Quote Originally Posted by RandyRemington View Post
If all the babies look like mom I would suspect she is homozygous for a dominant mutation. Homozygous so that all her babies get the same version of the gene from her and dominant so that even if the babies are hets they look the same. Of course it could be just luck to get 8 hets from a het X normal.
Randy -- Based on reading your posts on genetics I would have to defer to you in almost all matters in that rather complex area. You know your stuff!!!

The 3 non-Butters in the clutch are all black backs and are VERY similar to each other in belly markings, head markings/blushing, and overall color -- and DON"T look like a "Normal" that would likely have come from either side of the gene pool -- Butter dad or Cajun mom if mom was not Homozygous for her trait.. They are DARKER(less red tones) than mother -- just like Het Reds are darker than Red Axanthics.

4 of the 5 combos are black backs. The combo that has a more traditional Butter pattern DOES have the color tones of the other combos.

Above is my long-winded attempt at saying we agree. Your are right in that I could just be lucky and hit on all 8!!! Some snakes/projects are not completely understood in one generation -- this is clearly one of them. I'll see what happens with them next season and keep everyone abreast of any developments. Thanks for your input Randy. I value your opinion greatly. Bill