changing skin..

Is it possible for a norm bp to morph? take for example... before my first bp sheded its old skin... her skin was dark... now that she has sheded... she has gotten much lighter! could this just be because its fresh scales? or could it actually be a change in skin? would this be something to worry about? or to be excited about lol..?

I've seen pictures of bp's that have shed and changed to some really strange colorations...usually a normal gold/brown coloration along their spine, and then a sharp change to an axanthic looking coloration along their sides. Typically, they stay that way for a while, and then shed back to normal. No one (that I know of) knows what causes it. It's pretty rare, but not unheard of. (I'll see if I can find a picture)


Usually, though, I think they just look "fresher" right after a shed. More a matter of perception than them actually changing colors.

So far as I know...any normal bp that sheds into another color is not a "genetic morph" but an anomoly that people are still trying to figure out.

EDIT: Couldn't find the pictures I was looking for. And I remembered something else to note. There is also the "IMG" ball...which stands for Increasing Melanin Gene. Supposedly with each shed, the snake gets darker, and again, so far as I know, it is a phenomenon that has not been proven genetic.

Some snakes get darker as they get older, but they also appear darker while they are in shed, and lighter post shed (normally).

Pastels for example can start off bright yellow, and as they age and shed, they get darker. The higher quality, more sought after pastels hold their yellow better.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ace-of-spades

Is it possible for a norm bp to morph?

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No. A normal is just that .... normal. ;)

-adam

http://myspace-138.vo.llnwd.net/0065...59992138_l.jpg


well here is a pic.... the one on the left is the new one... she is about 2 months old... the one on the left is my old one... she is about 8 months.. before her shed... she was a little bit lighter than the new one... now she really sticks out...

thats normal. they just look really bright or "fresher", as Judy said, after a shed.

EDIT: i found the thread that Daniel did with before and after shed contrast but the pics aren't there anymore. sorry.

ok ^_^ its always ok to ask... it also lets other ppl read and learn.

Marshall, That pic is the very last one in the "Shedding Process" article that I wrote.

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=28794