This is a project I started in 05 and got my first litter last night. I produced 2 litters of bloods and bloody salmons in 04 and was very impressed by the color in the animals. I thought that by using the natural hypomelanism in Hog Island boas a cross between the two could make very colorful blood boas that don't get dark as adults. I produced a cross between a pure Blood boa and Hog island boa in 2005 and got some very colorful babies. As they matured some of the hets darkened up some but others remain light with very good color to this day. I think the ones that are darker are also het for anery as the father was from one of the original Blood litters where the Bloods where also het for anery.
I kept most of the animals but 2 pairs went to Rich Ihle and 3 went to Jeremy Stone. Rich and John bred their 2 females to an 04 hypo het for blood male and produced some 25% Hog Island Blood Boas and 25% Hog Island hypo Blood boas 0n 7/10 and there a few pictures in their litter section in their web site.
The babies from last night are from a 50% Hog Island het bred with a 50% Hog Island het. The Blood babies have good red color and appear light and hypomelanistic. Some of the 66% possible hets for Blood Boa already show good color also. I anticipate that just like the hets born 3 years ago these blood boas will get very red and the hog island influence will keep them from getting dark. I will also be very interested to see if they color switch during the day like Hog Island boas.
I am sorry that I don't know how to put multiple pictures in a post so I will make several posts with pictures. I will post a picture of the mother and other adult hets with pictures of the babies after they shed.
Bill Kirby
KRBS HERPS
