Reptile & Amphibian Forums

After reading the posts below, I'm freaked out about pastels. I have difficulties seeing some lights and darks and am considering buying a pastel (66% het for pied) for what I think is a good deal.
I've seen some pastels is person, but struggle with identification.
I thought the blushing on the back was THE giveaway, but the normal is the other picture is lighter on the back, so now I'm just confused.

Is this a Pastel?

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Corvid
"Look Like An Innocent Flower, But Be The Serpent Under It." ~William Shakespeare
0.1 "Normal"
1.0 Spider

I am a little confused also. I have seen dark pastels that I would call normal and light normals that I would call pastels. What should one look for to verify that it is indeed a pastel?

A clear white belly is one as well. Some years ago when pastels were first introduced there was NO WAY that they could be compared to normals. They were bright nice yellows with the faded heads, the white lips, green eye's and awesome blushing.
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In Loving Memory of the best Brother God gave me
Sgt. Arnold DuPlantier II
(Army National Guard, Charlie Rock Co.)
06/03/1979-06/22/2005
Support Our Troops

Do pastels always have green eyes? Or are they the only balls with green eyes?
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1.0 Pastel Ball
1.1 Het VPI Axanthic Balls
1.1 Het Albino Balls
0.0.2 Red Tail Boas
1.0 Albino Nelsons Milksnake
1.1 Room mates
2.2 Dogs
0.1 Cat

They all had varying degrees of "green eyes". I know that the Spider is also a green eyed morph, though I do not know if there are any other morphs that have "green eyes", or a variation of.
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In Loving Memory of the best Brother God gave me
Sgt. Arnold DuPlantier II
(Army National Guard, Charlie Rock Co.)
06/03/1979-06/22/2005
Support Our Troops

If I were to guess, I would say that it is a pastel but not the best quality. It looks like a youngster. I the pastel that I have was not a good looking baby. If fact not many thought it was a pasetl but after a several sheds it colored up nicely, and is pretty good looking adult IMO. Give it some time and maybe it will color up.

W. Smith

its a pastel... its just a little dark... a couple sheds and meals it should look fine.

If you were looking to breed it - skip it - that is one ugly pastel which won't get any better looking and won't make you any beautiful offspring - there's enough ugly out on the market don't ad to it. There are some really nice quality pastels out there if you want to breed start with good stock.
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Tosha
JET Pythons
Toshas Blog

IMO if you aren't sure by looking at it whether or not it is a pastel, than it probably isn't worth it irregardless of what it is. If its a good looking pastel, there won't be any questions at all.

it's what I tell everyone whether they are buying from me or not. Yes I've seen nice pastels come from ugly ones but that is not the typical outcome. I actually believe there is alot of work that can be done to improve the pastel gene without crossing it into other morphs (like the vanilla and fire). I also think that if the breeder puts in the time and effort into producing top of the line pastels, the knowlegable buying public will pay for it as well. My question to everyone is this, if you are a hobby level breeder, like most of us are. Why are soo many of you making due with the cheapest animal you can find and not the best available? I mean is $50 or $75 more worth it when you have to come on here and ask if the animal is the morph in question?

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Josh & Krysty Hutto
J&K Reptiles

Various Ball Pythons, boas, dogs, cats, fish, an amel tiger retic female, a couple sulcatas and a few other odds and ends.

a BAD dog is MADE not bred, support the American Pit Bull Terrier as the greatest breed of dogs on Earth!!!!!

Good question Josh. I've found many are looking for the best buy, whether it's a good looking example of the morph or not. We've had several turn away from quality snakes we were selling because we wouldn't lower the price to beat the new low posted last week or the week before.

There are still some of us out here that buy quality and are willing to pay for it . . .
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Alice Cobb
Florida Reptile Room

Josh VERY VERY well put and Alice I agree with what you said 100%. Hell I had a guy try to tell me that Im putting sentimental value on a snake because I wouldnt drop the price $70 bucks to make a sale so I told him that I would eat the animal before I drop it any lower than they already are.
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Damian Macioce
www.strongholdreptiles.com

dont freak out just yet...here a pic of my female that i got from ken leifler from koldbloodedkrazy..she is a lil dark but a great feeder..thanks again ken

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BRIAN FONTAINE
EXOTIC CONSTRICTOR REPTILE'S

I'd say it's a Pastel. Maybe not the best but if you are looking to get into a Patel Pied Project on the cheap go for it. The worst that can happen is it turns out to be just a dark Pastel. Best case it turns out to be a 100% het and you produce some nice Pastel Pieds. Good luck either way. JP

Here's a picture of my female pastel when I first got her back in Dec of 2006.

Now here is a picture of her now at 2 years old.

Some baby pastels may look just like some nice coloured normals but to what I've seen on some. They tend to mature into a really bright coloured adults.
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Phil Red Hernandez-

Belly clear? Eyes green?
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"What is man without the beasts?
If all the beasts were gone,
men would die from great loneliness of spirit.
For what happens to the beasts,
soon happens to men.
All things are connected."

-Chief Seattle (Duwamish Tribe)

Yes its a pastel if you want to see an ugly pastel heres a girl I recieved in a trade that needless to say I wasnt to happy about. But the guy offered to take her back. She was in shed in this pic but even so shes still pretty damn bad looking.

This pic was awhile after the other shes getting better looking but not something I would prefer to use as breeding stock. Shes about 800 grams as of right now.


But thats why I personally prefer lemon line pastels here are some I produced in 07

And a male I gave to my son that I produced in 06

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Damian Macioce
www.strongholdreptiles.com

I'll give you $50 plus shipping for the ugly female pastel.
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"What is man without the beasts?
If all the beasts were gone,
men would die from great loneliness of spirit.
For what happens to the beasts,
soon happens to men.
All things are connected."

-Chief Seattle (Duwamish Tribe)

LOL shes about 800 grams or so Im going to raise her up and sell her for a bit more than that Thanks anyway
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Damian Macioce
www.strongholdreptiles.com

I'm with toshamc if you aren't sure then pass, not point in risking
it.

For sure.