Is there such thing as a giant gene in ball pythons?
Hey guys I was just thinking about how care-sheets say that ball pythons stay around 3-5 ft. with 6 ft. being rare, do you think that has to do with gene mutations, kind of like a morph? I mean the world's tallest man had a lymph node disorder which allowed him to keep on growing, and the disorder was from his genes, so do you think ball pythons that get to say 5-6 ft. could be some sort of morph that no one is aware of?
Re: Is there such thing as a giant gene in ball pythons?
there probably is. it just hasnt been discovered yet.
although ive heard of a super ball python that is like a bigger ball python. it might be a blood python adn a ball or something like that.
Re: Is there such thing as a giant gene in ball pythons?
I doubt it. In certain parts of Africa Ball pythons are a little bit bigger and have larger clutches and they're referred to as "Giant Line". You don't see them often and they don't really cost more than normal ones and the only extra value is that the females produce larger clutches.
Super Balls are a Hybrid of Borneo Blood Pythons and Ball Pythons.
Re: Is there such thing as a giant gene in ball pythons?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
AaronP
I doubt it. In certain parts of Africa Ball pythons are a little bit bigger and have larger clutches and they're referred to as "Giant Line". You don't see them often and they don't really cost more than normal ones and the only extra value is that the females produce larger clutches.
Super Balls are a Hybrid of Borneo Blood Pythons and Ball Pythons.
I was told they are around 6ft or a tad bigger. Rare? Yes. There's a reason for this... the area they are from they are worshiped as Gods. They are protected by the tribes... it's a BIG no-no to take them from their native area.
Re: Is there such thing as a giant gene in ball pythons?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
AaronP
I doubt it. In certain parts of Africa Ball pythons are a little bit bigger and have larger clutches and they're referred to as "Giant Line". You don't see them often and they don't really cost more than normal ones and the only extra value is that the females produce larger clutches.
Super Balls are a Hybrid of Borneo Blood Pythons and Ball Pythons.
do you know where they are sold?
Re: Is there such thing as a giant gene in ball pythons?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
NorthernRegius.com
I was told they are around 6ft or a tad bigger. Rare? Yes. There's a reason for this... the area they are from they are worshiped as Gods. They are protected by the tribes... it's a BIG no-no to take them from their native area.
I'm not sure about that, I have a giant line girl but I received her as a gift along with a slew of other snakes. She was 1 of a clutch of 14 and her mother was 1 of a clutch of 19 eggs and her mother was a WC. They don't get that much bigger than your average ball python the big deal is more so that they have a higher egg production. I don't know too much beyond what I have said here though.
As far as "Where to get one" I couldn't tell you, I haven't really seen any on Kingsnake or anything like that, and you have to grow them up and see how big their clutches are to more or less prove them out. I'm looking forward to seeing if my "Giant Line" girl (who is a normal) has large clutches.
Re: Is there such thing as a giant gene in ball pythons?
I have a baby from a giant line female. Most of the breeders who have the giant line animals aren't selling them. I believe Deborah has a photo of me holding a giant line adult female and you can see how big her head is in comparison to my hand. Maybe she'll see it and post the picture - or I'll try to see if I can hunt it up.
Re: Is there such thing as a giant gene in ball pythons?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
rabernet
I have a baby from a giant line female. Most of the breeders who have the giant line animals aren't selling them. I believe Deborah has a photo of me holding a giant line adult female and you can see how big her head is in comparison to my hand. Maybe she'll see it and post the picture - or I'll try to see if I can hunt it up.
that would be great!
Re: Is there such thing as a giant gene in ball pythons?
Re: Is there such thing as a giant gene in ball pythons?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
deborah
oh my god that is amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is going to be my goal is to get one of those!!!!!!!!! How much do they go for like 1000 for a normal?
Re: Is there such thing as a giant gene in ball pythons?
Ball pythons grow for their entire lives, so a ball python with a hormone or glandular issue that would cause mammals to continue to grow beyond their normal size would probably not have an effect on ball pythons. Since they continue to grow for their whole life, they might already have this, so it might not be possible for gland issues to happen in them.
The "giant" ball pythons are from Volta, Ghana. The ball pythons in that region regularly grow to larger than average sizes for ball pythons, but it takes them a long time to achieve those sizes. It isn't like the giant leopard gecko gene, where they are double the normal size by the end of their first year, but adults do tend to reach extremely large lengths and weights, with males looking like your average large adult female, and Volta females reaching lengths of 6'+ and laying extremely large clutches in the 15-20+ eggs range.
I was supposed to buy a female pastel that was from a pastel male x Volta female, but the breeder never contacted me when the clutch was available. A female pastel that regularly dropped 15+ eggs would be worth it's weight in gold. Not that your average female pastel shouldn't still be worth it's weight in gold, but apparently we can't stop 300 basement breeders from dropping the prices to $50 a piece. But that's for another thread.
Re: Is there such thing as a giant gene in ball pythons?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
bamf64
How much do they go for like 1000 for a normal?
They aren't generally available that I am aware of.
Re: Is there such thing as a giant gene in ball pythons?
I have a girl like that, she is CH & is huge 5'5".
She's laid 11-13 egg clutches for me. So I heard the story about the giant line from some folks that work with Bob Clark & Mike Wilbanks. Let's see if I've an old pic or 2:
http://cid-3888241ea506b9c8.skydrive...1EA506B9C8!161
She's the larger of the two-
http://cid-3888241ea506b9c8.skydrive...1EA506B9C8!162
in her Iris 900-
http://vtw0da.bay.livefilestore.com/...nake%20009.jpg
Re: Is there such thing as a giant gene in ball pythons?
Wow, I would love to have one of those:O
Re: Is there such thing as a giant gene in ball pythons?
I'm hoping the daughters of my huge 5+ foot female who lays 12-13 egg clutches will grow up to be as big as their mom.
One of them, a pastel that hatched in August is growing like a little weed, and is already up to 643 grams as of June. Her sister was 632.
I'm hoping they'll keep up that growth rate, and I'll give them the full 3 years to mature, even if they make 1500 next year.
Re: Is there such thing as a giant gene in ball pythons?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
WingedWolfPsion
I'm hoping the daughters of my huge 5+ foot female who lays 12-13 egg clutches will grow up to be as big as their mom.
One of them, a pastel that hatched in August is growing like a little weed, and is already up to 643 grams as of June. Her sister was 632.
I'm hoping they'll keep up that growth rate, and I'll give them the full 3 years to mature, even if they make 1500 next year.
I hope so too, my big girl's offspring thrive & do seem to grow nice sized. Having a mom like that is great!
