Snakes and Stones

[Lord Sorril]

Photo #445

Lesser ball python with a few larger chunks of Amazonite.

Also randomly: I was weighing some of my 2025 breeders and I snapped a nice pic of my Mojave Ghost (shown below).

She will be my only Mojave breeder for 2025, but, 2026 will be a totally different story...

[Lord Sorril]

Photo #446

Ivory (Super YellowBelly) ball python. Stones are iron-stained quartz, agate, and jasp-agate from various locations.
Coloration can vary on ivories, but, the one above is 'typical'-and not *my* cup of tea...I would avoid making them if they were not highly useful for producing Highway morph ball pythons.

[Lord Sorril]

Photo #447

Enchi/Het Clown/50% Het Albino with a Montana Agate.
The Enchi patterning is pretty obscured in this one, but, still has a really nice trademark gold color.

Side Story:
Enchi was the second gene I added to my collection (first was Pastel). The third gene was Caramel (recessive).
I used Enchi exclusively as part of my Caramel (aka Caramel Albino) project for years before breeders collectively started getting wiser and sharing notes.
The majority of ball python keepers (myself included) decided that the Caramel Line was bad news (birth defects, infertility, erratic behavior, light sensitivity/blindness).
After I rehomed all of my Caramels as pets: I still had my original Enchi male and have been slowly phasing this morph back into combos.

[Lord Sorril]

Photo #448

Ball python = 66% Het Lavender Albino/50% Het Piebald-starting shed, and a piece of polished jasper from the West Coast, USA.

Note: I was updating my profile today-since I'm now at 20+ years breeding ball pythons (instead of 15+)--yes, yes, I know, I'm getting older-it happens...
I wasn't paying attention, but, it seem that I have 110K views on my profile pics...hahaha...I wasn't expecting so many people to be looking at them.
My profile gallery images are kinda bad because I was working with older digital tools. Anyhow:

[Lord Sorril]

Went to a big flea market and a few rock stores in Connecticut today-Prices were insane!
Luckily I already have a lifetime supply of rough stones in my garage-so I'm all set...
I did pick up a few more uranium glass dishes....so UV pictures to follow-when I get the chance.

Photo #449

GHI/Fire/Lesser (resembles a brighter HGW/Lesser).
Stones are Blue Chalcedony (ID, USA), and Yellow Quartz (MA, USA). If I bought these stones somewhere today-they would have cost me like $9/piece.

[Lord Sorril]

It has been highly doubtful, but, after a few meals on its own...I am confident this one below is 'going to make it'. Christmas/Thanksgiving Day miracle and such...

Photo #450

Lavender Albino/Piebald (Dreamsicle), with Montana Agate.

vs. Lavender Albino

While I should be excited that this Dreamsicle was achieving one of my project goals...this snake has had a tough time-after getting stuck in the egg...and thus I'm not overly enthused.
I am still retaining my proven Double Hets and trying again next year to make more durable Dreamsicle specimens for my collection.

[Bogertophis]

I'm sure your good care helped him survive- I'm glad you gave him the chance, however doubtful his future seemed at the time.

[Lord Sorril]

I'm sure your good care helped him survive- I'm glad you gave him the chance, however doubtful his future seemed at the time.

I'm sure a lot of cynics would say I focused on this snake because it is a valued morph. Not me though-I would have spent the same level of effort on any of my hatchlings with the issue.

Photo #451

Local fine-grain granite from the Connecticut River (shown above). It is a really challenging stone to break. Post-tumbling it took a very high polish (even for granite)--I am very pleased with the final outcome.
Ball python is a Pastel/Orange Ghost/Het VPI Axanthic.

Side Story: I saw a 'professional' photographer online taking photos of his ball pythons--the photos are much sharper than my own (much more expensive camera-of course). Some of his images had multiple adult ball pythons arranged neatly. I looked at his posts and he said he was putting his ball pythons in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes ahead of time. I personally disagree with this method as ball pythons are not corn snakes-and they are inherently not designed to withstand those temperatures. I understand that sometimes vets will do this for an examination, but, just for the sake of photos---nah...not cool in my book....

[Homebody]

Side Story: I saw a 'professional' photographer online taking photos of his ball pythons--the photos are much sharper than my own (much more expensive camera-of course). Some of his images had multiple adult ball pythons arranged neatly. I looked at his posts and he said he was putting his ball pythons in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes ahead of time. I personally disagree with this method as ball pythons are not corn snakes-and they are inherently not designed to withstand those temperatures. I understand that sometimes vets will do this for an examination, but, just for the sake of photos---nah...not cool in my book....

I agree, and if my vet did that, I'd seriously consider changing vets.

[Bogertophis]

I'm sure a lot of cynics would say I focused on this snake because it is a valued morph. Not me though-I would have spent the same level of effort on any of my hatchlings with the issue. ......

......Side Story: I saw a 'professional' photographer online taking photos of his ball pythons--the photos are much sharper than my own (much more expensive camera-of course). Some of his images had multiple adult ball pythons arranged neatly. I looked at his posts and he said he was putting his ball pythons in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes ahead of time. I personally disagree with this method as ball pythons are not corn snakes-and they are inherently not designed to withstand those temperatures. I understand that sometimes vets will do this for an examination, but, just for the sake of photos---nah...not cool in my book....

No, I never thought that. Guess I don't belong in the "cynics club".

I've never heard of a vet doing that but I could understand it if it was so they could get a necessary x-ray, for example. Or maybe so the snake didn't squirm for a risky injection- something like that?

For photos? I think that's really awful- not worth the risk to the snake. I've never thought of doing that to ANY snake, corn or otherwise. And I've done plenty of things I wanted them calm for.