Seems we need this again, i have seen 3 Het Ivories (Yellow Bellies) posted in the classifieds this week that were not real...
So hear goes-
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Here you will find all the details you will need to seek out the elusive Het Ivory (Yellow Belly)!
Q. What is a Het Ivory
GENETICS
Incomplete - Dominant. (or Co- dominant). A Yellow Belly (Het Ivory) breed to a normal will produce 50% YBs and 50% normals. A YB breed to a YB will produce 25% Ivories / 50% YBs and / 25% normals.
Answer...
A Het Ivory in my opinion is an underrated mutation. There are so many possibilities with them at this time. It is a mystery why when crossed with what seemed to be other minor genetic mutations they make the most spectacular snakes (ie. ebonies, super stripes etc) I think these guys need a lot more selective breeding to see their full potential. The list below will help you be able to identify a YB and see exactly what its characteristics are.
1. First off, a Het Ivory (Yellow Belly) received its second name due to the unusually high amount of yellow pigment on the SIDES of the belly, not on the actual stomach. Most YBs (i will use this name for the rest of the guide) have an extreme amount of yellow all over the body for that matter. The RED arrows show where the Yellow Belly name came from. Also most YBs have a high amount of blushing on their backs as shown with the BLUE arrows.
2. Flames? All YBs have what I term Flames (I think most other people call them that too?) On the YB the flames start on the stomach and go up most of the sides, as shown with the BLUE circles. Also YBs have a faded mark on the head usually in a circle shape as shown with the RED circle.
3. The stomach! Everyone's least favorite part. Why is the stomach so confusing? Don't ask me I didn't make them lol. The stomach on the YB is also the most important part (YB do need to have all the other traits though). The stomach can be very variable and that's what makes it tough, but they all share a VERY similar trait. That is the granite like speckling that runs all the way down the sides of the stomach as shown with the RED circle. Some are very extreme and some a lightly speckled but they must have it. Also like I stated before this is where you will see the FLAMES that i was talking about and how they start on the stomach as depicted with the BLUE circle. The snake below happens to be a FANTASTIC example. I will show you a few variations below.
Variation 1-
this snake is showing an amazing speckling pattern down its sides( RED circle ), you can also see the FLAMES i am talking about. Also note the faded spot on the head (BLUE circle ) This guy is a wild caught YB. can you believe it?
Variation 2-
This is another fantastic example of a YB, This animal has very intense Yellow and Orange body color and my even keep some of its color into adulthood. You can see the "Speckling in RED and the Fames in BLUE.
Variation 3-
This is a tougher one. You can see the head circle with the GREEN arrow. The Flames are in BLUE and the Speckling in RED. This is not the best colored one, but it is in fact from a proven line.
Variation 4-
This snake is showing less of the speckling, but has very nice Flames.
Variation 5-
This snake has very weak speckling but has amazing flames and color. He is a proven line.
There are many more variations, but they all follow the same rules.
1.Granite speckling on stomach
2. Bright Flames, that start on the stomach
3. High Yellow Body pigment, concentrated on the lower sides
4. Faded head marking
I will try to get more pictures of the different variations of the proven lines for you all and post them here.
Hope this helps
The Guide
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Thanks
Jon Dvoretz
Next World Exotics
www.nextworldexotics.com
The Hunters Guide to the Morphs
www.nextworldexotics.com/hg.htm
