You think you could go to a reptile show and identify hets without knowing the breeding pair?

Genotype codes for the phenotype, so yes, that's exactly what happens. I think you're missing the broader stance of my statement. I'm not saying that in a lab, an unexpressed gene could not be identified. I'm saying that online or in person, you could not identify what unexpressed genes a snake is carrying by simply a visual reference.

What would be the response to someone posting a thread titled, "New BP, what is he/she het for?"