Frequently Used BP Terms

[Slashmaster]

After seeing a few threads asking what some terms mean, I made a list of some frequently mentioned terms.

I hope someone finds it useful. Please let me know if there are any definitions to improve or change Or new terms to add.



1.2.3 - a method of stating how many reptiles of a certain sex one has. The first number designates males, second females, and third unsexed specimens
ASF - African Soft Furred rat, a type of ball python prey used for (primarily) wild caught specimens
assist feed - the practice of inserting the nose of a prey item into a snake's mouth in hopes that it will begin swallowing
blue - a ball python that is in shed, characterized by the opaque blue color of its eyes
boob - an egg that appears to be fertilized in one part and unfertilized in another
BP/ball python - Python regius, a species of snake bred in captivity
burm - burmese python, Python molurus bivittatus, a species of snake bred in captivity
candling - the practice of placing a light alongside a snake egg, searching for red veins that signify it is fertile
CB - captive bred, a specimen bred in captivity and hatched in captivity
CH - a wild bred specimen hatched in captivity
clutch - the eggs of a reptile produced by one female
co-dominant - a gene that displays in the animal's phenotype (looks) if one copy of the gene is present, and has a super form
cull - remove from breeding stock, either euthanized, sold by the breeder, or simply not bred
cutting - the act of making a small incision in an egg around Day 54 to see the color and pattern of the specimen within
Daytona - National Reptile Breeders' Expo, a reptile convention held in Daytona Beach, FL
dinker - a "normal" morph snake with an unusual pattern that could prove to be genetic; bred to prove if it is
dominant - a gene that displays in the animal's phenotype (looks) if one or two copies of the gene are present
F/T - frozen/thawed prey, prey that has been pre-killed, frozen, and must be thawed before offering
flexwatt - electric heating tape affixed to a surface that is plugged into an outlet
gravid - a female ball python that is pregnant with eggs
het - hetereozygous, containing one gene of a recessive trait. The animal does not have the phenotype of the recessive trait.
inverted - an action by a female, pregnant ball python when she lays on her side
live - the practice of feeding living prey (mice, rats, etc) to a reptile
lock - copulating in snakes, in which the male places its tail beneath the female's
morph - a coloration unlike the normal one of a species, sometimes designed by selective breeding or by genetic mutation
NARBC - North American Reptile Breeders Conference, a reptile convention held in Anaheim, CA, Tinley Park, IL, and Arlington, TX
normal - the "wild type" coloration of a species seen in its natural habitat
PAM - Provent A Mite, a commercial spray used to kill and control mites on reptiles
ph - possible hetereozygous, meaning it has a percentage chance of having been passed a recessive gene by a parent with that gene
pipping - when a young specimen's head emerges from the egg
pre-killed or P/K - the practice of feeding recently euthanized prey to a reptile
proven - a specimen that either produced offspring it is hetereozygous for, or an animal that has successfully bred and resulted eggs
pop - the practice of applying pressure to the vent to expose the hemipenes and determine specimen sex
probe - the practice of using thin metal needles to determine the length inside the vent, toward the tail, to determine sex
quarantine - the practice of separating a newly purchased specimen from specimen already in one's collection to observe its health
rack - a system for storing snake enclosures (tubs) that utilize vertical space, like a shelves
recessive - a gene that only displays in the animal's phenotype (looks) if two copies of the gene are present
retic - reticulated python, Python reticulatus, a species of snake bred in captivity
setup - the enclosure and husbandry of a specimen
slug - an unfertilized, small, yellow egg
soak - when a reptile rests in its water dish
substrate - the bedding of a specimen's habitat, such as aspen, newspaper, or paper towels
super - two copies of a co-dominant gene are present, causing a different phenotype (look) in the animal
urate - a white, solid excrement from a snake
URI - upper respiratory infection, an illness caused by improper humidity or temperature in husbandry
UTH - under tank heater, a mat affixed beneath a tank that provides heat
WC - wild caught, a specimen removed from Africa
wobble - a neurological disorder present in ball pythons having the "spider" gene

They should be alphabetized...