Ever seen anything like this?

I've picked this girl a few months back after the original owner lost interest in reptiles. She's supposedly a '02 african import and I've showed her around and it got most people stumped. I'm giving a go to see if it's genetic this year but I wanted to see if anyone got a clue what she might be. Before anyone comment on this, yes she has multiple burns, they happened and were healed well before I aquired this ball.

Body shots
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/j...Scarlette1.jpg

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/j...Scarlette2.jpg

Facial marking/eyes
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/j...te/Visage2.jpg

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/j...tte/Visage.jpg

Belly shots

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/j...ageventral.jpg

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/j...geVentral2.jpg

Reduced pattern normal :gj:

Id actually say there might be something there

If someone was selling it, Id buy it and I dont even keep Ball Pythons

well, i cant tell you what it is, but i definitly know i havent seen something like her before. it may be my eyes, but she seems to have a kind of redish-purplish undertone in her, even if im mistaken, ive never seen those colors before. if it were genetic, i wonder what it would look like with some fire or pastel in there;)

I'd give her a go. It can't hurt to see if it's genetic. She is a stunner for sure.

Very beautiful snake! :)

She's very nice, and definitely a reduced-pattern, if nothing else. (Is she in shed in the photo? Sort of looks like it).

From what I have seen, reduced-pattern is heritable, though not a single gene, so she's a fantastic addition.

I have never seen a snake like that! She is beautiful! I would definitely breed her to see what comes out! If she produces a son that looks like her, I would breed him back to her to see what you get!

Already been locking with a pastel and a mojo for the last month. If nothing else it makes for a very exciting first attempt at breeding. I'm not expecting any miracles and I'm giving myself at least 3-4 years to confirm if there is any morph underneth it all.

WingedWolfPsion, she is not in shed in thoses pictures, she just have this really hard to describe coloring.

I would put her to something in the spider variety. I love reduced patterns in normals. I put every one of them i have to bees. If nothing more you get some sick looking babies

I would definitely not put her with a pastel, as she's so dark.

I think there's something different with her. Worth trying to prove out, for sure. I'd put a cinny or black pastel with her. Maybe the mojo won't be so bad, or something that doesn't look that bad when dark. But don't put a pastel, which looks great bright, but not browned out & dark.

I have seen ONE just like that, it was a male however and this guy nicknamed "Hillbilly" got it in a trade at the All Animal Expo in Wheaton, IL. I wanted to get it from him if it was a female but it turned out to be a male and all we had money for was a for sure female so we passed, but I wish I hadn't! Good Luck Breeding!!

I know it's not the best pairing but at this moment I do not have any other males ready. Besides I'm doing this more for fun and the joy of it then anything else. I'm 95% sure I'll get nothing out of that as with any dinker and I don't care overly but you never know and that just add to the fun of it

Looks like a really nice reduced pattern normal. A good pastel with the reduced pattern should look really stunning. GOod luck.

If it wasn't for the sides I'd just say reduced normal, but it's kinda hard to say with some of the markings on her belly and all that.

However, am I really the only one who notices she looks to be extremely scarred on her belly where the dark bits are? This maybe being the reason -that- looks so odd?

Interesting snake. I would put her against a recessive morph to see if the pattern passes on without another pattern/coloration messing it up.

you said she is an import, I bet burns like that are pretty common in wc snakes because of the methods used to collect them...

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Burns from the methods used? What methods do they use to catch them that might burn them? They aren't burning areas to flush them out or something, are they?

Methods?? Actually they just reach into the mounds and burrows after shining a light in and grab them out.. If they can't reach it they may use a stick or pole with a hook. Nothing hot or dangerous is used. They have been doing it for many years and they know that these snakes are harmless and usually will not bite.

No different from you pulling yours out of it's enclosure.

I'm sure a previous owner caused the burns due to improper husbandry.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ClarkT

Burns from the methods used? What methods do they use to catch them that might burn them? They aren't burning areas to flush them out or something, are they?

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I thought I did hear SOMEWHERE of a couple groups in africa pouring gas or using flames to flush them out. It mad me extremely angry so I think that's why I'm recalling it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Coils

I thought I did hear SOMEWHERE of a couple groups in africa pouring gas or using flames to flush them out. It mad me extremely angry so I think that's why I'm recalling it.

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I wouldn't think that would even work. I can only see those methods causing a BP to instantly coil and squirm in place like any snake suffering immediate chemical or high heat burns would. They don't "run" like other animals do. They tend to try to go deeper or coil up, stay put, and die. So that makes no sense.

From the history I was able to gather it was the original owner that caused those burns as he was using heating rocks as heat source and happened ost likely between '03 and '05. Belly scarring is limited to those 3 dark spots visible on the picture and the grey marbling on the ventral scales is present from chin to the tail.