Being a lover of alterna, as all of you are, I have often wondered about the determinations of how the colors of alterna develop from babies to adults, if any?? In other words, is there any way to tell at all, if you examine closely all colors of a baby alterna, either how dark or how light the gray coloring can or will develop????

For instance, if one is trying to pick out a grayband and desires the gray to be darker as an adult, are their certain aspects and characteristics to look for?

Same with the instance if someone is wanting to pick out a grayband but would wish the gray to be lighter. Any certain aspects to look for??

Is there areas either on the head or belly to be looking for? What about the general black tipping??

Is there any instances of colors being difference between males and females????

Are certain localites completely consistent with certain colors and patterns????

In the nineties, when I purchased my first pair of graybands, the cleaner blairs, which was a male, became brighter gray, while the female became darker, as they matured into adults.

My Sanderson locality male blairs was a medium gray as a baby, but the gray became darker as he got older.

My 277 pictured below is an extremely dark adult with bright orange. I purchased him as an adult, so at times, I have often wondered what he looked like as a baby.



My generic blairs below, I purchased as a 2005 yearling, and he looks the exact same as he did when I purchased him 5 years ago:



So, as I love to learn all about what I have and alterna are among the most fascinating animals the good Lord ever created, I would love to hear from all of those with any and all experience, whose input I would greatly value, about this subject of characteristics of determing outcome of coloration, if any, in regards to alterna. I would find it fascinating to hear about your experiences.

Thanks and appreciate any info.




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Genesis 1:1

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