Reptile & Amphibian Forums

what is a pastel boa???? co dom...dom...recessive???what makes them different.
-----
Michael Enriquez

Pastel referes to simply a reduction in black pigment. This reduction is most noticible at the rear of the animal where the saddles turn into tail blotches. A normal animal will have significant black around this area and a Pastel will have a graet reduction or possibly very little.

Pastel as a trait is not passed by one gene, it is pollygenic which means that multiple genes determine the outcome. This also means that you can take two normal snakes with a reduction in black pigment and create pastel offspring. Many Pastel lines have been refined over years of breeding in order to create the animals with extreme black pigment reduction.
-----
- Jason F.

so...PASTEL is just a way of saying a very nice colombian as opposed to saying just a colombian.
-----
Michael Enriquez

Yup. Its just a line bred trait as apposed to a genetic morph.

Its also a way for people to market their animals and make an extra $50. Ha
-----
- Mike Fourquet

Cloaca Herpetoculture
www.CloacaHerps.com

It is also increased color in addition to an "overall wash of reduced black" according to the Boaphile. Just a reduced black would be hypomelanism. There is nothing in the definition of hypomelanism by the way, that indicates increased color either, but there is to the pastel definition according to Ronne. He doesn't say it is limited to these two genertic looks either, but sort of indicates there are more suble traits he selected for too. I accept his authority since he made the first great pastels, through selective breeding for multiple traits.

Caden