Genetics...

[Andariel]

I sorta touched on this before, but I'm gonna bring it back up because i'm very curious and yet I can't find anything in the library or online (and my local pet stores are a joke) on the subject.

I was look in on Ball Boutique and he's got a genetic breakdown of different "morphs"(?). But what is a het, double het, etc...?

-Chris

[Andariel]

And I LOVE the coloring in his 03 Axanthic Male


-Chris

[emroul]

Genetics is a very difficult thing to explain, and I am no science teacher. But I can try to break it down. You can PM or email me, and I can also give you a couple links to some good explanatories on genetics.

Ok, here goes. A "het" is short for heterozygous, meaning it carries the gene to produce the "morph" (like an axanthic, for example), but it looks like a normal. If it is homozygous, it is the visual morph. Like the snake pictured above is a homozygous, because you can SEE that it is an axanthic. If it is 100% het for axanthic, that means it came from breeding an axanthic with a normal. Now here is where it gets tricky. If it is 50% het for axanthic, that DOESN'T mean it carries the gene for axanthic. The reason for this is when you breed a 100% het axanthic with a normal bp, the WHOLE clutch of babies will be normal looking. You won't get any axanthics. Now, statistically (and according to the punnett square) 1/2 of the clutch will have the gene (and be 100% het) and half of the clutch will be completely normal, and not carry the gene at all. So, since you cannot tell which are normal and which are het by looking at them, the entire clutch is stated as "50% het for axanthic". That is why you may see 50% het axanthics selling for peanuts, because they may not carry the gene; they COULD be completely normal. Confusing? It took me awhile to grasp it.

If it is a double het, it carries genes to produce two different morphs. For example, to produce a "snow" ball python, you must start with a pair consisting of an axanthic and an albino. The babies that are produced from breeding an axanthic and an albino are called Double Het (or DH) for snow; because it carries the axanthic genes AND the albino genes.

If I completely confused you, I'm sorry. But if you have any other questions, I can do my best to help you out.

Jennifer

[Wizill]

In other words, you have to be a straight up genius to understand this stuff. So if you're anything at all like me, don't even bother. You'll never get it...

[Andariel]

No actaully that made sense. And helped me alot I'd like to learn more if u still have those links.

what is the average goin price of one of those homo anx BP's? like the one i put in that picture? Those are GEORGOUS

-Chris

[Wizill]

check out ralph davis's site for some great morph pictures.

http://www.ralphdavisreptiles.com/

[Ironhead]

Jennifer......HUH???? Im glad you all can understand that stuff. I think I will just stick with It's a Ball Python. :wink:

It's deffinetly wayyyyyy over my head.

[emroul]

LOL it took me awhile to grasp it, but now that I do, I'm glad I took the time to pull out some science websites and learn the punnett square and stuff. I have to go look up those links but I'll get them on here. Oh, and an axanthic from ballpython.com (the snake keeper, Dan and Colette Sutherland) cost's $3,500. Some places costs more, though. It depends.

[pimp_n_python]

oooooh the ol punnett squar that brings back horrible memories of grade 11 and 12 biology
man i hated biology, the teacher was such a COW!!!!

[emroul]

No actaully that made sense. And helped me alot

Glad to hear somebody understood me.. lol....

Jennifer