Snakes and Stones

Someone asked if I could post a photo of a High Expression Pastel/Orange Dream/Het Piebald vs. Low Expression in a side-by-side comparison.
I would if I could, but, I sold my low expression specimens months ago.
Below is a high expression holdback from this season. :)

Photo #458
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_y3lega.jpg
The stones were originally broken/irregular pieces of dyed Brazilian Agate bookends that did not meet quality standards.
I bought these rejects off of Ebay and I hoped the dyed color would be retained better, but, unfortunately most of the color was on the surface and removed during rough tumble.

Photo #459
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_nyi7az.jpg
Pastel/Fire/Clown (aka Firefly Clown) with some sandstone and a bicentennial glass.
Firefly ball pythons are interesting in that the interaction of the three genes involved can produce coloration and patterning that are very different from each other.


Side Story: The flea market where I bought the glass shown above had a framed charcoal drawing of a surreal landscape that I had drawn in school 30 years ago for a final art project. At the time: My teacher had asked to keep it-and I could not have cared less. I never thought I would see it again....and definitely not being sold for money ($25-lol)--I should have taken a photo of it, but, 30 years later and I still don't like it. :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lord Sorril

...Side Story: The flea market where I bought the glass shown above had a framed charcoal drawing of a surreal landscape that I had drawn in school 30 years ago for a final art project. At the time: My teacher had asked to keep it-and I could not have cared less. I never thought I would see it again....and definitely not being sold for money ($25-lol)--I should have taken a photo of it, but, 30 years later and I still don't like it. :)

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Wow, that's a great side story! It stuck around to haunt you? :rofl: And it's funny how we can be sick of something we did but others love it.

Photo #460
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_gvooho.jpg
Brazilian Agate Nodule + BP = Pastel/Lesser/Fire :)

Photo #461
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_uocofi.jpg
Montana Agate with a Lavender Albino/50% Het Piebald.

Breeder Notes:
-Started seeing my first mating locks of the 2025 season. One of my axanthic males locked with his female before I even had time to close the enclosure door...
-With 13:51 (males:females) for mating-15 of those females are dedicated to my new Super Blade male, assuming he does not breed this season...it brings the number of females down to 36.
-With the majority of my female breeders entering their first season-I expect about half of them to reabsorb follicles due to immaturity (no correlation to size/weight).
-All factors considered: I am realistically expecting 16-20 clutches for 2025 with a potential of many more-conditionally upon the performance of my Super Blade male.
-If I miss my double recessive goals in 2025 I will need to retain most of my female breeders...and while I do have the space...this would mean I would need to construct additional incubators for 2026.
-I have also ramped up rodent production as I have a record number of holdbacks from 2024. If I ever decide to stop keeping ball pythons-I probably have enough rodent production to open my own snake food supply business lol...:)

Photo #462
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_kpdllg.jpg
GHI with a piece of Crazy Lace Agate from Mexico.

Note: I had bought about 30lbs of Crazy Lace Agate from Kingsley North a few years ago (pre-C19) for $2/lb. Their 'sample image' on the website showed stones much like the one above with lots of red aggressive patterning...however, what I received is almost entirely greys and whites and the piece shown is one out of a small handful sprinkled in that actually had red coloration. The grey and white pieces are still nice though, and $2/lb for crazy lace (which can cost $10++/lb)--I'm not going to complain. :)

I was at an antique store the other day and I was buying a few Uranium dishes for my collection.
The woman who owned the store asked if I knew the history of uranium glass-and I said I *did*...but, she still launched into a 30 minute lecture. lololol
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_zgrwdw.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_tra0vy.jpg
Ball python is the Highway (Gravel/Yellowbelly) from Photo #375. :)
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_ty0vh9.jpg

Photo #463
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_cvdiiy.jpg
Ball python is a 66% Het Clown/50% Het Lavender Albino. Stone looks like quartz, but, I think it is a piece of brecciated jasper.

And to all who celebrate: Have a Merry Christmas! :)
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_h5lzpk.jpg

Photo #464
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_t4kf1h.jpg
Firefly (Pastel/Fire) Clown with some assorted stones-mostly agate, jasper, and iron-stained quartz (from the USA).

Also, I hope everyone who celebrated the holiday had a good one!
Santa Claus came through-and I did get the 132lbs. of #46 Silicon Carbide (SiC) I asked for...it should last me a few months of tumbling (first stage-coarse grind)...:)
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...Sic_cde1hr.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...c-2_whawjg.jpg
I did have to turn off the tumblers for the winter though...I am getting older and am no longer excited to clean out my barrels in single digit (Fahrenheit) temps...brrrr :aww:

I thought I heard that Santa's sleigh crashed somewhere....no wonder! :D