Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Sugar photo

-----
Kyle
www.royalvariations.com

"be safe, be happy and dont let anyone make you afraid" David Coverdale

absolutely beautiful! amazing picture you took

Awesome pic! Great snake. I love these sugars. What are their genetics? Are they a different animal than the calico?

Thank you,

Ahhhhhhhhhh the proverbial can of worms. Many thoughts about this topic of Sugars and Calicos. Some say they are the same while others including myself are not sure.

Sugars according to TSK are smaller as hatchlings than normal Royal Pythons. Sugars also seem to be on average one per clutch according to TSK while Calicos are usually more per clutch “exceptions to this tendency could apply”. TSK is one of the breeders working with Sugars from France "Rene Valentin" line. TSK is also working with Calicos. This line of Sugars tends to be Black Backs which also includes some of the hatchling siblings that are not Sugars which are from the same clutches as the Sugars. Does this line of Sugar also produce genetic Black Backs or was the French Sugar line bred with a genetic Black Back which is now inherent in its off spring? Sugars like Calicos can have more white, less white, more color, less color but they seem to be more extreme on average than Calicos and also less are produced per clutch. Obviously TSK can answer the questions of and from their experience much better that I can.

Calicos seem to be of more lines and some breeders have noticed slight differences among them, more white, less white, more color, less color, variable per clutch and per line according to a few breeders that I have spoken with. Obviously the Calicos have produced some amazing Calicos and stunning combinations with other morphs.

Are they the same?

Are they compatible?

Only time will tell if they are different. The VPI Axanthic and the TSK Axanthic lines are not compatible and yet they are both Axanthics. Pastels are from many lines and they seem compatible anyway. To my knowledge no definitive answer for the questions about these different versions, Calico or Sugar. At this point it is speculation and theory but as we have learned from breeding Royal Pythons that which sounds practical in theory might indeed be not true in reality. After all some people never would have thought that Calicos or Sugars would have been Genetic?

Good luck and have a great season.

Sincerely, Kyle

-----
Kyle
www.royalvariations.com

"be safe, be happy and dont let anyone make you afraid" David Coverdale