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Yellow tails
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by earthguy on October 3, 2008
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Rattlesnake question #2
I understand the hypotheses concerning yellow tails in juvenile pitvipers (cauldal luring and whatnot), but I have yet to find any statistical/biometric/lifehistory data that says when it goes away. The reason that I ask is because when I was doing my research I found an obviously adult (sexually mature based on size) copperhead that still had her sulphur dipped tail. More recently my own pigmy has gotten huge (probably breeding size now at over 140 g), but she still retains her yellow tail. There has to be some biological control that turns those pigments 'off', but when? Is it just coincidence that both incidences that I know of are females, or is there some dietary sexual dimorphism that makes them hold on to their lures? And those of you who have raise several of these snakes, about when do they loose this characteristic?
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RE: Yellow tails
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by Cro on October 3, 2008
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Josh,
That is an interesting observation.
I have a 7 year old female copperhead that still has some of the yellow tail tip left. However, she does not caudal lure anymore.
I think it is more of an artifact thing, more than it is a retained feature that the snake is still using.
It would be very interesting though if we could show that the retention of the tail tip color was sexually dimorphic.
Best Regards John Z
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RE: Yellow tails
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by LadyBloodRose on October 3, 2008
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kinda intrestng my 2yr old cotton doesn;t have any of his yellow tail left, though i noticed my neonate coppers tails are more green then yellow ^_-
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RE: Yellow tails
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by earthguy on October 3, 2008
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Charles,
I don't think that it's regional. The copperhead was from Horry county SC. My baby girl (the pigmy) is cbb from Florida lines.
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RE: Yellow tails
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by 23bms on October 3, 2008
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Juvenile male Bothrops aspers also have a somewhat yellow tail. My current male grew gradually, losing the last of the yellow at a bit under two years of age. After that slow start, in the year following, he doubled in size and quintupled in sheer evilness. I really like him, but, :) , handle with care!
I never saw any evidence of caudal luring, but that may have been a function of a steady diet of f/t mice. Anyone noticed that phenomenon in this species under a different dietary regimen? Just curious.
jrb
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