My snake "lost" her orange?

I went to see if Kelly had eaten her other mouse and found a shed skin.
[I had no idea she was about to shed. I've had her 2 weeks]

All her "orange" is gone and her blushing got even blushier, same as her flames and her head is much lighter.

I have another extremely yellow Pastel and he just looks "dingy", pre-shed....he never turns orange.

Is this something genetic manifesting or what?

She's almost 5 months old.

When I got her:

http://www.walagata.com/w/the-salamander/kellynew.jpg

Now:

http://www.walagata.com/w/the-salamander/kellynew1.jpg

http://www.walagata.com/w/the-salamander/kellynew2.jpg

http://www.walagata.com/w/the-salamander/kellynew3.jpg

Is it pointless to hope she'll keep getting lighter/brighter/yellower with each shed?

I think she's gorgeous ;] To me the coloring looks prettier now then when you got her... but that's just my opinion :cool:

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Originally Posted by Solarsoldier001

I think she's gorgeous ;] To me the coloring looks prettier now then when you got her... but that's just my opinion :cool:

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Oh, so do I and I'm really hoping she'll get even better with each shed.

This the 2 year old male she'll be bred to when she's big enough and I wanted as close a "match" to him, as possible.

http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/file...pastelmale.jpg

Is there a chance she'll keep maturing progressively more yellow?

/crosses fingers

:D

She is GORGEOUS! That color change is definitely a positive change. She's turning into a banana! :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Salamander

Oh, so do I and I'm really hoping she'll get even better with each shed.

This the 2 year old male she'll be bred to when she's big enough and I wanted as close a "match" to him, as possible.

http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/file...pastelmale.jpg

Is there a chance she'll keep maturing progressively more yellow?

/crosses fingers


:D

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I think she will! Her color does look like it getting more and more yellow to me... and she almost looks similar to the male. So overall I think that your pastels will make wonderful babies XD

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Originally Posted by snakesonaplane

She is GORGEOUS! That color change is definitely a positive change. She's turning into a banana! :D

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A what??

:banana: ?!? :O

[now I have to go Google "banana"].....LOL

And thanks....I was tickled with her but now I'm elated....:)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Solarsoldier001

I think she will! Her color does look like it getting more and more yellow to me... and she almost looks similar to the male. So overall I think that your pastels will make wonderful babies XD

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I sure hope so.
He's a "Joliff pastel" [which I assume "means something good"] and his clutch included Supers so maybe his genes will win out....LOL

Don't hate me for this, but most pastels look their best between 6 months and 1 year of age, and then they start to brown out as they reach adulthood. Even the best pastels will brown out to some degree--the very best only a little, but typical pastels quite a lot. She will continue to look her most awesome for some time to come, though--photo op. :)

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Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

Don't hate me for this, but most pastels look their best between 6 months and 1 year of age, and then they start to brown out as they reach adulthood. Even the best pastels will brown out to some degree--the very best only a little, but typical pastels quite a lot. She will continue to look her most awesome for some time to come, though--photo op. :)

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Boy...I wish I'd seen my male when he was a kid, then.

He's over 2 years old and still awesome.

[when exactly is "adulthood" for a BP?]

:confused:

At the show I got her at, there was another female her age [5 months] and it was already browned out.

Obviously, I passed on that one.

Adulthood is about age 3 or 4. :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

Adulthood is about age 3 or 4. :)

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For both sexes?

Thanks!

Dude, usually they get browner as they get older, not yellower! Awesome, lucky snake!

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Originally Posted by Salamander

For both sexes?

Thanks!

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Females. Boys are "sexually mature" at 18-24 months, sometimes earlier. (Though they will keep slowly growing for a few years, too.)

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Originally Posted by loonunit

Females. Boys are "sexually mature" at 18-24 months, sometimes earlier. (Though they will keep slowly growing for a few years, too.)

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Thank you!

[boy...do I ever have a long wait with some of my kids]....LOL

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Salamander

Thank you!

[boy...do I ever have a long wait with some of my kids]....LOL

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Most people will breed any 2 year-old girls that hit 1500 grams. A lot of smaller females will start locking at 2 years old. But generally, the smaller/younger the female, the less chance of her ovulating and laying a good clutch. A 4 year old 1800 gram female is much more likely to produce eggs than a 1300 gram 2 year-old

Quote:

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Originally Posted by loonunit

Most people will breed any 2 year-old girls that hit 1500 grams. A lot of smaller females will start locking at 2 years old. But generally, the smaller/younger the female, the less chance of her ovulating and laying a good clutch. A 4 year old 1800 gram female is much more likely to produce eggs than a 1300 gram 2 year-old

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I have two proven breeders.
[Normal and Het Clown]

Unfortunately, for reasons unknown, the Het Clown stopped pounding F/T rats and after almost a month of not eating, ate one live mouse.
[hope that's not the start of a trend]....:(

The other Het Clown virgin is stuffing her face like rats are going to be outlawed any second.

The Normal is only about 1100-1200 but has successfully laid viable eggs at that weight.
[for her former owner, anyway]

I was of the mind to wait until they were all pushing close to 1700-2000 grams.

Bizarrely, my 7 month old Spider male is producing plugs and has been since he was 5 months old.

The Pastel is a proven breeder male but there's nobody to breed him with, yet.

It's a waiting game.

Yes, for both sexes. Males reach sexual maturity much faster, at about age one quite often, but they still aren't fully adults until age 3 or 4. Rapid growth continues until that point, as do changes in color.
Taking the winter off from food can slow a male's growth, but he'll make up for it a lot during the summer if you feed him well.
There are many males that reach 1500 to 2000 grams, just as the females do. (Granted, some seem to top out at 800 to 1000 grams).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

Yes, for both sexes. Males reach sexual maturity much faster, at about age one quite often, but they still aren't fully adults until age 3 or 4. Rapid growth continues until that point, as do changes in color.
Taking the winter off from food can slow a male's growth, but he'll make up for it a lot during the summer if you feed him well.
There are many males that reach 1500 to 2000 grams, just as the females do. (Granted, some seem to top out at 800 to 1000 grams).

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Oh boy!

Since Alice is over well 2 now and just keeps getting yellower, I look forward to him totally "growing up"....:)

At that age, with that color, he's likely to be a real screamer as an adult.