Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I wanted to get some opinions on an interesting observation I made in my first two clutches of tri-hogs. My first clutch had 9 hatchlings and two were much brighter than the rest. Almost a more orange color than the darker red of all the others. I assumed that they were just nice bright specimens, but I was amazed out how noticably different they were from the other seven. When you looked at the whole group you could easily see the 2 "nice" ones. I noted that it was approx. 25% of the clutch and started to dream of a recessive gene that created beautiful brite tricolored hogs. My second clutch came along with 11 hatchlings and low and behold 2 of the 11 were this same brighter color. I began to wonder if it really might be something genetic at work.
The pictures do not do justice to the difference, it is much more obvious to the naked eye, but you get the idea. One picture is of the 2 snakes from the first clutch with 3 siblings for comparison and another picture is of the 11 hatchlings after their first shed.
It should be interesting to see how their color turns out as they grow.

after breeding 40 or more tri-hogs last year I think you just get some that look lighter and some darker in each clutch. some of the lighter ones lose most of there color as they grow and some of the darker ones get better looking as they grow. so you just never know. but that just what I have noticed from mine. maybe someone else can say what they have seen in theres? thanks.

JIM

Nice looking neonates, do not hold me to it, but I beleive Mark & Kim Bell are working with some Hypo tri-colcored hogs. I have not bred tri-colcored hogs enough to make a sound judgement whether yours are hypos or not. May want to call Mark Bell for further insight.

I have a pair from Tom Pinson that came from a screamer low black female of his (deceased). Jim D. is right, they are easy to breed and seem to double or triple clutch with ease....great serpents. Have a clutch of nine incubating now, and she is ready to drop again!!

if so what is it ? I couldnt find it.

thanks.

JIM

Sorry Jim....I talked to them last year on the phone and for the life of me, I can not find the number. If I find it I will e-mail you their number. I do not beleive they have a web site. Can someone help?

These tri-colored hogs are one of the easist to breed, my female laid nine eggs again last night (second clutch). I will now try to reduce her overall food intake which hopefully will be a factor in her not producing another clutch, I do not want her to "stress" her system out with the development of another clutch. Has anyone had a triple clutch from these animals with what they beleived to be no adverse health aspects upon the female?

On the topic of trying to determine the final outcome of these animals from their neonate coloration, this year I will try to hold back the ones that have the least black bellies, keeping the most redish and white bellied individuals. I have had some success in this method with other colubrid tricolored species. Has anyone held back low black bellied babies which matured into heavy black tipped and/or blackish individuals with an overall sheen?

Thanks, Ken

I'd have to agree, i have kept back very pale ones with no black flecking at all and they went dark! The one that interests me more is the one in the second picture with the circles on, i have 2 like it, one is 6 months and has kept the circles! The other is only 3 weeks old1
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www.hognose.co.uk

Something Im also wondering is if we are inadvertantly breeding differrent species fo tricolours together, I have had some fantastic abberrent clutches this year like yours, but have never seen a wildcaught animal with the same? Anyone else noticed this?

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www.hognose.co.uk

The snake in the bottom left hand corner was the most abberrent but is now almost totally black with a red and black chequered belly.
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www.hognose.co.uk

I've wondered that too. How often do you think people are inadvertedly hybridizing pulcher, semicinctus or other species? I was told that both my breeders are pulcher but then I see other pictures of pulcher that have retained their red pattern unlike mine.

My point EXACTLY!
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www.hognose.co.uk

Are you or anyone else putting up any Tri-color neonates in the classifieds. I have enjoyed my Western's very much and am interested in getting 1.1 pair of Tri-colors this year.