Scaleless Ball Pythons?!

[Don]

Looks like Brian hit on something big:

https://twitter.com/SnakeBytesTV/sta...245312/photo/1

[RoseyReps]

:o :o :o

[ball-nut]

2 of them, nice. If I remember rightly the scaleless is super or visual and the co-dom/het lacks just a few scales. Looks amazing so far.

[Xaila]

2 of them, nice. If I remember rightly the scaleless is super or visual and the co-dom/het lacks just a few scales. Looks amazing so far.

If you watch the most recent SBtv episode he shows one with scales missing on its face/head. It looks like the totally scaleless animal is the super form of those. Can't wait to see what these guys look like when they emerge from the eggs

[decensored]

Scaleless ball pythons are not new - although BHB is working with a new gene, the dermas have been around for a little while.

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...er-if-you-dare!

[joebad976]

This is very exciting news. Hope they do well.

[SnowShredder]

Scaleless ball pythons are not new - although BHB is working with a new gene, the dermas have been around for a little while.

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...er-if-you-dare!

I believe the derma ball died a few years ago didn't it?

7. If you were to upgrade your collection, which morph would add that you do not already have in your collection? (Allan Riis)
OK, if I’m dreaming, then I will take a scaleless ball python. There was one several years ago called the Derma Ball and the guy that had it let it die. It is such a great responsibility when you have the only gene in existence and it is a shame that he didn’t send it to someone who would not let that happen. Scaleless Ball Python would be a complete game changer and whoever gets one first just hit the lottery. We know it is genetic. It is only a matter of time before one pops up. Then the bidding war will begin. I already have most of the other genes that I want. In fact, I really can’t think of a single one that I still want and don’t have. This will be a big year for us Banana/Coral Glow wise so I think a lot of people reading this will have an opportunity to add that mutation to their collection. A purple and orange co-dom ball python, it doesn’t get much better. Except for maybe the Atomic.

From an interview with Mike Willbanks

[Pythonfriend]

How does Mike Wilbanks know that the original deme ball was genetic?

i assume he assumed it because such genes are proven recessives in other snake and reptile species. Its a multi-species trait, just like albino, or (in the furry animals) hairless.

if its genetic and the one you produce dies, you still have 2 parents that are each 100% het fot it. should be enough to not have the whole project go away with the death of one snake.

even if the deme ball was genetic and the producer totally botched it and did not even realize that he can resurrect the project with the two hets he has, or with even just one het and lots of patience, there still is the thing with the missing scales right in the middle of the top of the head. No mention of that in the context of the original deme ball.

The missing scales on the head were, i believe, first described by Brian of SnakebytesTV and CEO of BHB enterprises.... in, as he said, a hatchling he picked from a larger Africa import. Please prove me wrong and tell us if that trait, missing scales on top of the head, was ever described before Brian described it.

over all, i am quite confident that the scaleless gene is confined to Brians collection right now. Thats not bad news, im sure Brian (especially since it has that obvious marker) took care to breed it out and spread it around before crossing it back to hit the super. So the IPO of the gene (seems fitting with the money involved) will start when the gene turns out to be healthy, and with individual animals that are genetically diverse. I cannot think of a better person in charge of such an operation.

[SnowShredder]

How does Mike Wilbanks know that the original deme ball was genetic?

i assume he assumed it because such genes are proven recessives in other snake and reptile species. Its a multi-species trait, just like albino, or (in the furry animals) hairless.

if its genetic and the one you produce dies, you still have 2 parents that are each 100% het fot it. should be enough to not have the whole project go away with the death of one snake.

even if the deme ball was genetic and the producer totally botched it and did not even realize that he can resurrect the project with the two hets he has, or with even just one het and lots of patience, there still is the thing with the missing scales right in the middle of the top of the head. No mention of that in the context of the original deme ball.

The missing scales on the head were, i believe, first described by Brian of SnakebytesTV and CEO of BHB enterprises.... in, as he said, a hatchling he picked from a larger Africa import. Please prove me wrong and tell us if that trait, missing scales on top of the head, was ever described before Brian described it.

over all, i am quite confident that the scaleless gene is confined to Brians collection right now. Thats not bad news, im sure Brian (especially since it has that obvious marker) took care to breed it out and spread it around before crossing it back to hit the super. So the IPO of the gene (seems fitting with the money involved) will start when the gene turns out to be healthy, and with individual animals that are genetically diverse. I cannot think of a better person in charge of such an operation.

Oh yeah I completely agree that the derma ball and Brian’s are very different. I’m not even sure how the derma ball came to be, I just remember that it had died. If I remember right it was bred once but have no clue what happened with that.

I'm very exciting about these new babies!!!

[AlleleAllureReptiles]

Scaleless ball pythons are not new - although BHB is working with a new gene, the dermas have been around for a little while.

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...er-if-you-dare!

If you watch the most recent SnakeBytesTV Brian also states that the Derma ball was 80 to 90 percent scaleless the ones he cut today are 100 percent scaleless. I just wanted to throw that in, I haven't read a lot of things about the Derma ball but that's what Brian said in the most recent episode. I hope that helps clarify things a little better.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=58C6XU_h6c4

~CRR