paradox?i don't know...

[Mike41793]

Some normals go through this.
There have been quite a few normals on this forum who have turned silvery grey. But they all turned back to their regular color eventually. They all still remain very normal.

If I recall this correctly, it was just due to lack of certain nutrients or something to maintain the color.

I believe it can be caused by stress too. Snakes changing colors like that isnt crazy uncommon. Ive seen it on here a few times. During the breeding season females usually "glow before they go" so clearly color changing isnt impossible for balls.

[satomi325]

I believe it can be caused by stress too. Snakes changing colors like that isnt crazy uncommon. Ive seen it on here a few times. During the breeding season females usually "glow before they go" so clearly color changing isnt impossible for balls.

Yes color changing is common in breeding females.
But it's a different cause in younger snakes not of breeding age.

The snake in the OPs post just shed like that. It's not 'glowing'. After reading a few threads, apparently there is spontaneous pigment change occasionally in some snakes...

It's like...while the new skin was developing right before the shedding process....the ink cartridge with the yellow/brown pigment went empty. She'll have to wait for a new shipment to come in before her color returns to normal.

I guess it COULD be the IMG gene?

From what I've been reading, the gene can manifest in more than one way, and usually the ball pythons look normal at birth. It can take up to a couple of years to start showing up. Then they will start developing increasing pale/white patches on the sides, and black/dark scales on top or scattered into the pattern. OR they shed one day and overnight look like perfect axanthics (quite a shock), and then slowly start developing black scales and getting color back over time until they're super dark and dirty-looking.

Every once in a while someone talks about their ball python shedding out and turning grey, and then the color comes back after a few sheds.

Here are other threads where snakes turned 'black and white'


http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...s-Pigment-Loss
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ee....question

[rafacacho]

Can it be lack of melanin due to a poor diet? Just trying to guess. Maybe has been fed with poorly fed rodents?

[Robert093090]

First thought is...NOT real, theres an app on the iPhone called COLOR SPLASH that u can grey out a pic and then add color back to where u want i and visa versa...

[angllady2]

Yes it is odd, but yes it does happen from time to time. The theory is it's from feeding problems. Someone suggested theirs happened after a batch of very fatty rats.

I think it is interesting to say the least. But I don't think I'd want to experience it personally, it would scare me to death I think.

Gale

[cecilbturtle]

Some normals go through this.
There have been quite a few normals on this forum who have turned silvery grey. But they all turned back to their regular color eventually. They all still remain very normal.

If I recall this correctly, it was just due to lack of certain nutrients or something to maintain the color.

Just thinking "out loud" but wouldn't that end up happening to all the snakes fed by these rodents? If he has more than one snake and is feeding them all from the same rodent supply I would think it would be way more common at least in the same collection. Am I way off?

[satomi325]

Just thinking "out loud" but wouldn't that end up happening to all the snakes fed by these rodents? If he has more than one snake and is feeding them all from the same rodent supply I would think it would be way more common at least in the same collection. Am I way off?

Please refer to 4 posts above.
I did some extra reading on the subject and wrote the conclusion.


And if it were a feeding issue, not all snakes are the same. Certain individuals could have a deficient internal system that doesn't process nutrients correctly. Just a thought...

[joebad976]

sorry guys, there aren't any pics of the ball before shed.
don't treat it serious, just for fun

I don't understand this statement is the pic altered or something? Or did this truly happen?

[1nstinct]

my guess is the snake is denatured. As in he used photoshop or some other program to turn the picture black and white, then decide what areas he wants to bring back colors in.

[satomi325]

Regardless if it is photoshopped, extreme loss of pigment similar to the photo does actually happen......