Is this a normal red tail?

[Karma]

Guying selling this claims it's a pastel... or was told that at the reptile show.

What do you think?

[Rapture]

Pastel is what I thought when I first saw the pics.

[JimiSnakes]

By all standard reckoning, that is a Pastel. It shows reduced black with enhanced pink sides, reduced saddles and it's clean. A Pastel is not a co-dom or a recessive trait. It's a selectively bred trait, which (when bred to a normal) should pass down something of the trait to ALL babies. It isn't fraud to sell anything as a Pastel. That, in my book, isn't a Pastel...here is a comparison I've made up to show the difference:

That is a TRUE Pastel, but I've seen many "Pastels" sold for way more, upwards of 225 bucks or more. To me, they show the traits of a Pastel, but are not a Pastel. They are just very pretty normals with a Pastel look to them. The only way to prove out a TRUE Pastel is to breed him/her and have something of the trait pass on to ALL of the offspring. With BPs the Pastel trait is simple, it's co-dom. The trait will surely show in half the offspring and half of them normal...this is not the case with Boas. All in all, that is a really nice Boa, most likely worth the price you paid.

[Pork Chops N' Corn Bread]

I'd have to say its pastel(sorry Jimi). Its clean, has lots of color. Who knows but there are no actual guidelines for what actually makes a snake a pastel vs. a normal.

[JimiSnakes]

I'd have to say its pastel(sorry Jimi).

By all standard reckoning, that is a Pastel.

That, in my book, isn't a Pastel

Sorry for what?

[SPJ]

Pastel is subjective but they all tend to have reduced black pigment and be very clean (minimal speckling).

Some are very colorful and some look like cleaner versions of normal BCI's.

I would say he could be a pastel, just not a very colorful one. Very nice looking though and worth a little extra IMO.

[Pork Chops N' Corn Bread]

Very clean indeed. Although he does lack some of the desired reds and pinks

[Karma]

Thanks everyone!

[MATT FISHER REPTILES]

i would have to say that is just a verry pretty normal. i used to have one just like it that i thought was a pastell and i found out it wasnt.

[Pork Chops N' Corn Bread]

Well being that pastel isn't really either a co-dom, dom, or recessive trait, There really is no way to say it is or isn't a pastel. Yes, it has many of the traits showing clearly that "pastels" are typically noted for