Quote Originally Posted by majorleaguereptiles View Post
As I said earlier, it's much easier to identify these when have a solid base. Like Travis said a WT (wild type) aka a normal. Sibling comparison is really great not only for these hets, but even when trying to identify combos. I get texts from many experienced breeders asking "hey brant what do you see?" While I'm pretty good at seeing stuff, I need the base to make good decisions. Whether its other genes, other combos in the clutch, etc.

I was asked how could you tell you hatched an epic pastel yb vs. a pastel yb. If i didn't hatch a pastel yb in the same clutch with an epic pastel yb, I honestly probably couldn't tell you with certainty, other than basing my decision on other examples outside the immediate genepool within the clutch. As we know with genetic variation it can be difficult to do so. Thats why a solid base within the clutch is really the base way to train the eye on genetic mutations.

I mentioned previously about using super forms when identifying hets because what it would do is give the base to analyze the difference. Going through 40,000 imports, its not like I'm going to pull out a het clown from a group of ball pythons. As we know WT have genetic variation. Again, normals have their own genetics. In cases when identifying these subtle hets, its important to have the background and clutch base to really make the decision.

Last season I bred an Arroyo (het rio). Dan Wolfe and I discussed how he previously named them het rios because they weren't nearly as visual as the Rio (obviously). However, after closer analysis, we both agreed that identifying hets were far too easy. Especially in combo form. So the morph was changed to inc-dom and the hets were renamed Arroyo. Honestly, to someone close-minded they would receive an arroyo and probably say, it just looks like a fancy normal. Which without knowing the base, is actually a good analysis. However, it doesn't change the fact that I can easily identify them within a clutch of arroyo x normal. So it would be pretty foolish to sell an identifiable inc-dom mutation and call them hets. Would make it simple for someone like me, who did purchase an Arroyo (het Rio), to breed it out, and raise up arroyo females to make the fantastic Rio. That is really why the pricing schematics changed within the project as well. Instead of pricing a project as a recessive, it's priced as a co-dom which is actually a large difference.

These are just some examples I wanted to share and discuss how important the base is when identifying morphs and combos. It's why I love large clutches when I'm trying to figure out genetics. It gives me the large base I'm looking for to break it down accurately. Thats why sometimes multiple clutches are needed to figure things out.


Prime example. You can NOT pick out het pieds, het clowns or any other recessive trait just by markers. If you are working with a known recessive phenotype then yes it can be possible with some experience. This does not make them incomplete dominant. Like I said I can pick het lavs from our clutches. So they are not recessive? I can do the same with our hypo clutches. Are they not recessive?