Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey ratsnake experts, I bought this young ratsnake for my daughter- but we forgot the type it is- might anyone be able to ID for us- thanks so much.

There are more photos of it in my gallery- thanks again.

its a Radiated Ratsnake.

Wow fast and true- thanks so much. You are 100% correct I do recall the label on the carton labeled as such- thanks again.

It is a Radiated, but an Albino, possibly a T Albino.
Graham.
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30 Snakes :
Corns, Milks, Kings, American Rats, Asian Rats, Leopard Rat, Texas Long Nosed, Royal, Boa
www.ratsnakefoundation.org

I'm sure I typed T (T plus) Albino.
Graham.
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30 Snakes :
Corns, Milks, Kings, American Rats, Asian Rats, Leopard Rat, Texas Long Nosed, Royal, Boa
www.ratsnakefoundation.org

n/p
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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"

Thats a T* albino. Gorgeous snakes
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far too many to list...

Guys you're too much- your knowledge humbles me.
What is the significance in saying it's a "T* Albino" is there something worth noticing?

>>Guys you're too much- your knowledge humbles me.
>>What is the significance in saying it's a "T* Albino" is there something worth noticing?
>>

My understanding of the Albino genes in The Radiated Ratsnake

There are two types of Albinism in Radiated Ratsnakes, T positive and T minus, these are not compatiable with one another so breeding one of each mutation to each other produces normal looking hatchlings that maybe heterozygous for both T positive & T minus Albino.

A T positive Albino is capable of producing melanin. It is an Albino that has all the ingredients to develop the dark pigmentation. Normal Albinos or T minus Albinos cannot produce melanin because they lack tyrosinase. With T positive Albinos, all the ingredients are there ... they are just unable to mix.

The reason why they have dark eyes and overall darker appearance to that of a normal Albino ( T minus) ... is down to a leaky gene .. in that as these chaps mature they gain more and more dark pigment (but never ending up as normal looking). Like a dripping tap ... drip drip drip throughout there life. There eyes are actually ruby red like that of many hypo's and technically you could call these hypo's (reduced melanin) I guess, but this mutation in the Radiated Ratsnake is marketed as T positive and not hypo which would be a different gene responsible for a very similar appearance I think.

To determine whether an animal is actually T positive would mean having it DOPA tested, an expensive process and I'm not sure that these have been, but they are given the name to distinguish between the Albino's so you can breed like to like and get predictable breedings.

Female

male

hatchlings

T Positive Chinese Beauty snake showing some dark melanin patches,possibly the result of the leaky gene.

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The Ratsnake Foundation Online Society
2008 Ratsnake Calander now available

Superbly written explanation- very comprehensible....thanks.