Metachrosis (aka “Whitewall”) Pictures

One of the interesting quirks of Brazilians as a subspecies is their tendency to “lose” the color on their sides late in the day, an effect many keepers refer to as “whitewalling.” Under this effect, the color of the sides fades to an almost ghostly white.

Following are two recent, and rather dramatic, examples of this behavior. For each, I show the snake as it usually looks during the day, and then a late-day shot with whitewalls.

Drake, Day


Drake, Night


Ghandi, Day


Ghandi, Night


As with so many things about these snakes, fascinating stuff!

Thank you looking,

That's intense! Too bad they don't stay that color or better yet turn that color completely!

That's cool!

Thanks guys! Dunno if I'd want them to look that way all the time -- most Brazilians are much more attractive without whitewalls -- but one only that color would be pretty intense.