Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am getting ready to invest in albino ball pythons. Would like to get some feedback from experianced breeders regarding breeding "high contrast" males to typical het females. Would this yield a lower % of high contrast animals than breeding to hets from high contast parents?
Thanks,
Tad

From what I hear....they all fade out....but it is nice to see a nice high contrast animal as a baby....

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Luke Martin
Bronze Serpent Reptiles

I agree totally with Luke on this, "high contrast " albinos are produced in the same clutches as normal looking albinos. The fact is most high contrast albinos do NOT retain the crisp contrast as adults ,in fact the yellow/orange often times "bleeds" into the white as the animal matures, this is something that I and many others have noticed and happens regardless of what genetic line it comes from. Albino balls are awesome regardless but in my opinion they do look their best as babies. I have had a few hold their colors quite well but they still look better as babies to me. Anthony McCain-McCain's Reptiles. www.albinoballs.com

Thanks for the feedback, I'm guessing then that the high yellow albino photos in "The Ball Python Manual" are juviniles. When compared to the pale albino on the previous page they are dramaticaly different in their intensity of color. I'm assuming the "High Yellow" is the same as the "High Contrast"? So it sounds like the "High Contrast" albino is more of a marketing ploy than truley a more intensley colored albino.
Tad

I have 2 albinos, both around the 1000 gram mark.

The male was a crisp baby with intense yellow, but was sold as a normal albino. His bright color is gone as an adult. His crisp BRIGHT pattern is also gone.

Infact it is very hard to see the actual pattern of the snake as most all of it bleeds together making the snake look almost a solid banana color with no pattern.

Now I also have a female albino from the NERD which was sold to me as a HIGH-CONTRAST albino. As a baby she looked just like my male albino.

As she aged yes her colors fadded with less intense yellow, BUT her pattern is still crisp and clean and does not bleed into the white areas AT ALL on the snake.

I can see the difference I like the high-contrast snake better, but as adults its not a dramatic difference. If the high-contrast-albinos held the bright yellow as adults with the high-contrast pattern, then I guess you could make a big deal about them.

Will have to get some photos of my albinos together soon, just don't want to bother the female, she is on a 5 month fast and I am really starting to get sick about it.

Damon,
Thanks for the response, would love to see some pics.
Tad

np
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Luke Martin
Bronze Serpent Reptiles