Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have only produced a handful of albino/sunglow boas so am unsure how often babies pop up with some black coloration. Produced this sunglow this year which has some grey patches and several all black scales. Is this just all part of the variation in coloration or not so common. I have produced a few hypos that gained black flecking as they matured. Would be cool if this guy did likewise. FYI a forum search is useless.

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Rick Staub

People are still trying to pin this down . . . . . . one good possibility that Paul Hollander
has suggested over the past few years is that this is a Chimera.

I believe the Paradox are born with all of the black pigment they will ever develop . . . . . .
but honestly I don't and can not remember anyone discussing this point.

. . . Lar M
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Boas By Klevitz

I Support USark.org

The genetic Chimera is an interesting theory. I am happy to test that for anyone who has a paradox/calico animal and also at least one of the parents. I need shed skins from the offspring, and its parents, at least one. If a genetic chimera, this offspring will have resulted from the fusion of either multiple sperm with the egg, or two, or more fertilized eggs. Thus, the genetic characteristics of the offspring will reflect this. If you want to contact me at my lab email, search Google for "Warren Booth" and "The University of Tulsa". You can get all of my details there.

Warren
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Dr Warren Booth / Director USARK
North Carolina State University
Department of Entomology

Thx Dr. Booth that could clear up a lot of questions . . . . .
that is for certain

. . . Lar M
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Boas By Klevitz

I Support USark.org

Hi Dr.Warren Booth,

I will try and save you some sheds form my paradox sunglow baby, hypo paradox father and albino mother. I will also try and save any from the siblings I still have that are albino, sunglow, and hypo for you to. I should be able to give them to you at the Tinley park show.

take care
Tom
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McCarthyBoas.com

Fantastic. I will be at the Matlock Morphs table during the show.

Warren
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Dr Warren Booth / Director USARK
North Carolina State University
Department of Entomology

will my theory that it's caused by the cells trying to fix genetic damage. genes tend to delete harmful traits. the more genetically diverse an animal the more it tends to throw out harmful traits. one of the reasons that hypos tend to thrive so will is that most are Panamanian crosses to Colombian blood lines giving a whole new set of genes. so when the embryo is still developing some cells throw out the albino gene because it's harmful to survival in the wild. depending on how far into the development stag this happens causes more or less pigment to be shown. so if it happened at two cells rather then say 8 cells you would have a 1/2 normal animal verse a 1/8 normal etc... this would also explain why some of the paradox albinos have giving birth to normals rather then all albinos in paradox to albino litters. if the cell that "fixed" the albino gene occurred in a gamete cell then it would pass on the normal gene.

Where did you hear about this theory. This is something I have never heard of in my life.

For example... How does a cell know that the lack of expression of melanine is detrimental in the wild? I am far from convinced, but await more detail.

Warren
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Dr Warren Booth / Director USARK
North Carolina State University
Department of Entomology

Poor little fella...

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Richard Ceniceros

Hey Richard,

Have you tried breeding this guy yet? Just curious. Thanks !!!

Jamess