Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello All,

Lets start this story out by giving a little history... A few years ago I purchased an Albino male and a group of 100% Het. females from the same breeder but at different times. Being Albino gene animals in this collection, I was not surprised that they were horrible feeders and slow growers. I finally got one of the 100% Het. females up to size and bred her to the Albino male. She gave me 4 eggs (lucky I got that given how small she was) and I started that infamous incubation wait period.

Over the years I have been getting better at "candleing" the eggs to identify the morphs within. On day 38 I picked up my trusty 2 "AA" cell Mag-Lite (shameless plug) and candled away. Needless to say I was pretty upset with my results as all 4 eggs had dark eyes and black pattern. Shucks! I missed it again (last season missed another different girl, 5 eggs Albino x Het. with 0 Albinos)

So along comes my day to cut the eggs so I just cut them open and check to be sure the babies are alive and they were so no big deal. First thing in the day is checking the incubator. The 100% Het. Albinos were out of the eggs and huddled up in a corner. I opened up the container and what do I see... 3 nice normals and a Sepia Surprise!

What is this little thing? Is it a Normal? An Axanthic? I don't know what it is but it is a female so it'll be going back to dad!

I contacted the breeder that produced the sire and dam animals and he said that he has had some Albino PH Jolliff Axanthics in his collection for several years and that could certainly explain something. As for now we will just have to wait and see. This little girl is not the hottest Axanthic in the world but she is certainly different from her other clutchmates.

Please tell me what you think? Is this an anomally? A normal female that is 100% Het. for Albino that just hasn't colored up yet? I have never hatched Axanthics of ANY strain so I know nothing of what they look like fresh out of the egg. All I know is she is different and was a pleasant surprise to an otherwise dull morning!

I hope everyone is having a great season... thanks a lot for reading!!

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Sean Bradley
Owner : EbN
www.ExoticsByNature.com
www.BallPythonMorphs.com
www.BoaConstrictorMorphs.com
www.CornSnakeMorphs.com

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Mike and Eric
Captive Bred Reptiles

I bred an albino to a het and recently produced 5 hets and 1 "faded" albino. Three of the hets are real light. I only have a picture of one of the hets......the first one out and the first to shed. It is pictured here with a normal for color comparison.

The light hets and the faded albino are missing most if not all of the "alien eyes" in their patterns.

I produced a light het a few years ago....at the time I thought he might be axanthic so I held him back. He has colored up and looks pretty normal now. I guess I'll be breeding him back to his mother next season........a het to het albino breeding........I thought I was through with those.....lol

I know some other breeders have produced light hets too....I think Ralph did a few years back.
Joe Compel Reptiles

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I tend to agree with the one post... Joliff Axanthic if there is the possibility of the gene already being in the bloodline.

It was like those Borneo's I hatched... the first few came out of the egg and looked 'typiucal'. Then, the freaks crawled out and I was like, "What the?!?!?!?!".

I'd keep it too! Looks like a quick way to a snow of some sort.

Matt

I had a clutch from an albino male to a poss het female last year that had the same thing, 3 normal looking hets and one that looked totally axanthic. After a couple sheds I couldn't tell the difference between him and the normal sibs. If I still have the pics I'll post them but I suck at picture taking so they're not great.
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-Dennis

Looks like this is the only one I still have.

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-Dennis