Thank you Dave for the update and I'm really sorry about the unfortunate outcome. On the positive note, I'm really glad you were able to prove the mutation genetic! I should also mention it's really refreshing to have someone be so open and transparent with their project- particularly with all the drama and negative things going on with the ball python community. Good luck Dave and I'm sure you will have many MANY cool combinations in the future!
Originally Posted by Dave Green
Instead of quoting everyone I'll just try and answer all the questions here. If I miss yours please feel free to follow up.
This all started when I was building a group to produce Crystals and Crystal combos. The Dinker was created from a Pastel Special x Super Mojave breeding. I produced three Crystals and the Dinker. I also had a few other clutches fathered by the Pastel Special and kept them all as my knowledge of the adults made me think they could be related so I've been thinking recessive from the beginning. None of the siblings or half siblings look unusual.
The Dinker has produced 14 babies for me so far and those babies all look typical except the one that I'll call Dinker 2.0 for now. There are three ways that I thought this could be genetic so I tried to prove/disprove each this season and even though it's only been three clutches I feel pretty confident that it's recessive. Also, the original Dinker has Mojave in him and before this season possibly Pastel. It can't have Special in him or else he would be a Crystal. Out of 14 babies he hasn't produced one Pastel so at this point it looks like he is a Mojave plus the new gene. I can also reasonably rule out dominant unless I had horrible odds and went 1 for 14. In addition, since it came from the Crystal line I thought maybe it's a gene that needs to be combined with Mojave to reproduce itself. I produced 10 Mojaves or Phantoms that all look typical so I can pretty reasonably rule that out as well. The Dinker 2.0 came from breeding him back to the original Super Mojave.
I didn't breed him to any Normals as I wanted to use virgins so I can be 100% confident that there was no sperm retention from prior breedings. I simply didn't have any Normal virgins. Since his mother was a Super Mojave and I was after Crystals a lot of the half siblings are Mojaves or Mojave combos. I do have some that will be ready next year, and a few are pastels and a spider so hopefully I can isolate the gene next season.
Here is the photo of Dinker 2.0...
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