Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi,

I'm interested in purchasing a male "circleback", "laddertail" Columbian. Are the characteristics considered a co-dominant trait?

If I was to breed a male "circleback", "laddertail" what percentage of the litter would have that pattern?

Thanks,

Vake J.

I'm no expert, but I don't believe either of these are generally inheritable traits. I could be wrong, but I always thought they were just pattern abberancies. For example, many mainland Nicaraguan boa constrictors have a circleback pattern. It could probably be selectively bred for, but I don't think it's recessive, co-dominant, or anything like that. I hope that helps.

Both laddertail and circleback can be seen seperatly or together,
and both or either may or may not be genetically inheritbale.
Some strains may be, some may just be normal pattern anormalies.
Only with multuple breedings can either trait be proved, and I
don't know if anyone is really doing that, I do know Rick S. who
posts here sometimes bred a circleback to a normal and about
half the babies came out circleback (more breedings will prove
this trait, which seems genetic). I have a laddertail where half
the babies had laddertail traits and I am hoping a few years of
breedings will prove that out as well.
I think so many people are not interested in this pattern morph
and just assume it is normal variation.. it may be, but we will
see. I hope we can find some genetic strains, I happen to
think it is a nice look.
Good luck
-April

Hey Vake, I also thought at one time they were simply pattern aberrancies. I would think, 'this guy has got some b@lls selling these normal but aberrant columbians for 3x normal price!

There are people out there - I believe it was the people from Giant Snake Keepers recently (forgive me if i'm wrong)- who were focused on proving this 'gene' out and did produce several circleback laddertails.

This year I also produced some. I bred a 8' female with a very stong circleback/connecting pattern and lots of orange to a orange pastel male who was 'sort of' circleback.
She dropped 37 live babies, 9 slugs and 2 stillborn on 5-21.
Out of these, most are circlebacks, and the rest are either 'semi-circleback' or fairly normal in regards to saddle positioning and pattern.
I did get some INTENSE color out of those babies, and I even had 1 baby about 70% striped! who knows how that happened.who were focused on proving this 'gene' out and did produce several circleback laddertails.

This year I also produced some. I bred a 8' female with a very stong circleback/connecting pattern and lots of orange to a orange pastel male who was 'sort of' circleback.
She dropped 37 live babies, 9 slugs and 2 stillborn on 5-21.
Out of these, most are circlebacks, and the rest are either 'semi-circleback' or fairly normal in regards to saddle positioning and pattern.
I did get some INTENSE color out of those babies, and I even had 1 baby about 70% striped! who knows how that happened..

SO, with that said, I have reason to believe that the gene is co-dominant, kind of like that of a hypo/salmon boa. I you breed one circleback/laddertail to a normal, you should get approximately half normal half circleback - BUT!!!! - the thing is knowing if that circleback parent was produced by circlebacks or if it was just a boa with slight aberrancies....

Give me a call, we can talk more..

Those first babies have shed and fed twice and are ready to go.
This second bunch with the circlebacks have just shed a couple of days ago.

Thanks , Joe Rollo