New Vet + future Breeding of Cookie

[wolfy-hound]

Enchi is a separate morph, not a reduced pattern pastel.

The mice marketed by Arctic Mice are not labeled "incorrectly" as there is no industry standard as to size of feeder rodents. In fact, where I buy my rats, the size can differ depending on who collects my order at times.

If it's a vet with a vet practice, then I'm not sure how that seems sketchy, unless you're just put off by them not being listed online. Not all vets are.

Inbreeding is not an issue with ball pythons the way it might be with higher mammals. Even most commercial and lab rat colonies are completely closed, and are comprised of perfectly healthy rodents, and it's more of an issue with rodents than it would be with snakes. There's no issue there.

Your photos look well within normal range to me. I would label your snake a normal. That is to say, not a morph. Normals can range widely from very dark to very light, and reduced patterns to extremely busy patterns, and the black can vary from jet black to lightish brown. They also will change colors over time, depending on many factors. I have some girls who would pass as fires at certain times, but are still normals genetically.

Personally, I think breeding a normal male is a bit of a waste, but as long as you're prepared to deal with the potential offspring(have a market) then it harms nothing.