Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have two questions for those of you more expreienced than I am(many)
First, if a snake is neglected(and those of you that have rescued snakes might know this) what happens when you start feeding them? Do they remain a smaller size and and get fat or do they reach their potential size and grow?

Second, what is it with the white belly, ivory belly, yellow belly thing what happened while I was sick. I know some new morphs were produced but I have seen insane prices. What are they looking for? Hey, I have two female normals that have nothing but white on their belly scales. I have a female that is dark chocolate and she is the same way. What am I sitting on $30,000 to $45,000 worth of snakes? That can't be correct. Please some fill in and some science. I know the old way they would look for new morphs besides wild colors. Just a bit of help to get me up to speed.
Cheers,
R.W.Brennan

I would not consider myself with a ton of experience but i am pretty sure I can answer this. First, the neglected snakes. From what I have taken in and seen these snakes can do well when you feed them (assuming you can get them to). I took in a slightly thin male and began feeding it a small or medium rat roughly once a week and it shed twice a month consistantly for a while. My guess is it had some growing to make up for lol. I would say that is rapid for a snake that was about 10 years old. I helped a guy out that had to get rid of his python he purchased in college because his wife and inlaws wanted toget rid of the dnagerous python since they had a baby on the way. I told him there was no way it could eat or kill their baby but he just wanted to please the family. He took descent care of it but did not feed it near as much as it should have been fed. Anyway, that is one example and I have seen others bulk up as well when they adjust to the diet change. Now for the yellow belly question. They have a strange checker appearance along the sides of the belly and have a unique look on the side of the snake as well. They are the het. for Ivory ball pythons so that is why they are high priced. You might have one but it is unlikely. as far as clear belly...just looks nice. snakes with yellow on the belly...I think looks bad but to each their own and either way..it is not a yellow belly (go figure). Hope that answers things for you. glad to hear you are better after being sick.