Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've heard that albino's are agressive and axanthic's are fierce eaters. Tell us some behaviors you've observed with your ball morph that differs from normal balls.

I do not belive that you can say that about ball pythons or people. Can't lump them. All my albinos are pussycat tame. My axanthic babies come out for food like nothing flat. How ever my axanthic adult is not the same.....
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RicK @ BbI

Ball Boutique,Inc.
The home of the singing snakes!

you can jump on me. However, it only makes sense that other characteristics are likely to be accidentally bred along with the morphs. Some of these characteristics probably include behavior tendancies but it would be difficult to ferret them out.
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(¯`·.¸¸.·´Kane`·.¸¸.·´¯)

Just myths!

I feel confident in saying that this is a myth. I own two adult male albino balls, and have owned a third that I recently sold... they were all extremely docile. I seriously doubt that these mutations that affect they're colors and patterns do not significantly affect they're temperaments. I'm not saying that it's not possible, but I feel very confident in saying that there is no data available that should sway a person toward this belief.

OK. What about het pieds being difficult feeders? I have heard this and my female is the pickiest eater out of all of my BP's.

How many het pieds you have?
I have albinos that eat like crazy and some that do not. I have normals that are a pain. Some of my het pieds are a pain too. Try gerbils!!!!!
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RicK @ BbI

Ball Boutique,Inc.
The home of the singing snakes!

One should not draw conclusions based upon observations of a single One (or even several) individuals.

But I've heard about "pied attitude" and pied lines being picky eaters enough that I'm wondering if there isn't something to it. Maybe it's a case of unrelated genes in this relatively young line or maybe it's something about the pied gene it's self. I guess if you are taking away some chemical problem to make the pattern weird it's not too far fetched that it might have other effects.

In the case of the albino attitude I wouldn't be at all surprised if it's unrelated genes that someone bred into some of the lines along the way and not the actual albino gene at all.

I have them from Corey Woods, Steve Roussis, Jack Briggs (designersnakes.com), John Manser, Morph King, John Romeo (Harbor Reptiles), and the picky eater is the one from HCE (no longer in business, for those of you who know about the alleged leader in fake het pied scams). I wanted to start the project with good genetic diversity. They all eat rats, most of them F/T. The John Manser male fed on F/T rats until he was cycled and bred this season and has not resumed feeding yet, but none of my adult male normals have yet either (I cycled them late, started breeding in April, expect eggs in late July). Even the sub-adults continued to feed and grow well over the winter. They're all great eaters and I'm pleased with how well they're growing. I expect to be seeing some white next summer!
Paul

How big are the females?

I hope they all keep eating.

Perhaps it's just that since people have spent so much on het pieds that it makes a big impression when one doesn't eat well causing the impression that it’s a bigger problem than it really is. Come to think of it even in my limited experience I've had some balls in all of my projects stop eating, often close to breeding size. I just don't worry about it too much since I don't have much invested in them.

Sorry for the delayed response, away for the weekend.
02's are about 1200g (not counting HCE female).
03's are 500 to 700g.
I've acquired them all within the last year.
Thanks, I hope they keep eating well too!
Paul