Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So... Two days ago I posted a photos of the twins hatching out of my suboc clutch. Those two have emerged -- two blonde boys -- and are doing great.

Imagine my complete shock last night when I found this:

It seems I will be getting nine hatchling from seven eggs! And there are still three eggs left to pip...

Here is the bummer part: I sold my adult pair this summer. This is their fourth clutch, and there have been no twins in the past. They did, however, throw a silver with patches of blonde (or was it blonde with patches of silver? I don't remember) a couple years ago. I hope the pair brings good luck to their new owner as well.

Ronda
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Ronda Van Winkle
Northwest Herpetoculture

awesome clutch......i may even be interested in some of those young (hint, hint)

keith
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I'm not sure I want popular opinion on my side -- I've noticed those with the most opinions often have the fewest facts.

Oh MAN I can't wait till next year!! Ronda, you'll be the first one to know if the pair throws more twins.

Just.... wow.
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1.1 Corns (Rev Okeetee, Ghost)
4.6 Trans Pecos Rats (Norms, Blondes and Axanthics)
4.4 Honduran Milks (Anery, Hypo, Albino, Tang Albino and hets)
2.1 Ball Pythons, all het normal
1.1 Mandarin Rats
1.1 Dumeril's Boas
0.1 Greyhound

You've got to be kidding me? Congratulations!

Yes, too bad you sold the parents. Is this genetic? Well, in humans it seems to be.

Sacha

I don't know if twins are genetic in snakes or not. This is my fourth clutch from this pairing, and there haven't been any twins in the past. I'm sure Ellen will let us know if there are any twins in future clutches!

The only thing I did differently this year (and it wasn't even intentional), was a cooler incubation temperature. I wouldn't think incubation temp would affect the occurrance of twins though.

I even checked the surrounding eggs to make sure a hatchling hadn't cut through the top of one and into the bottom of another, making it appear like there are two snakes in one egg. Not the case though... these are genuine twins!

Crazy. I'll post in a couple days with a final count on the hatchlings.

Ronda

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Ronda Van Winkle
Northwest Herpetoculture

LOL, that would be even funnier if a snake was trying to trick you. "Hey, I'm going to trick Ronda into thinking she had twins and sneak into my siblings' egg (he,he)".

Sacha

Twinning is not genetic in people or snakes. It is just a spliting of genetic material early in development, natural cloning. I heard it is actually very common, but more often than not one of the twins dies.

Those two look silver, what were the adults that threw these babies?

The adults are both blondes, het for silver.

I'll be posting pics of them soon.
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1.1 Corns (Rev Okeetee, Ghost)
4.6 Trans Pecos Rats (Norms, Blondes and Axanthics)
4.4 Honduran Milks (Anery, Hypo, Albino, Tang Albino and hets)
2.1 Ball Pythons, all het normal
1.1 Mandarin Rats
1.1 Dumeril's Boas
0.1 Greyhound

That should make those babies blond and silver genotypes, right? Can you tell them apart from normal silver hatchlings, or do they look the same?

Ronda-

Wow!!! That is so unheard of. Talk about hitting the lottery!
"Bubbles", the yellow-orangish blonde male I bought from you as a yearling in '03, is doing great. He is in a phase right now of only eating live. "Twitching" the mouse on my 12" forceps does not even work. Oh well. He is as healthy as can be though.
I wish I could buy some from you, but I am purchasing some triple hets and my wife has pulled the plug on my snake purchasing ability for the next couple of years.

Take care!
Dusty
p.s. by the way...need any corns?