Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I hatched two hypo pyros that are not just pale in the dark rings, but very pale overall, sort of pinkish-orange. Here's one of them, shown with a normally-colored sibling. This hypo's about four days old now and hasn't reddened up yet but only time will tell if the color shift is permanent. It's also possible het albino.

terry

That is awesome, Terry! Congratulations.

They both look spectacular but that hypo is just gorgeous!
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n/p

Is it still considered hypo-melanistic if there is black in the pattern? It is definately different than the norm, and, pretty awesome too, but, I question a considered hypo-melanistic animal when it still has black (and that one has a lot) in the pattern. Maybe you could call it "The Dunham Opaque Pyro", you know like the "Applegate Pyro", put your name to it.

Hi Mike,
Yeah, they are hypos. The BHB hypos are just darker as babys. The dark rings still look almost normal-(but def. different when sitting next to a normal) but if you look at the kingsnake.com photo gallery, look back quite a ways and you will see a hatchling hypo SENTZ line pyro posted by threeblindmice, but check it out, it has a light brown lavender color on the head that is very hypo looking, and every other dark ring on the body too. I think in a couple more years you will be seeing more of those produced, as that same person-(who has the pics on the gallery) will be breeding the same pair this year again. I think its very interesting, all this stuff with the pyros, but after some more test breedings i think people will know a little more with them, and have a better feel for whats going on.
Jeff Teel

Thanks Jeff, I guess I'm taking the catch phrase to literally, after all it is just a fun hobby. But what if a pyro was produced with no black at all and normal looking in every other way? If that happened, then what would you call Terry's strain?

Hi Mike,
There is already a pyro with no black at all but still with normal colors. Its called the Applegate Phase pyro-(named after Bob Applegate, he was the one to first produce these), thats what the pic is-(my male). The only black on them is the head cap and some flecking here and there, but this is a 100% genetic trait. Still one of the nicest morphs of pyro-(normal color and pattern pyros are my favorites,especially low-band specimens and ones with full red caps). Applegates and sentz line hypos are my favorite morphs. Enjoy the pic,
Jeff Teel

Captive Bred Tri-colors

Nice animal. That to me is a hypo more so than the other's. The above type is obviously different than the normal, but still has just as much black as a normal. The overall shade of the animal has lightened up for sure, and I would love to see it as it grows up. Maybe hypomelanism isn't correct for it, maybe it should be hyponormalism. Anyway, obviously I'm no expert in morphology, I just call it the way I see it. If anyone can show me the light, I'm certainly open to learning about how the whole morph thing works, and what is to be considered standard trade terminology.

You take really nice pictures.

Hi Mike,
Thanks. Well as of now. Pretty much anything that isnt "normal" color, but has the light brown lavender color in the dark rinbgs are called hypos. There has been much debate over them being called T albinos, but it doesnt really end, some people call them T albinos, and others hypos. To me, with the BHB line of hypo pyros-(which come out of the same line of animals that produced albinos, infact i think the first clutch that produced the labinos had hypos in it too) to me it seems logical that hypos are part of the albino strain, just myabe not all the way there. they still have pigment, but hypos do have red looking eyes. Anyways, I'm in no way an expert, not even a beginner expert. I think there has to be DNA test done to prove exactlly whats going on with hypos. So I just gow ith the flow, its just snakes, I have fun with it.
Jeff Teel

Thanks for the info. I can't wait to see the orange in that pyro as an adult.