The Tri Stripe story goes something like this.....
We received the Tri Stripe in 2001 as a baby ball. Yes it really was that long ago. He is 9 now and breeding as I write this post. With all the excitement going on at that time in ball pythons we were really working hard on other projects. This just became a back burner project that sat in the corner of the room.
In 2005 he produced two clutchs and to our then disapointment nothing looked unusual in fact they looked like normal offspring. With all the co doms popping up then we were really hopping for some immediate results. So now it really became a back burner project. Little hope was left that it could prove out to be a recessive trait.
We kept the offspring in hopes something would come out of it in the future. Then in 2008 we had two female possible hets big enough to breed. During this same time we had another back burner project that was on the same time line the "Chocloate Fade". The Chocolate fade eggs were first and we really thought that this trait was going to prove out. Well after a couple clutches there was nothing. So our hopes for the Tri Stripe project were not very high. In fact I really did not think this one would prove out. There have been many striped animals that have not proven out. We thought this was just another one of them at this point.
To our surprise in fact it did prove out and there was some serious smiles happening in the snake room that day. How amazing to really have it happen. I remember cutting open eggs after the first one stuck its head out. The excitment of seeing something new is just what keeps you hooked on these ball pythons.
So the reason you have not seen many around is there are not that many around. Until it was proven out in 2008 we did not breed the Tri Stripe to anything else making any double hets. So 2009 was the first year to really get the project up and going. Monday quarter backing is great and looking back had we known what we do now I would have had that male breeding making double hets for years but who knew.
This is a great illustration for the new people out there who were not around in the early pioneer days of balls. Just look at the time put into this one project. Seven years to see it through to the proving point. That is a long time to put into a project that is unproven. Cage space that was at a premium, rodents, cleaning etc for seven years for a group of animals. But now there is a project that is proven that will be as popular as albinos, piebalds & clowns. Yes those projects took Clark, Kahl and Barkers some time to prove out as well. Not sure it took them 7 years but they did take time.
Any ways to all the early ball python breeders that have been through this you know this story. You have lived it. Balls are awesome and good luck to all in this coming season of new balls to be produced. To the new people out there that have just come to see how awesome these creatures are you have the largest palette ever to create morphs that we could never have dreamed of years ago, well Kevin could have as he sold his soul to know the future morphs 
, but other than him......back on topic my point is how cool to come in at a time where you can buy awesome clean bumble bees,Killer bees and Killer Clowns. "Super" morphs where when you produce a clutch you have no more normals but all our beautiful morphs. Do not get me wrong normals are cool too and we have our share of them. Two normal balls as pets. But one day I will be sitting here in 10-20 years watching what you the new comers will produce and I will be in awe.
Well this is probably the longest post I have ever made so it is time for me to go.
Dan Sutherland
TSK, Inc.
