Hey guys,
After working with Clowns for several years now I have seen some trends that are worth mentioning. As opposed to Piebalds or Calicos which seem to be completely random traits, Clowns do not.
By working with the look that you prefer you can achieve the results you want. For instance... I wanted the most colorful reduced pattern animals that could be produced. I started on the journey with an animal that Brian Barczyk hatched in 2003...
http://ballpythonmorphs.com/images/photos/clown/01l.jpg
I purchased several het and possible het females that came from reduced pattern backgrounds, hoping that the trait would continue to enhance itself every generation that I selectively bred it.
This year we produced a clutch from the Clown pictured above to a 100% Het. female and the results were fantastic...
http://ballpythonmorphs.com/images/fs/06c/06cf01-1.jpg
http://ballpythonmorphs.com/images/fs/06c/06cf02-4.jpg
http://ballpythonmorphs.com/images/fs/06c/06cm01-4.jpg
http://ballpythonmorphs.com/images/fs/06c/06cm02-4.jpg
This was a good indication that the selective breeding of the Clown gene was possible. Now all it takes is a lot of time and we can enhance the trait however we want to.
RedDevil : I know we have discussed this before but I think everyone should hear this too... If you think your clown is ugly than I think you can change that. I feel that if you were to obtain Hets from a reduced pattern bloodline or even a reduced pattern Clown itself that you will be pleased with your results. We've all started some project with an animal that is considered sub-par by our own standards but the next step is to mould that project to your standards.
I have several clients that prefer the more heavily patterned Clowns as opposed to the more reduced ones. Nothing wrong with that.
Many years ago, Tracy Barker started the Clown project with an imported specimen. This animal was not reduced at all. Some of the first babies ever produced were very brown in color and had a lot of pattern.
Here is a (not very good) photo of one of the first female Clowns produced many years ago. I had her on breeding loan from a friend last year. You can see that she has a very drab color and a non-clown-like pattern.
http://ballpythonmorphs.com/images/p...lown/clown.jpg
When I bred the male pictured at the top of this post to this older more drab female I got a clutch of fairly nice babies. Here is a pic of one of the babies that I hatched in that clutch...
http://ballpythonmorphs.com/images/fs/05c/05cm03-4.jpg
So... long story short... you can make a Clown look however you want. Just do your research when you purchase them. ESPECIALLY HETS! You can get the same nice bloodline from a heterozygous animal that you do from homozygous ones. So I'm not saying you have to buy a visual to do what you want.
I hope this answered more questions about the reduction in Clowns than it made, but if it didn't just ask away and I will do what I can to answer!
LATER!
