I feel like the statistical side of genetics may not be fully understood. Realistically, genetics is just another form of a study of statistics.



In what is termed "Mendelian" genetics (involving genes that are inherited simply, with 2 alleles at 1 locus), which is what we are largely dealing with in Ball Pythons (as well as most other reptile morphs), we use Punnett Squares to figure out expected outcomes of certain breedings. These expected outcomes are really probability figures. Statistically, in 100 identical breedings, the offspring of all 100 breedings can be expected to display genotypes and phenotypes in the Punnett Square proportions. The outcome of each individual breeding does not need to resemble the Punnett square very closely on its own.



When you consider a clutch of eggs, the Punnett Square probabilities are not necessarily applied to the clutch as a whole; the probabilities of each possible outcome are more accurately applied to each egg! This is where statisticians might start getting way too excited.



As a breeder with a goal, it is important to understand Punnet Squares not only to understand what crosses will meet our own goals, but also what other possible outcomes exist from a given breeding... and then the best thing you can do is use a cross that gives you the highest probability of producing what your goal.



~Rebecca
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0.1 Dumeril's Boa '04 (Courtney)

1.2 Ball Pythons

[1.0 '05 Orange Hypo (Specter)]

[0.1 '05 Het Orange Hypo (Sylvia)]

[0.1 '03 Normal (Sue)]

0.2 American Pit Bull Terriers (40lb darling lap dogs:Brandy&Mara)

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