Black Scales and Pieds

[Pals BP]

Hello,

I purchased my first piebald last year and he is doing great. When I picked him up from the breeder he had a single black scale in the white area. A couple sheds later and he now has at least three peppered through the white area. I think it gives him a unique look and I don't mind at all. I am just curious if this typically happens in piebalds. If so, is it genetics or just a random occurrence? Are "high white" animals more prone to it? The father had an interesting X in the middle of the white area.

Here is dad (breeders photo)


My little guy
Baby Pic (breeder photo)


During his first week with me




Pictures from today




Thanks for looking

[Don]

Here is a little girl I hatched out last year. She has a black spot:


Here is another of my females with a black scale:


And if you look closely, you will notice a black scale on my male that is breeding:




So, yes it is fairly frequent on pieds. I think it gives them character!

[rossi46]

I didn't realize they could "develop" over time - I'll have to keep an eye out for that on my little guy! I picked him up right as he was going through his second-ever shed (about 8 weeks old, IIRC), so it might be some time?

[Pals BP]

I didn't realize they could "develop" over time - I'll have to keep an eye out for that on my little guy! I picked him up right as he was going through his second-ever shed (about 8 weeks old, IIRC), so it might be some time?

Yup, that is the main question I am getting at. How common is it for them to develop the black scales over time? And at what age does it seem to slow or stop? This little guy had one and at least another couple seemed to come out of nowhere over the past few months!

Thanks