Not sure which one to get

I had believed that Indigos were illegal in Florida.

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Yes I’m aware of that, is a permit possible because I’ve heard of breeders with them legally in Florida

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I don’t know, but I think that is because they were grandfathered in. The best thing to do would be contacting Florida Fish and wildlife and see what they say.

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I’d love to find out if there’s a permit too. I love eastern indigos (also in Florida). :slight_smile:

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I researched it and there is a permit but I have to send in a letter and ask and they have to come to my house and check it out to make sure I’m qualified I guess. and I’ll do more research Later.

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I’m also pretty sure it is ok to have them as long as you get them from inside the state, it was legal when I searched it, so I’m not totally sure.

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Sounds like a good excuse for my husband and I to set up and decorate more enclosures :joy:

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Yes, lol. I agree.

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Never having worked with either species, I would choose indigos simply based on looks. I like the look of black tail cribos too, but I really prefer yellow tail cribos.

Hopefully someone with more hands-on experience with both species can give you a more in depth review! :slight_smile:

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I have lots of insight I can offer in regards to the differences between the two species. I’m winding down for the night but I wanted to drop a line to let you know I will be returning to this thread later this week. :blush:

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Thank you.

As a keeper of both Blacktail Cribos (D. melanurus) and Eastern Indigos (D. couperi), I personally have the most admiration for Eastern Indigos and would highly recommend them if you appreciate snakes that are powerful as predators but gentle as companions. In my experience, Easterns are the more sociable species, and they are typically much more enjoyable to handle and interact with. I also believe Eastern Indigos to be more intelligent; linked here is a video of one of mine solving an advanced food puzzle designed for dogs. I attempted the same puzzle with my Blacktail Cribos and they just became immediately frustrated, even when presented with more simple puzzles. To say Blacktail Cribos are less intelligent is subjective, though – my observations are based off of clinical experiments performed with a comparatively small sample size, so please do not consider that statement to be conclusive.


“Blackjack”, one of our incredible Eastern Indigo snakes

With that said, Blacktail Cribos are still an incredibly rewarding species to keep as they share the same majestic characteristics as Eastern Indigos. They are such a joy to observe as they are always exploring, hunting, digging, climbing, and prying around their environment. Taking my adults outdoors in our backyard is one of my favorite things to do on a mild summer day because they are so curious and inquisitive; they often periscope for several minutes as they take in their environment, which is astonishing to see. Drymarchon as a genus are such regal, astounding animals, and regardless of whether you choose an Eastern Indigo or Blacktail Cribo, I promise you will end up with one of the most memorable animals you will ever keep.


“Reaper”, our regal seven-foot Blacktail Cribo

Regarding permits, if you are purchasing from a breeder outside of your state, you must apply for an Interstate Commerce Permit through USFWS before acquiring an Eastern Indigo. This is a federal law and therefore applies to residents across all states in the U.S. The breeder usually helps with this process to make it as simple as possible. With that said, if you are purchasing from a breeder within the same state, you do not need to apply for an Interstate Commerce Permit; however, I am not sure if there are any additional laws that require other permits to keep Eastern Indigos in Florida. I would suggest contacting Florida Fish and Wildlife beforehand to ensure you are following all local wildlife ordinances. If you inquire and have the time, please reply back to this thread with the information you received. I currently have my Eastern Indigos paired and would appreciate confirmation on the laws in Florida in the event a potential buyer lives there.

If you have any more questions regarding Drymarchon, please feel free to ask away. If you haven’t already checked out the care guide I published in the forums, click here to view it. Good luck on your journey with these amazing animals!

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Thank you so much. After reading i think im going to start off with the eastern indigos once my permit gets aproved by florida fish and wildlife. Pretty sure they do a home inspection and taje other permits into consideration as well as where you live. You cannot sell them out of state, they have to be fathered in florida to be bought within the state. No going through borders with easterns, not sure about cribos. :crossed_fingers:It will take time to find a pair as well, but its a work in progress. Thank you @creaturesofnightshade

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Congratulations! :champagne:

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Thank you so much! I’m really excited, and old friend of mine just texted and said she can find me some nice ones (she knows basically every nice breeder in the state :joy:) by next week! I ordered their enclosures and just need substrate and bedding, and enrichment. Does anyone know about that? @creaturesofnicreature, can you help you know a lot about these beauties.

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I have just bought a male and female pair of cribos! They will have to grow up a bit before breeding though, they are still young, which is what I wanted anyways. I’m driving 4 hours there and 4 back to pick up these snakes. I’m leaving tomorrow morning, driving all day. They are at a breeder in Tallahassee. Oh my gosh I’m so excited. :relaxed::joy:

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I actually have a comprehensive care guide on Eastern Indigos published in the forums, which you can view here. The general husbandry and enrichment for Eastern Indigos can also be applied to Blacktail Cribos.

I also have a YouTube video that covers the Drymarchon genus as well, which you can view here.

Hope this helps! :blush:

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Thank you so much, it definitely helped :blush::+1:

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such stunning snakes

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Hi everyone i would Like to ask, if someone know about there are permits to get one in Europe? I would like to have one. They are awesome.