Snakes and Stones

[Lord Sorril]

I thought I heard that Santa's sleigh crashed somewhere....no wonder!

Hahaha, yeah..good thing Santa knows enough to use Flat Rate Shipping boxes in the USA.

Side Story:
I have a silicon carbide manufacturing facility less than 50 miles of my home. I called them up at one point and told them I wanted to buy #46 Silicon Carbide (SiC) in bulk (I did not say how much).
Unfortunately the rep. stated that they only produce finer grades for sandblasting-starting at #500 (Higher# = Smaller particles).
While #46 grit may take off 20% of a Mohs 7 stones mass/week in a rock tumbler, #500 may only take 2%-making it ineffective for lapidary shaping.
I think they got the impression that I was calling on behalf of an industrial operation and offered me a very good deal for 6000 lbs. of #500 (I would have to pick it up myself though).
I was forced to decline their generous offer, but, I could only imagine their expression if I rolled up in my car and they had barrels of material waiting for me to haul away... 6000 lbs of #46 SiC at the same price would have been too tempting...I may have dealt with the short-term embarrassment of shoveling it into the trunk of my car for multiple trips (to get the savings). I could have been a rock-tumbling legend...but, no such luck...this time...

[Lord Sorril]

Photo #465

Ball Python = GHI.
Stone = Prairie Agate.
Note: Prairie Agate is extremely common in some parts of the USA...Regardless, I rarely see commercially finished pieces in rock/mineral themed stores.

[Bogertophis]

Both the agate & the GHI BP are very attractive.

[Lord Sorril]

Photo #466

Super GHI Ball Python with Ohio Rainbow Flint and Desert Jasper.

When this ball python was hatched it was almost solid black with only the dorsal banding visible.
Pigmentation is fading rapidly and the snake is getting 'brighter' with a prominent silver sheen.
Parental cross was GHI/Fire x GHI/Lesser-I am not certain if there is another gene at play with this one, but, I'm going to treat it as a Super GHI for future breeding.

Note: Statistically I should have produced 4 Super GHI's in the 2024 season...this one looks different than the other candidates, but, could still be within the realm of normal Super GHI variability.

[Lord Sorril]

Happy New Year!

Photo #467

BP = Gravel/Yellowbelly/Spider.
Stone = Granite collected from the Mad River, NH, USA.

Side Story:
I was perturbed earlier in the year when I bought a male hatchling from another breeder (Special/Het Monsoon) and noticed he was gaining size unusually fast--enough to compete with my reigning champion (above).
Tables have turned now, and my Spider Highway female has easily surpassed him on a much steeper growth curve (which is normal).

She has been losing all the orange on her sides as she grows, but, it happens...

[Lord Sorril]

Photo #468

Pastel Piebald with some Mexican Crazy Lace Agate and some assorted yellowish-stones (Agate/Jasper/Quartz) from various locations.

I have ~30 more photos for my 2024 season.
I think I am going to continue this post in a new thread (Labeled: Snakes and Stones - Part 2) when I start producing hatchlings in 2025 (The Year of the Snake ).
I will maintain the consecutive numbering of the photos-as it helps my records.
I did miss the opportunity to photograph a clutch of Enchi/Het Clowns I produced in 2024--I had moved them to my holdbacks and then hatched out another clutch with better markings and swapped them out. Since they were originally marked as 'holdbacks'-I did not prioritize them for photos and I sold them before I noticed (just recently)...oh well!

Breeders Note: I have been crossing a double het male ball python with several double het females that look identical to him. Usually I study the male and pick a pattern trait that is unique to him, but, this guy has pretty standard markings. I've been probing to confirm ID every time I have to rotate him to a new mating. I mentioned it off-hand to my gf and of course she said I should just scribble an 'X' on his back with a sharpie...ughhhh...I should have thought of that sooner. Probing only takes me a second-so I guess I didn't really bother to stop and consider my options.

[Bogertophis]

Photo #468

Pastel Piebald with some Mexican Crazy Lace Agate and some assorted yellowish-stones (Agate/Jasper/Quartz) from various locations.

....

That picture would make a great jigsaw puzzle. Not to mention it's gorgeous!

And thanks for mentioning it's the year of the snake. Someone else said it's the year of the dragon (obviously they don't know a snake from a dragon ) & I might not have caught their mistake for a while.

[Lord Sorril]

That picture would make a great jigsaw puzzle. Not to mention it's gorgeous!

And thanks for mentioning it's the year of the snake. Someone else said it's the year of the dragon (obviously they don't know a snake from a dragon ) & I might not have caught their mistake for a while.

Thanks! I think that photo came out nice as well.
Yeah, Year of the Snake should be pretty nifty-it should give us a chance to pick up some interesting snake themed merch.

Photo #469

BP = GHI/Fire. Stone = ?
The rough rock was collected on the West Coast USA--I suspect it is a form of saginitic agate, but, I could be completely wrong. I have not seen anyone else with this material (collected in the 60's).

[Lord Sorril]

Photo #470

Enchi/Het Clown with a wide assortment of stones.
Off-hand I can spot Quartz, Quartzite, Picasso Jasper, Beryl, Jade, Feldspar, Granite, Ohio Flint, Moonstone, Agate, and Grey Basalt.

[Lord Sorril]

Photo #471

GHI Ball Python with a chunk of Agate from Oregon-USA.