I think they are one of many snakes in the hobby that are extremely tough to accurately define. I think that they are basically a mutation that has much less actual melanocytes for melanin to be placed.



They are also a snake that is HIGHLY variable in their red, yellow and orange, so that is another aspect regarding them that is tough to put your finger on. Some do seem to be more hypererythristic or hyperxantic, but some can be pretty light and plainer looking too. With a natural range of anything between a 1 and a 10, it's tough to say. You're right about them not being gray or silver, but some can have strong browns too. Whether this is because the red is mixing in with the black is hard to say, or if it is actually caused by pheomelanin is tough to say too. Eumelanin is brown to black and pheomelanin is orange to rust or rusty brown.



I think they are alot like "tootsie roll pops".............the world may never know..LOL!





~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"



serpentinespecialties.webs.com

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