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I posted an image before but got little response. Lets try again!

It's a ball python. What do I win?

No s#*T! I thought it was an anaconda! I know its a ball python, wondering what morph.

But what morph did you EXPECT it to be??
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An anaconda? No. Your guess was way off. It's a normal ball python. A pretty normal ball python, but a normal ball python nonetheless.

If you consider this a normal ball python, then please sell me all your normal balls! I'll take them all!

I agree with Bill. Not everyday you see an IMG ball python, even though they may be a bit more common than say, a spider ball! Don't mind the smart @$$ remarks some ppl make, you have to understand they do get tired of people making posts, insisting their ball to be a magnificent one of a kind morph...Not saying yours isn't, I'm just sayin' enjoy that animal for what it is, not what it looks like or how much money it might bring you. This is what I feel is the true essence of this hobby!
Take care, and thanx for posting...that snake is definetely
different!
-Angel

>>If you consider this a normal ball python, then please sell me all your normal balls! I'll take them all!
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Thanks Angel, I just got off the phone with a friend in State who has an IMG. He said it started out normal and then changed after shedding. There is something different going on with this girl, she started out "strange" and just keeps getting stranger with each shed! I don't care about the remarks, she is mine and I think she is awesome. Someday she will be the key to a new morph. Only time will tell! Bill

Can you see a pattern in it's sheds or are they clear? Has it always looked like this or did it recently change?

It looked exactly like an axanthic when a neonate. It was black and white with the exception of a butter yellow stripe down her spine and another butter yellow stripe on each side, just where the belly meets the sides. It does have pattern in the sheds. I've sent out pictures and responses so far have been,Arctic, IMG, black and white and possibly something new.I plan on breeding her with a pastel when she is of size. Pictures don't even do her justice, she is almaost dayglow.

Captive bred or import? I'm not sure I'm following if she had the yellow stripes when small or if they just came later.

I have an imported sub adult mostly black and white that shows varying amounts of pale yellow just down the top of the back. It seems to depend on the light and also seems to actually change from day to day. I haven't had her long and am wondering how much she might change. However, since she sheds patternless I don't think she is the same as yours.

Good luck with her!

Randy, here is a pic of her as a baby. You can see the dramatic change in color she has gone through. Thanks for your help.

OK, even I can see that that is NOT a normal ball python, and I'm so new to this hobby that the light from "expert" won't reach me for another 60 years. Breed her to an axanthic, then a pastel, and send me one each of the babies please? She is very cool.
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My guess is that it's an IMG or what some may call an Artic, please note: I said "some". Mike Jolliff and I have had conversations regarding this characteristic and it doesn't seem to be that uncommon - especially when dealing with higher numbers. Very nice animal, none the less. It seems most but not all will eventually look more wild type, but it's interesting watching them go through their changes. Just my 2 cents...

Thanks for your help. That seems to be what most are giving me as far as an educated guess. She is a wild caught. I think shes a great animal and hope to one day breed her to a pastel. Should be interesting.

Here's a couple links to the Artic and the IMG pages at RDR's site. I'm sure you've probrably checked them out already, but I thought it might be a "guide" to give us an idea. You have the luxury of seeing it in person, although the pics are excellent, so maybe sifting through all of the variations will help. I guess you can just copy and paste. I really think the Artics are somewhat similiar to the IMG animals. You're animal is beautiful to say the least. I've always been a fan of oddballs...good luck!!! Let me know what you think!!

http://www.ralphdavisreptiles.com/collection/pythons/ball/arctic_ball_python.asp

http://www.ralphdavisreptiles.com/collection/pythons/ball/img_ball_python.asp

Thanks for the info. Tracy old me to check his out. Ralph calls his "dirty Joe". I plan on taking pics after every shed. It's always a surprise!

I beleive the IMG ball is a normal looking Ball, that after a few sheds, or many sheds, changes color from normal brown to various shades of grey, and yellows. If your animal looked unusual its entire life, than maybe it is a type of Desert Ghost or unusual (Paradox) Axanthic. With the yellow so previlant, I would probably cross out Axanthic. I got a new ball in that is similar to yours, maybe after he grows some more, they will look even more alike.

Dave

This one was not a normal looking ball even as a baby. I posted a pic of her as a juvie. Here is another pic of her.

I had some in the past......neat snakes.

Jared H

I'm sorry, I must not be up on my ball terms. What is an IMG? Thanks

Increased Melanin Gene. As the animal matures, it increases in melanin (the darker pigment). Strange thing about them is that the lighter ares do just the opposite, they tend to become lighter.

First one with $100,000 to me will get answer to this mystery. Can assure you what it is, what the genetics are and how you may get many more. NO KIDDING.

n/p
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Definitely not a normal.

What is she??? Your guess is as good as mine.

It seems to me that the snakes lumped into the IMG/Arctic/Black and White categories have a lot in common. They all have a similar color scheme but seem to "acquire" the colors in different ways. Heck, the desert ghosts fit into these color schemes too.

Breed your girl out and keep us posted. The fact is that we really haven't figured out many of these color morphs yet.

Good luck - she is cool little snake.
Joe Compel Reptiles

Thanks Joe, I really like her. I've had signifigant offers on her but I have a few ideas as for breeding projects up my sleeve, so I plan on keeping her. As far as I can tell, IMG's start out normal and then change. Black and whites sometimes start out that way and then change. As you can see in her baby picture, she looked axanthic with some hints of yellow. I am going to document the color changes at each shed. The faded head also makes her different than most and the pastelish fades on her body. I may beed her with a pastel or one of your awesome hypos Joe!

Keep us posted. It will be neat to see how she matures.