Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was just wanting to share a few pictures of a few possible genetic ball pythons. I was also wondering if anyone has seen anything like this Ball python. It has silver splashes/lines over its whole body. The picture does not do the snake any justice but enough of the silver color shows so maybe you all can see it. It is a male and around 400 grams. It has been this way since I got it. The splashes are not scars.
Here is the picture

Here is another picture. I cannot seem to get the true look on the digital camera. But hopefully you get the Idea.

And now the Belly shot. You probably cannot tell but the belly has a yellow tint to the whole belly.

so whats new or a morph about this?
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-echo-

have you ever seen a nice colored normal ball with silver splashes streaking through the pattern..... I have not....I guess no one else has either or I would have had a answer to my original question. Now would I? Thanks david

But I thought any genetic anomoly has to be proven inheritable in order for it to be considered a "morph". Even a wild caught Albino wouldn't really be considered a true "morph" until it was proven simple recessive or dominant (etc). Am I wrong on this?

Chris
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"I don't know about you...but I find comfort in that." -- Cowboy

I would have to say I believe a morph to be something different from a Normal(standerd type)ball, In my opinion It doesn't have to be PROVEN to be a MORPH, I believe some of the larger breeders classifythem as UNPROVEN MORPHS. I believe we have 3 types of Morphs list as follows, PROVEN MORPHS, UnPROVEN, Designer MORPHS. But that is just my take on things. So with that said a MORPH(more Unusual LOOKING than a STANDERED NORMAL)does not have to be PROVEN just to be called a morph, If we didn't think something was going on with ball python that look different we probably would NOT have discovered HALF of the NEW PROVEN morphs of TODAY. I believe this snake in the picture below to be something, It may take 3-4 years to get the results and they may not be as I hope but I think it is Different enough to give a shot to. I may get lucky and it might be co-dom...who knows....I know I will be holding the name Silver Splash for it. Thanks DAVID

I agree with the term "unproven morph", but this simply means there is no proof that it is a morph -- hence "unproven". It may or may not be a morph. Even if it looked Leucistic, until it was proven inheritable it wouldn't be a morph...right? Are we on the same page, or am I still way off?

Chris
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"I don't know about you...but I find comfort in that." -- Cowboy

In my Opinion I would say that any VISUAL MORPH(ie Albino, Pied, Spider, Lucy, etc) would be a morph even if it is not genetic, Because I would not call a SOLID WHITE, PIED, Albino ball pythons NORMAL by any means even if it never produced anymore white snakes. It would still be classified as a MORPH, maybe a NON-genetic MORPH but never the less a Morph of what a normal ball python looks like. NOW if When ball pythons were discovered the original Balls were ALL WHITE then the NORMAL colored ONES would be morphs wouldn't they. I think anything that is NOT an ORDINARY NORMAL ball can be considered some type of MORPH from the Ordinary NORMAL(normal color and pattern). But that is just my Opinion. Thanks David

I see what you're saying, but I'm not sure I agree.

"I think anything that is NOT an ORDINARY NORMAL ball can be considered some type of MORPH from the Ordinary NORMAL(normal color and pattern)."

But there is no "NORMAL" color or pattern. Every single Ball Python has its own unique pattern/color combination. If these are all morphs, then I have a Spot Neck Ball Python, two Black Belly Ball Pythons, and an Orange-Sided Burgundy Tiger Ball Python. Since these are all one-of-a-kind animals, perhaps I should price them at $10,000 each and start my own "Bianco" line of animals. (Watch out Bell and Graziani!)

Or maybe they are simply unique Normals.

Does that make sense?

Chris =/
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"I don't know about you...but I find comfort in that." -- Cowboy

Truthfully, I would say if you have all of them that you MIGHT have a shot at some of the kool New MORPHS. I would personally like to see the BLACK BELLY BALLS you said you had. I do think you are WRONG and NORMAL ball pythons, For the most part A NORMAL Ball python is JUST that a NORMAL, Yes ball pythons very a lot but we do have a standered color and pattern that MOST not all BUT MOST would Fall UNDER. The others are Unusual Ball python and some will prove out and some will not, But I believe that anything that is NOT like the 10,000 other balls that come into the country, I mean most NORMAL balls have ETs on the side, when the ETs started getting removed we had reduced patterns but normal coloration and so on, I am not saying just because a"NORMAL" is missing something small like one or 10 ETS dots that it is a morph, I consider Morphs to be a visually noticed mark or marking that sets it a good distance from a "NORMAL", For instance How did High yellows come about--- Because they had alot more yellow than a "NORMAL". GRANITES---because The ETS were shattered. Get my point. Most of them are considered morphs of some sort. But who knows. I believe my snake to be something and until it proves me wrong I will consider it something different than a normal. Thanks David

"For instance How did High yellows come about--- Because they had alot more yellow than a "NORMAL"."

But a High Yellow isn't a morph...right?

Chris
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"I don't know about you...but I find comfort in that." -- Cowboy

Depends on how you look at it I guess....Snake keeper says... If it is really different and is genetic..... So I would say that if The high yellows produce High yellow offspring and because of The super YELLOW coloration they would be considered really different than a Normal that would make the Yellow morph of a normal ball.... That is if you looked at it that way...Someone labled high yellows that name for a reason...If they were normals why would anyone call them high yellows. We also know of at least one LINE of High yellows(lemon balls not be confused with lemon pastels) that produces white snakes. Right? But anyway a lot of people on here have negative opinions but WE will all see new and unusual morph coming out all the time this is just the tip of the ball craze. Good luck and see ya DAVID

"If they were normals why would anyone call them high yellows."

That's an easy one -- money. People want to sell snakes. Advertising a snake as "normal" wouldn't command premium prices. Advertising the same animal as "high yellow" suggests a certain level of rarity...which could command premium prices.

But it may not always be about greed. Some sellers may be extremely proud of an individual animal's beauy. The seller may believe such distinct beauty should be afforded an equally distinctive name or title.

Greed and pride. Either way...a morph is a morph; a normal is a normal. And no amount of creative salesmanship can change that.

Just My Opinion,
Chris
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"I don't know about you...but I find comfort in that." -- Cowboy

Since Dangerous hasn't chimed in on this one, guess I'll have to...

ballpython.com/page.php?topic=makemorph

I get so sick of people posting that MORPH responce by Pro Exotic. That is crazy. WHO the hell knew Lemon balls would produce LUCYs, Who the hell thought yellow bellys would produce Ivorys and everything else they produce, WHO The heck thought Fire Balls would produce Black eyed Lucys, and I think several more are out that are UNPROVEN YET. How many Yellow bellys, fire balls, Lemons do you think were imported this year...several I am sure of. Who Knew? No one until they bred them and produce the other morphs..... and NOW they are worth How MUCH....I think 35,000 for lemons, 10,000 for proven Yellow bellies, and a whopping 40-60,000 for the fire balls. But anyway I just think everyone doesn't like the fact that people are getting these weird looking possible visual hets or visual hets for little to nothing, I got my yellow belly for 30.00 and I have since gotten several more that I believe are yellow bellies also, They may not prove out but for 30-50.00 I will take that chance, females ball pythons are worth that anyway. My picture of MY 30.00 Yellow Belly...Thanks David

here it is and it was 30.00

Dave, obviously you didn't even look at the URL, much less read the article. That is not the ProExotic link...that is from ballpython.com, otherwise known as SK, SnakeKeeper, Dan and Collette Sutherland Very knowledgable people on the subject of ball python morphs. Perhaps you should give that page a look.
Katrina

I know I have see that ad on here so much I just assumed....You know what that means...LOL...I figured it out after I responded. I just got sick of people posting that other ad. My bad. But i cannot delete posts. see ya later David

Maybe it is just the pic but I don't see any silver in it at all.
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Nita Hamilton
4.9 Normal BP's, 1.0 Het Orange Ghost BP
On the way 1.0 Het Pied 0.4 Normal BP's