Drymarchon melanurus
The nonvenomous Texas Indigo Snake is really something special! These snakes hunt during the day, and that makes your chances of getting to see one of these impressive reptiles much greater if you are out and about in their habitat during the day. This is quite a large snake that can range in length anywhere from three (3) to eight (8) feet and weigh anywhere from approximately five (5) to six (6) pounds. The Texas Indigo will definitely make an indelible impression on you that you will not soon forget! Another distinguishing feature that will assist you in your positive identification of it will be that in addition to having a sleek, shiny, black body with blue-gray belly scales, it will also be sporting an a eye-catching reddish or orange-brown head and chin.
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As mentioned earlier, Texas Indigo snakes hunt for their food during the day—diurnal hunters! They actively search for prey that they can swallow. This can include other snakes, including rattlesnakes, mice, rats, birds, toads, and turtles, just to name a few. Although they are not a threat to human beings, when captured they have been reported to “bite repeatedly and release foul smelling musk and feces to instigate their release. Indigos may also hiss, vibrate their tail, and flatten their necks vertically to appear ‘dangerous.’ ” Source: www.HerpsofTexas.org
There are three (3) types of Indigo snakes that inhabit portions of the southern United States, through Central American and in Southern South America. According to an article written about the Central American Indigo Snake on the website “Herps of Texas,” The Texas Indigo Snake, or Drymarchon melanurus, “is found from Texas south through Central America to Venezuela. Another species of indigo snake, Drymarchon couperi, is found in Florida and in adjacent Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. The third indigo snake species, Drymarchon corais is found only in South America.”
Source: Herps of Texas Website
Fun Facts about the Texas Indigo Snake:
- They mate in the winter.
- They lay their eggs in the Spring—up to 12 eggs!
- It takes approximately +/- 80 days for hatchlings to appear
- They can be found close to water sources.
- They are nonvenomous.
Finally, you should know that the Texas Indigo Snake is listed as a threatened species by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Consequently, as a threatened species, they are protected by the state of Texas.
