Here's more pics...

[yagyujubei]

It's been about six weeks now, since I have been able to put my young easterns outside, and they've been getting a lot of sun. Up until recently, their shells have been mostly a monochromatic yellow/tan, and I have been watching to see if their yellow parts intensify. I have been surprised to see that the dark areas of their shells are getting decidedly darker seemingly overnight, which makes the yellow areas start to pop.

 

[Tccarolina]

Very interesting. I'm curious to find out if the head colors change at all with sunlight as well. They all look like they will be very stunning!
With the turtles in the first two pics, does it look like the original scute layer is going darker or lighter? The last one is definitely developing a lot of skin color; was it incubated for male, female, or in between?

Steve

 

[yagyujubei]

I think that the second one, the natal scute will lighten, because I think it's pretty clear now that the scute centers will be yellow. In the first pic, I see some are darkening. The last one, probably the best of the lot, or at least the best looking at this age, has gotten a lot more skin color, even the knees and thighs are getting yellow. It's the best eater, very bold, and weighs around 130g right now.I haven't measured it, but it must be 3 1/2". I really think that colorful babies must equal colorful adults. I do take all of these closeups, because I want to see how the natural progression of color and pattern developes. I thought that I might be able to sex them, even at an early age just from head patterns, but I can't do that yet.
Hey, did you see the male on kingsnake?

 

[kimber_lee_314]

Beautiful!

 

[turtlemann2]

WOW

 

[yagyujubei]

Here's a color update. The picture at the top is only two weeks old, but here's one I just took. You can see the darker color continues to define the yellow. I think it's an amazing difference for two weeks. It almost looks like a different turtle. Head pattern appears to have increased as well.

 

[froghaven5]

Really pretty

 

[wellington]

They are beautiful

 

[turtlemann2]

Oh yes the head coloring is going to be vivid!

 

[Tccarolina]

Oh yes the head coloring is going to be vivid!

I agree, can't wait to see how that head color is going to turn out!

Steve

 

[pam]

Beautiful

 

[terryo]

Beautiful! This is one of the reasons I like getting them when they are young. I love watching the changes as they mature.