Snakes and Stones Pr. 2

Hi All,
This is a continuation of my Snakes and Stones thread here: https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...kes-and-Stones
Part 1 catalogs my ball python breeding efforts starting in February 2021 up until July 2025. There are 504 numbered photos of ball pythons, each one displays a unique individual.

In addition to casually breeding ball pythons as a hobby: I also tumble and polish rocks.
I am not a 'professional' ball python business, rock tumbler, or photographer...I just like to have some fun.
I continue to capture #'d photos, each one showing a unique individual snake and a different rock (or set of) unless noted otherwise.
I will try to add a new photo every few days...it is currently unclear how many clutches I will have in 2025.
I'm not a rock expert, but some of them I can identify.
I'm pretty good at ID'ing ball pythons I hatch-with three genes or less...four or more genes and my ID's start getting shaky (without proof breeding).
I cannot go back and edit previous posts in this forum so any potential ID's that seem incorrect: Do take with a grain of salt.
Everyone is also welcome to post photos of their own snakes in this thread or discuss topics: I will continue to post photos at regular intervals.
I have used many methods for keeping ball pythons over the years, many of them are non-traditional and continue to be...
All posters: Please be respective of alternate methods of keeping.

OK! Here we go again!

Photo #505
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_b1qct2.jpg
Ivory Spider with some local granite-y stones from Massachusetts tumbled/polished.

Fun fact: The different colors in the granite represent different minerals:
White = Milky Quartz
Off-White = Feldspar
Salmon Pink = Potassium Feldspar
Black or Dark Brown = Biotite
Gold or Yellow = Muscovite
Black or Dark Green = Amphibole
...There are more, but these are some of the most common...

Love the snakes and stones theme!

Also, I do hope that this thread will eventually receive the well-deserved 4.5 MILLION views that part one received! :O :gj:

Photo #506
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_ha36ss.jpg
Turritella agate (from Wyoming, USA) with a Spider/Het for Gravel or Yellowbelly.
Fun fact: The genus of the freshwater snail fossils in this material is actually Elimia not Turritella.
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_ihygbg.jpg
The tumbling rough stones I purchased of this agate were terribly unstable and are very difficult to keep intact throughout the entire tumbling/polish process.
The pieces that make it through are really nice though...:)

Photo #507
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_dxnrte.jpg
Ball python is a:
50% Het for Tri-Stripe (unlikely)
100% Het for VPI Axanthic
100% Het for Orange Ghost
As I mentioned previously: Some of my possible Het Tri-Stripes are pretty obvious, and some show no visible markers.
Out of a clutch of 6: From a Pastel/VPI Axanthic/Orange Ghost x Het Tri-Stripe, I have three that I am confident are Hets, and one that I am uncertain. The snake shown above is one that I cannot find any visible markers.

The stone is a large-grained piece of quartz I collected locally (MA, USA).
The larger the quartz grains--the more difficult the stone is to tumble/polish properly.
This piece took weeks in my UV-18 vibratory tumbler to polish properly. :)

Photo #508
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_ttcrwl.jpg
Some leftover dyed crackle quartz that took longer to finish than my original batch (Photo #235).
It seems that there were more purple pieces that took longer to tumble...
The purple dyed batch of crackle quartz must have been more unstable during the heat treatment process.

Ball python = Pastel/50% Possible Het Tri-Stripe/100% Het VPI Axanthic/100% Het Orange Ghost
Even though this one is a 50% Possible Het for Tri-Stripe...I think it is safe to say that it is a Het, as you can see the patterning on the side start to merge together. :)
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_k3qh4l.jpg

Photo #509
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_pulgjh.jpg
BP = Gravel/Yellowbelly (Highway). A simple morph, but I think it looks pretty cool. :)
The dark coloration will fade as the snake gets older and turn more to yellow.
I should be producing some pretty crazy looking Highway morphs in the next few years.


The stone is an odd one. I took it out of an ocean cove off the coast of Massachusetts, it is heavy (like quartz) and has a Mohs hardness of 6.5. There is slight banding in it. It refuses to take a high polish and settles for a satin finish. This was the only green piece I could find in the rough terrain, all the others were brown or gray. I thought it might have been Hornfel, but if I strike it: it does not resonate. Since I had to hike six miles back to my car...I only took one piece with me.

Wow, that's a very unique-looking snake AND a very cool rock- I even like the satin finish. Can't say I blame you for not carrying any more though (for 6 miles!) :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Wow, that's a very unique-looking snake AND a very cool rock- I even like the satin finish. Can't say I blame you for not carrying any more though (for 6 miles!) :D

---

Thanks!

Six miles isn't that far to hike when the terrain is relatively flat.
My favorite spot to collect rocks is only 1/2 mile from my car, but requires a near vertical descent/ascent.
Climbing out of a ravine with 50-75lbs. of rocks on my back is not something I imagine myself doing in 20 years...:)

Photo #510
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_gw46in.jpg
Het Gravel or Yellowbelly with some pieces of tumbled/polished broken brazilian agate bookends.

Breeders Note: My clutches #1-6 have fully hatched at 100% viability. I have 7 clutches remaining for a total of 13. For comparison: This time last year (2024)--I had 25 clutches.
~20 of my breeder females were paired exclusively to two specific males this season. I have not received any eggs from these 20 females, but, I see full size follicles and I know there were successful mating locks.
It would be kind of a downer not to receive any eggs from my two chosen males, but, we'll see...I'm glad I don't breed for profit...because this is the point in time where I would start to panic. :D

Photo #511
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_xe2yqw.jpg
The stone looks like agatized jasper with embedded marcasite (a display piece).
BP = Pastel/50% Possible Het Tri-Stripe/100% Het VPI Axanthic/100% Het Orange Ghost

Some Het Tri-Stripes are easy to identify. I'm not certain about this one.
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_arasrr.jpg
I don't see enough patterning to convince me that this ball python is Het Tri-Stripe.
There is something about the dense saturation of the black pigment on the dorsal bands which I find interesting.
I guess I will have to raise this snake for the next 2.5 years to find out. :)

I just put the last of a 40lb. box of petrified wood rough into my tumblers for first stage.
I moved on to my next 'mystery box' of tumbling rough and I found a pile of large jade chunks (which will be miserable for me to break-up)--
Jade being the world's toughest natural mineral (diamond = the hardest, but brittle).
I also found a few large chunks of this material:
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_vtsbli.jpg
I know everyone in the Rock Forum could pick this material out almost instantly. Anyone care to guess here? :P
Hint: The volcanic nature of the stone is very different than the same material I can find in my area.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lord Sorril

I guess I will have to raise this snake for the next 2.5 years to find out. :)

---

So, BP breeding is not a great way to make a quick buck.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Homebody

So, BP breeding is not a great way to make a quick buck.

---

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lord Sorril

I know everyone in the Rock Forum could pick this material out almost instantly. Anyone care to guess here? :P
Hint: The volcanic nature of the stone is very different than the same material I can find in my area.

---

No guesses? I think garnet would have been a good guess, Rhodonite would have been the right guess. :)
Rhodonite is my state gemstone (MA), but the material shown was collected in Washington state. I have tumbled rhodonite before (Photos #28+29), this material is definitely manganese heavy and looks like it is going to lean more towards Photo #29.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Homebody

So, BP breeding is not a great way to make a quick buck.

---

Nah, feeders are where the money is at...;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bogertophis

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

---

:thumbsup:

For fun: Here are a few more photos of my backyard on this wonderful 95F degree day with high humidity...
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_vcwya8.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_i8lbvc.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_f82xhl.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_bavs4l.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_ozmlj3.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_lltsbo.jpg

Photo #512
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_nut55l.jpg
Ivory ball python with some local granite variations.

Breeders Note: Half of my clutch #11 eggs have died unexpectedly at 6 weeks...grrrrr....cross was:
Leopard/Pastel/100% Het VPI Axanthic/50% Het Orange Ghost x Spider/Orange Ghost/100% Het VPI Axanthic

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lord Sorril

....
Breeders Note: Half of my clutch #11 eggs have died unexpectedly at 6 weeks...grrrrr....cross was:
Leopard/Pastel/100% Het VPI Axanthic/50% Het Orange Ghost x Spider/Orange Ghost/100% Het VPI Axanthic

---

So sorry...:( and here's hoping for the rest of them.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bogertophis

So sorry...:( and here's hoping for the rest of them.

---

Thanks! I can't win'em all...(I can try though)! So far the remaining eggs in the clutch are holding steady. I'm just surprised since there was nothing visibly wrong with these eggs or the incubation. I'm fairly certain they were not non-viable. I have 8 clutches hatched so far with 100% success, and then clutch #11 loses 50% for no explicable reason...the eggs were laid as a cluster so there were no rollouts...it is just odd...

Photo #513
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_ndfrkg.jpg
BP = 50% Possible Het Tri-Stripe/100% Het VPI Axanthic/100% Het Orange Ghost
This one has a heavily reduced pattern and high black pigment saturation. I don't see enough indicators of Tri-Stripe to make me put this one in my holdback group.

The stone is blue agate from the northwest, USA.

Breeders note: I have a little over 20 adult females--all with full-size follicles. These follicles are not turning to eggs. If I can't get them to convert then they will start to be reabsorbed soon. I only used 1 male:10 females for these, but I was certain after witnessing multiple successful locks that I would get *something*. I have a night drop on the temp. in my snake room...I'm removing the temperature drop to see if I can try and accelerate the follicle conversion by holding the room at a steady 85F.

Photo #514
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_cquhfu.jpg
BP = Black Pastel/Het for Piebald.
Stone = A piece of agate from the Mid-West USA. :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lord Sorril

Photo #514
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_cquhfu.jpg
BP = Black Pastel/Het for Piebald.
Stone = A piece of agate from the Mid-West USA. :)

---

Very pretty- I'm a sucker for the deep dark colors. :gj:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Very pretty- I'm a sucker for the deep dark colors. :gj:

---

Thanks! I have been working with my black pastels for a long time. I produced super black pastels several years ago and only one of them did not have a nose deformity. I used that flawless super black pastel to outcross and produce two separate lines. I am now using these two separate outcross lines to independently move towards Super Black Pastel/Piebald. I hatched one clutch from each Black Pastel line this year and I will intercross them to produce Panda/Piebalds when they are mature. Maybe it does nothing and I end up with some ugly nosed snakes again (duck-billing is just a cosmetic issue-snake is fine otherwise) or maybe I manage to shake off the negative trait...either way there is only one way to find out...

Photo #515
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_r1l2vr.jpg
Piebald ball python with some local granite.

Two few faces on this one: Comedy/Tragedy :siamesetw
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_zy7h91.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_u2ncna.jpg

Photo #516
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_dxkecz.jpg
BP = Pastel/HGW (not-so Hidden Gene Woma) with assorted stones. I can easily count 30 types of stones from around the world.

Headstamp closeup below:
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_mo59ab.jpg

Photo #517
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_eo08st.jpg
A Het Piebald ball python with a piece of Lapis Lazuli from Afghanistan.
I purchased several lbs of Lapis Lazuli years ago before the price skyrocketed.

Randomly: My gf asked me to photograph a neat moth outside...that is not a moth...that is a Tiger Bee Fly...
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_py4aoe.jpg
I would have liked to have gotten a better macro photo of its face, but I was too intimidated by a fly the size of a half-dollar to get any closer. :)
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...r-2_paox5g.jpg
Fun fact: Tiger Bee Flies eat nectar and pollen as adults, but their larvae are strictly parasites of Carpenter Bees.
After a bit more research I learned they are completely harmless to people.

Photo #518
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_ih8e2i.jpg
BP = Pastel/Lesser/Hypo, assorted stones (from mostly the western USA, with a bit of Eastern USA, Africa, Brazil, and India).

Also, I stopped by my local Village Silversmith (Hampton Beach, NH) in the Spring (2025).
Snapped a few quick photos with my cell phone (I did not buy anything). :)
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...-01_dlfbmc.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...-02_zyufu3.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...-03_il1kw9.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...-04_domp7w.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...-05_r51za5.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...-06_e0ikmm.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...-07_iywj6t.jpg

I love the rocks in the gumball machine. That's clever marketing.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Homebody

I love the rocks in the gumball machine. That's clever marketing.

---

Yes I agree! Putting real stones in a vending machine is a great idea to teach kids about geology/mineralogy.
What I don't like are vending machines that dispense molded plastic and then has the gall to refer to them as real minerals...like this one I saw:
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...-01_ibnyn2.jpg
:taz::taz::taz::taz::taz::taz::taz::taz::taz::taz::taz::taz::taz::taz::taz::taz:
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...-02_py1x4p.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...-03_d7bigl.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...-05_iayv1r.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...-04_jbgrd9.jpg

Photo #519
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_ipwv1a.jpg
Piebald ball python hatchling pre-first-shed.
Stone is a large chunk of tumbled/polished agate with a large crystallized water band in the center (from the Northwest USA).

Photo #520
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_hxwvnb.jpg
Het Piebald with a piece of Jasp-Agate (from the USA).
I'm certain there are people that can tell you (based on color/patterning) the exact mine this stone came from.

Breeders Note: It appears that most of my 20+ females that I used only 2 males on (1:1) are absorbing their follicles. I knew this was a definite possibility. Next year I'm going to mate these females at a 2:1 (male:female ratio). Unfortunately/(Fortunately?) I'm going to have an epic number of females breeding next season as my next wave reaches maturity...I'm going to need more incubators, more rodents, and more time/effort....*sigh*

Side Story: I was working on cleaning my snakes 2 days ago and I was staggering around from exhaustion (it is a lot of snakes+it has been in the high 80's). I accidentally bumped one of my enclosures and the latches shifted. I went in yesterday to feed off some rodents and my Dreamsicle ball python was gone-she pushed the door hard enough to offset the latches-and escaped! I searched all the usual places, but no luck. I stood in the center of my snake room and tried to think of anywhere I did not look. Ball pythons without fail will look for a dark cramped spot to cram their body into during the daylight hours. I knew the Dreamsicle is a fairly decent size now-so the number of tight spot options she had in the room were limited. There is a possibility that she left the room via the gap under the door, but, that seemed unlikely. Suddenly I recalled that I had moved my trash bin earlier and it seemed 'too heavy'. I lifted the trash bag out of the bin and yep, she was in there! It was odd though: she would have had to somehow scale up the vertical side of the barrel, go under the lip of the trash bag and then fall to the bottom of the barrel...an odd maneuver, but that is what she did.... I put her back in her enclosure and offered her a rodent before closing the door and she coiled it immediately...:)

:D Love your "side stories"! I'm so glad you found your dumpster-diving Dreamsicle. :rofl: I'd imagine she was drawn in by some lingering aromas? Funny what a motivated snake can do...

BTW, I feel for ya...that used to be me when I had a house-full (& I do mean FULL) of snakes..."staggering around from exhaustion". I'm old enough to know better now. I do still miss having rattling roomies, but it's very nice just having a few pet rat snakes these days in terms of upkeep.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bogertophis

:D Love your "side stories"! I'm so glad you found your dumpster-diving Dreamsicle. :rofl: I'd imagine she was drawn in by some lingering aromas? Funny what a motivated snake can do...

BTW, I feel for ya...that used to be me when I had a house-full (& I do mean FULL) of snakes..."staggering around from exhaustion". I'm old enough to know better now. I do still miss having rattling roomies, but it's very nice just having a few pet rat snakes these days in terms of upkeep.

---

Thanks! Yes, I imagine she went into the barrel due to some lingering rodent smells...

My ball python collection is not much work most of the year, however, I have been spending so much more time on it lately trying to keep conditions optimum for females who may decide to lay eggs (e.g. spot clean 3X/day, change water 2x/week, full enclosure disinfection/week, offering all-you-can-eat/every 7 days). My snake room is not air conditioned, but, can easily reach 89F. When the temperatures outside are hot-higher temperatures=faster metabolism=more cleaning=more work...

Sometimes I think about scaling back my collection to maybe 100 ball pythons and 'taking it easy'. But, then I think: Life is short. :)

Photo #521
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_axcdwt.jpg
Hunk of agate from the mid-west USA with a Het piebald ball python.

Breeders Note: I also produced a super small Banana hatchling last week.
~25mm when balled up, these super small hatchlings make me nervous because it becomes a very fine line between non-eating and starvation.
If they get started properly though they will reach full size without issue.
I was going to add a photo here, but Ball-Pythons.net is not allowing it at the moment.
I will add a photo of the super small in the following post (if I can).
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_hwhv5w.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_hwhv5w.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_hwhv5w.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_hwhv5w.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_hwhv5w.jpg

For whatever reason Ball-Pythons.net won't take my original uploaded image of the following tiny snake (shown below).
I mirrored the image in my server and for whatever reason it will accept the copy lol...
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_hwhv5w.jpghttps://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_lpmu4x.jpg
The photo above is without camera flash, and the photo below is with.
Banana ball python morphs bother my eyes because they always look different to me from varying angles/lighting.
Photo #522
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_jz8jpl.jpg
I'm the first to admit I'm not very good at ID'ing Banana morphs.
This one was the offspring of a Banana/Pastel/Hypo x Lesser/HGW/50% Pos. Het Hypo.
So...based on the lightening of the bands, head coloration, and the weird patterning...I'm guessing this one is Banana/HGW, but I'm definitely not certain.
The stone is a small piece of Jasp-Agate from the Mid-West USA.

Note: I hatched two clutches from this breeding configuration. If you are wondering if I produced a Banana Soul Sucker (Banana/HGW/Lesser), the answer is no (doh!). :ohmygod:

Photo #523
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_g4q7uz.jpg
A chunk of heavily pitted agate from the Mid-West USA.
The face on this ball python looks kinda weird lololol. :P
I was unable to find much in the way of reference images, but, my best guess on this ball python is Banana/Pastel/HGW/Het Hypo.
I have Banana Pastels in my collection and they lack the 'diamond' banding pattern and the enhanced white coloration rising from the belly (shown below).
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_kpxmyl.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ern_mdoxmx.jpg
I think this one looks pretty nice.
This guy gets moved into my holdbacks for this season (2025). :)

Photo #524
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_sna8wj.jpg
BP = HGW/Lesser (aka Soul Sucker).
The stone is a piece of agate from the Mid-West USA. You can see the windows of my room reflected in the polish.

I also mentioned previously that I was planning on breaking up some pieces of Jade to tumble...
I managed to get a few thinner pieces to break under a sledge and chisel...my larger pieces though...ain't gonna happen...
Most lapidary focused users use saws and heavy power tools with diamond tips to work with Jade, I'm not so dedicated.
This is what 30 minutes of my sledge and chisel method (+sore arms) gets me on just one piece of Jade:
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_psxofb.jpg
I know I promised myself I wouldn't tumble large stones because it takes many months...but.........
maybe I will make an exception for these...while Jade is the toughest natural mineral, it is not the hardest and can be worn down in a tumbler.

Oh, and btw, not all Jade is green, it comes in a variety of colors (including purple). :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lord Sorril

This is what 30 minutes of my sledge and chisel method (+sore arms) gets me on just one piece of Jade:
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_psxofb.jpg

---

That is one tough mineral.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Homebody

That is one tough mineral.

---

Sure is! The forged steel on my Wal-mart sledge hammer started to deform and chip off as I was trying to break the jade. Thankfully my large stone chisel (made in the USA) is much more durable...:)

Photo #525
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_fifjuc.jpg
BP = Pastel/Het Gravel or YB
The stone is nice piece of jasper from the Mid-West USA. The guy I bought this material off of years ago offered me several hundred lbs. of this rough rock for $1/lb. (shipped) and I turned him down---just because my garage was full...I kinda wish I had just paid the money and left the stones outside lol...

Breeders note: My Clutch #9 is in the process of hatching. I was really expecting half of them to be Enchi (based on the Albino mothers patterning), but what I see hatching out so far would indicate that she was not Enchi-she just had a very clean banded pattern reduction (doh-again!).

I'm also having a terrible time trying to ID my banana ball python morphs. I may have to alter my breeding schemes for the future so that there is less possibility for variation in offspring-my banana morphs are not valuable enough for me to bother genotyping them at this point. This season I'm just going to pick my favorite colors/patterns and hold them back...I will proof breed them at a later date. :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lord Sorril

Sure is! The forged steel on my Wal-mart sledge hammer started to deform and chip off as I was trying to break the jade.

---

You gotta be careful with those chips. When I was a lad, my brother and I were splitting some gum tree logs with a wedge and sledgehammer. The hammer started to chip. One of those chips embedded itself in my chest. It stayed there for almost 40 years. Recently, I had to have an MRI done, so I had it removed.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Homebody

You gotta be careful with those chips. When I was a lad, my brother and I were splitting some gum tree logs with a wedge and sledgehammer. The hammer started to chip. One of those chips embedded itself in my chest. It stayed there for almost 40 years. Recently, I had to have an MRI done, so I had it removed.

---

:O That's awful & obviously could have been worse.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Homebody

You gotta be careful with those chips. When I was a lad, my brother and I were splitting some gum tree logs with a wedge and sledgehammer. The hammer started to chip. One of those chips embedded itself in my chest. It stayed there for almost 40 years. Recently, I had to have an MRI done, so I had it removed.

---

Wow! 40 years! Did the metal splinter bother you?

You are right about safety though, a piece of the metal sledge broke off and struck my safety glasses. If I kept up my efforts to break the Jade then I was going to be taking more damage than the stone...

A while back I broke a big piece of Leland Blue slag glass (for Photo #132) and the piece exploded violently and the glass shards went through my leather gloves like tissue paper-it was a bloody mess. I thought I pulled all the glass out of my hands, but, I missed one and it is still in the joint of my finger. I have a circular scar nodule that formed around it-and it does not bother me, even when weightlifting. :)

And some good news: I spotted a newly hatched Enchi in my Clutch #9 (confirming the mother as an Albino Enchi). I was doubting my ID there for a while...:)
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_ooasmn.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_jp5vxg.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lord Sorril

Wow! 40 years! Did the metal splinter bother you?

---

Nah. I actually was sad that I had to have it removed. I'm what you might charitably call risk averse. So, I don't have many scars to boast about. It was my one boast.:(

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Homebody

Nah. I actually was sad that I had to have it removed. I'm what you might charitably call risk averse. So, I don't have many scars to boast about. It was my one boast.:(

---

Don't care if anyone calls me "chicken" or "risk averse"- it's just way less trouble to avoid injury. I'm always wearing safety goggles when using tools, hey, even when frying food too.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Homebody

Nah. I actually was sad that I had to have it removed. I'm what you might charitably call risk averse. So, I don't have many scars to boast about. It was my one boast.:(

---

I consider myself 'risk averse' as well and yet I still end up with a lot of scars. :)

Photo #526
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_rk7dve.jpg
Banana/Pastel/Het Hypo with a tumbled piece of Chalcocite from Morenci, AZ, USA.

Photo #527
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_ymystl.jpg
Het Piebald with some Montana Agate.
I didn't think the agate patterning was too fancy...so I skipped the camera flash to show the polish. :)

Photo #528
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_kpccbp.jpg
BP = Lesser/Het Hypo (In first shed for photo)
Stone = Ohio Flint, USA

Note: With the exception of my latest clutch (which is still too early to eat) I have 100% success with my new hatchlings feeding unassisted (including my micro-specimens).
It is always a relief when they eat their first meal-so I don't have to worry about medical concerns or the ever looming danger of starvation with small hatchlings. :)

I show a lot of stones in my photos. I think it is always funny when I see stores with overpriced rocks:
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_jolxg8.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_ad46w5.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_rzvilt.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_dkazxq.jpg
The last photo shows white quartz for $4/piece. My neighbors driveway is all white quartz...I bet he didn't know he was sitting on a gold mine...:rolleyes:

That's funny, but you never know what people will buy, especially when they're "less informed"...:rolleyes: :rofl: I can't blame the seller for trying.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lord Sorril

Note: With the exception of my latest clutch (which is still too early to eat) I have 100% success with my new hatchlings feeding unassisted (including my micro-specimens).
It is always a relief when they eat their first meal-so I don't have to worry about medical concerns or the ever looming danger of starvation with small hatchlings. :)

---

Congratulations!

Photo #529
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_jnqa7p.jpg
Pastel/Het Gravel or YB with a piece of...jasper maybe? (from Southwest, USA) The stone has a lot of banded inclusions which makes it difficult to polish evenly. You can see the snakes head reflected in the polish.

Side Story: I had some workers over to do some maintenance on my house.
They saw my rodents in the basement and wanted an explanation-so I told them I breed snakes. They called my house a 'horror show'. Which is funny to me-because I wouldn't have it any other way...:)
They insisted I show them one of my snakes so I held up a yearling ball python and they cringed in terror and wanted to know if it was venomous.
I tried to convince them that ball-pythons were harmless, but they weren't having it-and demanded to know what my city by-laws were on keeping dangerous animals *sigh*.

Sadly, no matter how much you try to explain snakes & snake-keeping, some people just cannot learn or accept reality. At least you tried, but it's terrible that they seemed to want to make trouble for you, after being there to do some work for you. :(

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lord Sorril

...they cringed in terror and wanted to know if it was venomous.

---

Well at least they didn't ask if it was poisonous...

:rofl:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Sadly, no matter how much you try to explain snakes & snake-keeping, some people just cannot learn or accept reality. At least you tried, but it's terrible that they seemed to want to make trouble for you, after being there to do some work for you. :(

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bcr229

Well at least they didn't ask if it was poisonous...

:rofl:

---

Yeah, I hope I don't get raided by animal control or something ridiculous like that. The workers were very concerned that my ball pythons would get out and start attacking children and pets in the neighborhood...

While they did impress me by asking if my pythons were 'venomous'...they lost points when I called them 'constrictors' and then they started referring to them as 'restrictors'...close enough I guess...

Anyhow:

Photo #530
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_pgnwkr.jpg
Stones are local granite.
Ball python is the offspring of a Highway (Gravel/Yellowbelly) x Albino/Enchi.
I can see how someone might think this snake has Enchi, but I am using a reduced pattern Albino to start and this one is missing most of the Enchi markers.
BP = Het Albino/Het Gravel or Yellowbelly :)

Photo #531
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_dtg5gg.jpg
BP = Enchi/Het Albino/Het Gravel or Yellowbelly. Stone is a tumbled/polished piece of Tiger Iron from India.
If you compare this ball python to the one in Photo #530 you will see the differences +/- Enchi (notably the gold color and patterning differences). :)
This one does have a lot of more dark coloration than I am used to on an Enchi...

Breeders Note: My Clutch #10 is nearly fully hatched. With 6 eggs and a 38% chance/egg to hit my target goal: 5 eggs have hatched and none of them are my targeted morph.
I still have a 38% chance on the last egg....c'mon c'mon...:banana:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lord Sorril

Yeah, I hope I don't get raided by animal control or something ridiculous like that. The workers were very concerned that my ball pythons would get out and start attacking children and pets in the neighborhood...

While they did impress me by asking if my pythons were 'venomous'...they lost points when I called them 'constrictors' and then they started referring to them as 'restrictors'...close enough I guess...
....

---

I know the type- "attacking children & pets"? :O :rofl: But even if you do hear from animal control, they should know about ball pythons- I mean they're 'everywhere' now.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bogertophis

I know the type- "attacking children & pets"? :O :rofl: But even if you do hear from animal control, they should know about ball pythons- I mean they're 'everywhere' now.

---

Yeah, I would hope so...these days...you never know...:banned1:

Photo #532
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ked_eaxi8y.jpg
BP = Het Albino/Het Gravel or YB
The stone is a piece of Sagenitic Agate (from CA, USA).

Fun fact: Excluding 50/66/100% Hets, I have not produced a 'Normal' ball python since 2022. :)