Reptile & Amphibian Forums

How old do you think this guy is?

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Thanks!

Joe Exposito
Thoroughbred Exotics, LLC
www.thoroughbredexotics.com

Joe,....it "looks" like an '07,.....but I'll bet you have a totally different surprising answer for us instead!..LOL!

~Doug
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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"

Doug, would you believe that he is an 05. He is only about 12 inches in length. He will only eat about 2 or 3 pinkys a month. Our 07's are more than twice his size. Maybe we will start a line of Dwarf Hondurans.(HaHa) We really don't know what to think of him. Any thoughts?
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Thanks!

Joe Exposito
Thoroughbred Exotics, LLC
www.thoroughbredexotics.com

that basically didn't grow for two years. He also had some portions of his spine that were fused and he had major problems shedding...he adventually stopped eating and after about 2 months he croaked.

I think these mutations are just a genetic occurance.

-Rusty

Wow!,...an '05!,..that is pretty unbelievable..LOL!!

Ya know, I wonder if animals such as that one lack a necessary growth hormone, and maybe caused by a gland that doesn't produce the needed hormone.

That is very strange indeed. I have a very small '04 anery that I gave to someone a few years ago, but he didn't feed it enough, nor were the meals big enough for any substantial growth. Anyhow, I took it back about a year ago, and she has grown a little better in my care,..but it pretty much stunted her growth in the critical first two growing years. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure you DID feed it plenty, and wasn't due to neglect of any sort on your part, but rather some sort of deficiency...I was basically just telling you about my small one for the heck of it.

Boy!,.....that sure is a tiny one,...and I pretty much anticipated a "jaw-dropping" reply from you about it's age!..hahaha!......very strange indeed!, thanks for sharing that.

~Doug
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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"

I have a male Hypo that until last month was only eating pinkies. He is an 06, and the 2 females I got with him, are eating small mice. He just started to eat mice fuzzies.

Tom
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Thomas Sierra

That's pretty amazing.
Let me ask you experienced guys a question: When you get a snake that grows very slowly, for whatever reason, do you keep them in your breeding projects or do you not breed them? If you DO breed them, does the decreased growth rate appear to be passed down genetically?
I've noticed that all my Hondurans that are anery or hypo eat less and grow far more slowly than my wild type Hondurans. I don't have a large enough group or nearly enough data to suggest that there may be a link between those mutations and eating and/or growth rate. Just curious what you pros have observed.
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1.1.0 Hondurans Het Amel
1.1.0 Hondurans Anery, Het Hypo
0.1.0 Honduran Hypo
0.2.0 Pueblans
1.0.0 Pueblan Hypo
1.0.0 Thayeri MSP
0.0.1 GBK Blair's Phase
1.0.0 California King
0.1.0 California King Blue-eyed Blond
0.0.1 Speckled King WC
0.0.1 Jungle Carpet
0.1.0 Ball, Normal
0.0.1 Sulcata
0.1.0 Girlfriend, Caucasius Mexicana, Fiancee Phase

Usually if we have a slow starter we will cool them with the adults. This usually jump starts their appetite. This guy has always eaten a little bit at a time, but he ate 3 pinks last night. We do not use the runts of a clutch as breeding stock. We sell them as pet quality snakes at a discounted price. This guy is out of a very aberrant line and he did not appear to be a runt when he was purchased. He just has not grown very much. As far as size and morphs goes, we have not noticed any link between size and color morph.
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Thanks!

Joe Exposito
Thoroughbred Exotics, LLC
www.thoroughbredexotics.com

Well I was gonna guess... lol. Just the same I have an '06 that's actually smaller yet... I'm hoping to get him as stout as your male by '09!

Chris

I can relate Joe. I get one or two each year like that. I have a tricolor hypo from last year that was a runt when he hatched and only eats live when he is in the mood. I usually just end up giving them away or selling them cheap to someone just looking for a pet hondo.
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Randy Whittington

We have had a few slow starters before, but this guy takes the prize. He also only eats live when he feels like it. We purchased him at the Hamburg show in 05 from a well known breeder. We will have stuff hatching in a few weeks that will be close to his size if not larger.
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Thanks!

Joe Exposito
Thoroughbred Exotics, LLC
www.thoroughbredexotics.com