Re: Orangebelly Color Change
The changes are so dramatic! I have no professional opinions to add, but I look forward to hearing all the theories and updates!
Re: Orangebelly Color Change
Well I'm definitely hooked; subscribed to this thread. I'd love to have one of those babies some day. Possible new gene at play here.
Re: Orangebelly Color Change
I lurk a lot but I'm sticking for this one
Sent from my iPhone 6 using Tapatalk
Re: Orangebelly Color Change
Well,
I have no explanation but I would like to add that I met a lady walking around Repticon Atlanta a couple years back. She was carrying a similar looking snake. It was just a normal but it was so black you almost couldn't see the pattern in it, sort of like an adult Black Rat Snake. I asked her what it was and she said she purchased it as a normal and a year or two later it started to change and then just kept getting darker. Until I saw this thread I hadn't seen anything else like it. It's interesting that only a couple have shown the trait and the animal throwing it doesn't show any sign of it. Was it the same pairing that produced all of the subjects?
Re: Orangebelly Color Change
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Viol8
Seems like an odd color shift over such a short period of time...
The 2012 male Orangebelly took over 16 months to start the change, and took about 4-5 months to complete the change. The 2013 female took over 13 months to start the change and we'll see how long it takes her to complete it. It has been about 1 1/2 to 2 months, and 2 or 3 sheds to go from her starting color, to where she is now.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
rlditmars
Well,
I have no explanation but I would like to add that I met a lady walking around Repticon Atlanta a couple years back. She was carrying a similar looking snake. It was just a normal but it was so black you almost couldn't see the pattern in it, sort of like an adult Black Rat Snake. I asked her what it was and she said she purchased it as a normal and a year or two later it started to change and then just kept getting darker. Until I saw this thread I hadn't seen anything else like it. It's interesting that only a couple have shown the trait and the animal throwing it doesn't show any sign of it. Was it the same pairing that produced all of the subjects?
It is very interesting that the founding animal hasn't gone through this color change. However, he has a unique color and blushing of his own. The 2 Orangebellies to show this color change are from 2 different females. I have 3 more male Orangebellies from last season. 2 are from the same pairing as the 2013 female Orangebelly and 1 is from the same male, but a different female. These 3 male Orangebellies are smaller than their sister, so any of them may still go through the color change. I would love to hang on to these 3 males to see if they change, but I may not have enough room in my racks for them, so I might have to sell these 3 male Orangebellies from last year (they are about 350 grams, and I think the color change has started once the snake reaches about 500 grams).
