What do you all think of the "cupid" ball?

[Luke Martin]

I'll just start off by saying that I've been breeding balls for 10 years and am the BIGGEST skeptic when it comes to people having dinkers that they say are new morphs. You can ask most of the people I'm friends with in this business, and they'd all agree. I have to see solid proof that something is a genetically reproducible trait before I can say its a morph, which is why I've had them for so long and never released them, nor have a lot of people seen many. If I were looking for fame, I wouldn't be breeding ball pythons , nor would it have not been seen often.

With that, I've reproduced Cupids almost every year that I've bred ball pythons. I've only had 7 eggs (2 from pastel cupid x cupid and 5 from pastel cupid x pastel cupid) to try and produce a super so far, so I can't say yes or no on that front as I could have easily missed. Or it could even be mixed into one of the pastels or supers I produced from one of those clutches. I'll know this year as all of the females from those clutches will be breeding this season. I've really had some great responses from people who have seen them in person. I knew I should have brought a few with me to Tinley, but I do plan on bringing some next time.

The name started out as a joke because they have a little light spot on the head that looks like a heart, but between the people I talked to it about, the name kind of stuck. Its a genetically banding gene and tends to lighten things up...and they're MEAN! lol It's a bit subtle in the base form but the pastels and supers it really makes a fantastic looking snake. Into adulthood, the pastel versions tend to white out over browning out. It's one of those genes that really does need to be seen to be appreciated as Matthew mentioned. The Super Pastel version is neon yellow at 1200 grams, and looks even nicer than when she was born. I'll be breeding it into some other genes this year as I have a few extra females and am motivated to take it off of the back burner and do some cool things with it. I'm interested to see what it will do with genes other than pastel.

I don't expect to make full believers out of everyone right away, and that's fine. There are morphs on WOBP that I'm not impressed with at all. Doesn't mean they aren't a genetically reproducible trait, and that's what WOBP is for. I have people wanting them, but I kind of doubt I even release any next year either. I'll have to see what comes from the breedings that happen this season.

I'm open to any questions or criticisms about the project. Not everything is for everyone

Here's a few pics with some comparisons and some better pictures of some.

A younger Cupid from a few years back


A young Pastel Cupid


A clutch from Pewter x Cupid The top middle being a Pastel Cupid


A clutch from Pastel Cupid x Normal...middle snake being a Pastel Cupid


Bottom right Pastel Cupid, and Cupids in the top right


A Pastel Cupid with a Cupid