About time I said Hi!

Ok, I've joined lots of forums over the years but never felt such trepidation as I have signing up here. I guess its because I've been a really long time lurker. I've been reading this forum for almost two years, with more than a year and a half of that 5+ days a week.

Not only that but there are some really great people on here. I've seen people share their knowledge and try to help others in very inspiring ways. I appreciate all the things I've learned while reading here.

Here comes the scary part. I am a ball python breeder. Albeit new (two years) and I've only produced two clutches (with three more in the incubator and 4-5 more females to go this year) I've already proved out a dinker and breed a four gene snake (Enchi Super Pastel Spider). In a former life I studied to become a genetics engineer, but life's strange path took me down the road of software engineer for my career. I also spent 14 years in the US military.

My love for genetics got me into ball pythons, two of my snakes (both Pastel Spiders) stole my heart. I love animals and have a big koi pond, was raised on a farm. But ball pythons are special, I can see why so many people are so passionate about these animals.

My kids are great contributors to the care of our snakes and rats. My youngest son loves his rats and does a huge share of the work. Two of my girls love the snakes and play with them every night at cleaning time. They come to me constantly with new projects, "Dad, we have the genes to make this, let's do it!". The Enchi Super Pastel Spider is step one to their favorite snake (already named, Marshmello) Calico Enchi Super Pastel Spider.

So I am officially here and no longer a lurker.

Welcome, good sir!

Welcome to the forum SamO.

Great to have you be "Official" and all that! love the story and would love to see some pictures of your snakes and family! Welcome

Ok, here are some of our snakes.

The three from Batman's clutch. We bought a hyper melanistic male from Outback Reptiles (Mike is very nice) and another female. The male was (as I said) very dark, so my kids started joking about the "Dark Knight" not knowing Mike had made a similar reference in his advertisement. The Dark Knight soon became "Batman" and the name stuck. Here are his babies:

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima...ndedclutch.jpg

And one of the two banded males (mine):
http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima...ndedmalesm.jpg

Then there is Logan. His mother, and one of my favorite snakes, Miss Lightning laid her clutch under the butcher paper and on the newspaper. Logan's egg had that name printed on it when we removed the eggs. My kids made sure we knew what egg that was through the whole process. The egg did not candle well, so we incubated at 88 degrees instead of 89 to let Logan have longer to grow. He was the first one out of the egg, go figure.
http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima...ches/logan.jpg

His clutch mates:

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima...oganclutch.jpg
And post shed?

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima...ganclutch2.jpg

Welcome! I've been an active member of this forum since October 2010! I wouldn't be where I am today, or know what I know, without this community. You chose a great forum to join!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SamO

Ok, I've joined lots of forums over the years but never felt such trepidation as I have signing up here. I guess its because I've been a really long time lurker. I've been reading this forum for almost two years, with more than a year and a half of that 5+ days a week.

Not only that but there are some really great people on here. I've seen people share their knowledge and try to help others in very inspiring ways. I appreciate all the things I've learned while reading here.

Here comes the scary part. I am a ball python breeder. Albeit new (two years) and I've only produced two clutches (with three more in the incubator and 4-5 more females to go this year) I've already proved out a dinker and breed a four gene snake (Enchi Super Pastel Spider). In a former life I studied to become a genetics engineer, but life's strange path took me down the road of software engineer for my career. I also spent 14 years in the US military.

My love for genetics got me into ball pythons, two of my snakes (both Pastel Spiders) stole my heart. I love animals and have a big koi pond, was raised on a farm. But ball pythons are special, I can see why so many people are so passionate about these animals.

My kids are great contributors to the care of our snakes and rats. My youngest son loves his rats and does a huge share of the work. Two of my girls love the snakes and play with them every night at cleaning time. They come to me constantly with new projects, "Dad, we have the genes to make this, let's do it!". The Enchi Super Pastel Spider is step one to their favorite snake (already named, Marshmello) Calico Enchi Super Pastel Spider.

So I am officially here and no longer a lurker.

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Welcome! Always great to have another science minded individual in the forum.

So because of the request to see my snakes I started to attempt to do a "collection" shoot. It's my first time at such an attempt and I did not get very far in my collection. But what I did get I'm going to share here, along with a few breeder pictures of some individuals who are away on breeder trades.

I'd like to do this in several different posts - though I know some forums frown on that behavior. I hope I don't break any rules. I have read through the rules and don't find that listed. So here goes.

My first post on my collection is not the first snakes I bought but the first two I paired and produced offspring from. They are both from TSK. The first snake is Gandalf (Mystic). I don't know all the history on him but this is my story the way I tell it. I *think* he is out of Africa, I also think he is 8 years old and is one of the gentlest snakes I know. He spent a lot of time (seven years) in a big breeders facility but you would not know that by how puppy-dog-tame he is. I really like him as a breeder and a pet (I know he's not worth much as a single gene male but we all have to start somewhere).

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima...n/gandalf1.jpg

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima...n/gandalf2.jpg

The other snake I got from TSK is a Spider female named Pebbles. She is not a "nice" snake - very feisty and does strike (none of her offspring share this trait). We don't handle her much, but when we do we try to be as nice as possible so hopefully she'll get conditioned that we're not out to hurt her. Last night when cleaning her cage I was able to pick her up and put her back in her cage without a hiss or freakout. Yay!

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima...on/pebbles.jpg

Now the cool part, the holdbacks. OK, nothing GREAT here but my first holdbacks ever. We'll start small.

This is Charlotte a Spider. Great snake and good eater. One year old.

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima.../charlotte.jpg

Her brother, a Mystic (who still is unnamed):

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima...on/mystic1.jpg

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima...on/mystic2.jpg

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima...on/mystic3.jpg

Look at the flames on him! And the color contrast (compared to his father). We like him a lot (again not worth much, single gene male and all).

And the snake we were trying to get from that pairing (a step toward our goal of Mojave Mystic Spider) a Mystic Spider named Starfire (yes there is a mustard joke there if you know it).

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima.../starfire1.jpg

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima.../starfire2.jpg

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima.../starfire3.jpg

The next story is about two of our dinkers - we have a lot of those. We bought these two from Outback Reptiles. I am very pleased with them so far.

This is Azula: Orange Granite Dinker female. First the breeder picks and then mine:

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima...on/azulab1.jpg

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima...on/azulab2.jpg

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima...on/azulab3.jpg

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima...ion/azula1.jpg

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima...ion/azula2.jpg

Next is Batman (previously introduced but unpictured):

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima...on/batman1.jpg

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima...on/batman2.jpg

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima...on/batman3.jpg

Now for the fun part. Batman proved to be genetic, not for the hypermelanistic color we had hoped for, but for a recessive pattern mutation we think is the same as the "Banded" listed on World Of Ball Pythons (by Corey Woods). Here are two females who we think are het for the banded gene.

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima...on/aurora1.jpg

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima...on/aurora2.jpg

And the second:

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima...ction/dot1.jpg

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima...ction/dot2.jpg

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima...ction/dot3.jpg

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima...ction/dot4.jpg

Where to go from here... Hmmmmm.... Well these are sort of run-of-the-mill snakes, just parts of our collection, but we love every one of them.

B2 was unnamed for the longest time, proposed names where Alien, Wonky, R2B2. While I got into ball pythons because of their genetics this snake (and my other Pastel Spider) stole my heart. They are great snakes in terms of personality and behavior. They want to hang out with you, crawl on the cleaning table, great eaters, rarely are in a grumpy mood and that includes having laid eggs.

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima...ection/B21.jpg

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima...ection/B22.jpg

Next is Bracelet. We had a hard time getting her started. We had to assist feed her. Man was she easy compared to other snakes (looking back). She got the name Bracelet because of why balls are called Royals and because she would wrap herself around your wrist and refuse to leave. She would ride there as long as we were in the snake room. Now she's just a sweet female.

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima...on/braclet.jpg

Cookie is a Pastel Pinstripe (yeah, I know Lemon Blast) who is one of my favorites.

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima...ion/cookie.jpg

Horus is a Yellow Belly male.

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima...tion/horus.jpg

A Mohave female named Rocky Road.

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima.../rockyroad.jpg

Oh yeah, my Super Pastel female (in shed, as always). This girls sheds every six weeks so regularly you could set a clock by her. And she does NOT eat while in shed.

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima.../sprinkles.jpg

Another Mojave named Thief female (non photo girl):

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima...ion/thief1.jpg

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima...ion/thief2.jpg

Last is the father of the babies you'll see later. Kind of a grumpy snake, always looks like he's thinking about biting you but he never has actually bitten or even struck that I can think of. His name is Pikachu (named by my adopted grandson) and is an Enchi Pastel (in shed).

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima...on/pikachu.jpg

Ok, not last, I forgot Big Moma. Woma female, so much fun, she hisses at you almost every time you take her our of her cage but it's just a bluff. As soon as you have her in your hand she's great for the next 1/2 hour or so. She's often my ride along snake for cleaning sessions, she loves to watch all the action of cleaning.

http://user.xmission.com/~ramcat/ima...on/bigmoma.jpg