Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Below Maria posted some great pics of babies and adults that the color has changed, and John L had stated that most go through an ontogenetic change.

I was told long ago, from the first person I brought a thayeri from to stay away from dark headed leonis phase, as they tend to get an over all darker ground color.

Does anyone have a pic of an adult that disproves this theory?

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"The band is just fantastic, that is really what I think. Oh by the way, which ones pink?"

Personally, I have never seen a dark-headed leonis phase thayeri. Anyone else?
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Maria

Alaska Reptiles

"Life is like a box of thayeri eggs..."

Sorry- I wasn't more specific. Not dark like a black capped gray band, but dark gray as opposed to the ground color of the rest of the body. The pics you posted, the babies show some red and light grey.

Check the pics Joe Forks posted for FR in the kingsnake section, they have a pretty dark head.
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"The band is just fantastic, that is really what I think. Oh by the way, which ones pink?"

I have never heard that before and out of all the thayeri I raised I could never find a "key" that would let me know which one would speckle out or which one would not.......I do know that if you persistently selectively breed for one trait or the other you will eventually end up with what you want. I always wanted a 'no black'
thayeri....Not Hypo, but just no saddle borders on a leonis phase.....another project I was working on was a hollow saddled leonis......Now......I worked for 5 generations to get where I was.....I wonder how much longer it would have taken for a no black /hollow saddled leonis......Virtually one solid color.....Is it possible? I think so......What about you guys......Selective breeding will produce many things not seen in the wild were mere random propagations take place......

John Lassiter