie, sounds like you've got a fair bit of experience as far as intergrades go. Certainly more than me. Im simply pointing out that newbies seem to got told "that's not a diamond" more than people who have been on here a while. Honestly look at some of the "show me" threads and see how many of those diamonds don't show any coastal characteristics at all, and then tell those owners/breeders they have an intergrade not a diamond. Its a very blurred area (what makes a diamond a diamond) and maybe there's breeders out there who consider their snakes diamonds that others would call an intergrade.

Sent from my GT-S5830 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Skelhorn]

either way its a pretty snake and its awesome watching them nail food that big ay

Enjoy mate!

 

[Pythoninfinite]

Jamie, sounds like you've got a fair bit of experience as far as intergrades go. Certainly more than me. Im simply pointing out that newbies seem to got told "that's not a diamond" more than people who have been on here a while. Honestly look at some of the "show me" threads and see how many of those diamonds don't show any coastal characteristics at all, and then tell those owners/breeders they have an intergrade not a diamond. Its a very blurred area (what makes a diamond a diamond) and maybe there's breeders out there who consider their snakes diamonds that others would call an intergrade.

Sent from my GT-S5830 using Tapatalk 2

Indeed you're right Norm, and maybe the definitions are pretty subjective anyway. The snakes in question - Diamonds, Intergrades and Coastals - are so closely related that the differences are fairly arbitary. Even up here many of the locals call any python they see a "Diamond," so I guess my long association with all pythons (I love 'em ) makes me a bit picky. I don't bother now, but I've had endless dicussions/arguments on here over the years about this very subject...

Having said that, there are clearly some distinctive characteristics of the "truer" Diamonds which seem reluctant to overlap the other carpets in husbandry terms - the need for generally cooler temps overall, and a predisposition to DPS, one of those mysteries that everyone has a theory about but which no one has yet proved, although notechistiger has cast more clear light on this subject than anyone else I've seen write about it.

With Tim Hyndman's increasingly sophisticated work on the viral issues affecting our snakes, it may just be something else that can be attributed to a pathogen rather than simply husbandry issues. Fingers crossed!

Jamie

 

[notechistiger]

If you're referring to the threads I included in my post, they were made by serpenttongue. I'm more then happy to pass around his knowledge on the subject since he seems to have dealt with it far more then the average keeper.

 

[bobby-van]

To be honest, it doesn't phase me if it's not a pure Diamond as I'm no breeder, just an enthusiast. I was just thinking a high yellow would look awesome next to my high orange Hypo Bredli I'm picking up next weekend in their split enclosure..

 

[Norm]

To be honest, it doesn't phase me if it's not a pure Diamond as I'm no breeder, just an enthusiast. I was just thinking a high yellow would look awesome next to my high orange Hypo Bredli I'm picking up next weekend in their split enclosure..

Sounds good! I don't know why i get involved in some threads
Note to self: look but don't touch!
Sent from my GT-S5830 using Tapatalk 2