A certain level of reduced black defines what is and isnt a pastel. Nothing more.

Why are reduced black boas beneficial?

Because they allow for a clearer window of which animals have the most etherin or xanthin. You can then more effeciently selectively breed towards one, or both, of those colors.

There may be some boas that are highly reduced black with very little color. Does that mean they are not pastels? Of course not. The function of pastels is to reduce black to allow color to be seen and selectively breed towards it. Breed that highly reduced black pastel to an rather normal boa (normal amounts of melanin) that looks to have a large amount of underlying color and the pastel trait will "unlock" the underlying color from the normal... The melanin can then be further reduced with each generation as well as etherin/xanthin more effeciently increased... a pastel bloodline is developed.

Pastel Dreams - is a PASTEL BLOODLINE. Obviously color (red) is tied to it because thats what jeff bred for.

Pastel Phenotype - certain level of reduced black.

The significance of the label pastel is in its function.

I think the reason we are seeing so many more pastels on the market is because there is so much more selective breeding happening. Everyone now knows that if you want the best normals, you need to reduce black. There will inevitably be an increasing number of them. You can take the label "pastel" that is placed on so many boas now with a grain of salt. Well developed / special pastel bloodlines are another story.

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