Scaleless

I think the Scaleless are really cool looking. Whether to invest in them or not isn't a concern of mine, I can't afford them at any rate!

As long as they are healthy and eat and breed without issue, I would consider it just another morph. You can say "deformity" but other people still call ANY morph a deformity, like an albino. Some even claim albinos are blind and shouldn't be bred, just because they're an albino. So in ten years, I would expect to see the same attitudes for the scaleless.

If the scaleless do not thrive, then the morph will probably die back and people won't buy them. Right now I think a LOT of people are wary with even the rumor of this morph being nonviable. After the desert gene Females being incapable of producing, everyone will be on the lookout for what the next disaster is.

Saw this tonight:

http://www.morphmarket.com/c/reptile...=trait&epoch=0

BHB offering several super scaleless heads (scalelesses?) Up for sale between $2500 and $3000

But no pics.

I can almost convince myself to turn a blind eye to the scaleless emory intergrades, at least they have ventral scales. Just keep them in a padded room, away from sharp objects, and their life ain't much different than some of their scaled compatriots. I can't help but cringe when I see the scaleless royals though, that lack this singular amenity. Can they even move around like a normal snake without ventrals?

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Originally Posted by voodoolamb

Saw this tonight:

http://www.morphmarket.com/c/reptile...=trait&epoch=0

BHB offering several super scaleless heads (scalelesses?) Up for sale between $2500 and $3000

But no pics.

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I noticed this as well. Seems too good to be true. Super scaleless near the price of a scaleless head. Typo maybe? Maybe BHB is anticipating a flood in the market...? Grasping at straws here...

Either way, I think scaleless is an awesome looking snake.

I am still smelling something funny. No pictures on the morph market ones. "Low" prices?

Maybe the supers are priced low because they are worthless as breeding animals...

No scales means no spurs right? Can a lock take place if the male can't stimulate the female?

Guess that doesn't explain the low female price though.

I actually like the look of them. From what I understand they can live normal snakey lives as far as locomotion and what not.

I'm still concerned about failure to thrive issues though. I don't think anyone has gotten one to adult size yet. Premature deaths on 3 out of 4 prior to these new clutches...I wonder how many more have been born that breeders are staying quiet about just to see it they can get them to a decent size first???

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Originally Posted by voodoolamb

Guess that doesn't explain the low female price though.

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This is typical for a new gene/morph on the market. A male can be paired with multiple females, so if he has a brand new gene a breeder can make a lot of babies with that gene quickly. A female with a new gene will only produce a few eggs.

Eventually as more of that morph/gene gets produced and is available for sale, the price switches to where females cost more than males.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by voodoolamb

Saw this tonight:

http://www.morphmarket.com/c/reptile...=trait&epoch=0

BHB offering several super scaleless heads (scalelesses?) Up for sale between $2500 and $3000

But no pics.

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Not supers just scaleless head, there are VERY few Scaleless in existence (BHB ones from 3 years ago, a male and a female and those that were just produced by Winston Smith) , trust me if when they are available they will not be $3000

Yeah, the snakes for sale on that link are all SCALELESS HEAD, NOT super scaleless. The title of the page says super scaleless, so perhaps there was one or someone simply misput the title in. The ads are all clearly labeled scaleless head.

No conspiracy needed.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by voodoolamb

No scales means no spurs right? Can a lock take place if the male can't stimulate the female?

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Spurs are in fact made of bone, I believe; they're what's left of the snake's hind legs, now re-purposed as breeding implements, so I don't see why a lack of scales should mean a lack of spurs and an inability to breed as a result.

The very low numbers of scaleless animals out there though, considering how long scaleless heads have been around, and the frequent reports of premature death suggest to me that scaleless royals, unlike some other scaleless snakes, are sickly creatures with low survival compared to wild type.