ball python morphs

[pandora1985]

so i was just on the NERD website drooling over all the different bp morphs and i was thinking.....has anyone heard anything about these snakes have medical problems associated with these mutations? i know such mutations, no matter how beautiful to an owner, can lead to problems in other species of animals and i was wondering if anyone has heard anything about this topic.

	Morph A morph is a color or pattern variation that is proven to be genetic. Common morphs include albino, anerythristic, gentically striped, Hypomelanistic, and many others. Morphs also include combinations of simple traits such as "Sunglow" which is Albino and Hypomelanistic. These traits may be recessive traits, co-dominant traits, dominant traits, or created through selective breeding (ie Pastel).

[Shuba]

I have never heard of a case were morphs were to have medical problems. NERD has a very good selection of exotic morphs for a really high price. I think alot of people can strongly agree that they are an honest company, and I don't think they would sell animals at such high prices if risks were involved. Chances are your more likely to get a morph sick and acquire medical problems because of inproper care rather then because of the change in chromosomes. I am not so sure about the crossbreeding of these morphs with regular snakes who carry the normal gene, but Im pretty sure the morphs that NERD sell are safe.

	Morph A morph is a color or pattern variation that is proven to be genetic. Common morphs include albino, anerythristic, gentically striped, Hypomelanistic, and many others. Morphs also include combinations of simple traits such as "Sunglow" which is Albino and Hypomelanistic. These traits may be recessive traits, co-dominant traits, dominant traits, or created through selective breeding (ie Pastel).

[pandora1985]

i didnt mean to make it sound like i was bashing NERD. i know they have an excellent reputation and are the leader in many new bp morph variations. i was just talking about the topic in general. there have just been so many cases ive read about of problems with asthetic morphs in animals. just for an example, the albino doberman dogs that are popular these days...the dogs have a much higher risk of many medical conditions. anyway....i was just curious. and dont get me wrong i would love to own one of these beautiful snakes but i dont have that kinda money

	Morph A morph is a color or pattern variation that is proven to be genetic. Common morphs include albino, anerythristic, gentically striped, Hypomelanistic, and many others. Morphs also include combinations of simple traits such as "Sunglow" which is Albino and Hypomelanistic. These traits may be recessive traits, co-dominant traits, dominant traits, or created through selective breeding (ie Pastel).

[Shuba]

LOL I didn't make it like you were bashing NERD. I was just trying to use what was given to me to answer your question. The albino trait is a funny thing, I never myself liked the albino morph of any snake because there color is totaly stripped. The reason its so expensive in some species is because of availabilty, which seems to be the #1 reason why anything in this world is expensive. Remember when the playstation 2 first came out? Jebus they were going for like 2 grand, and now you can walk into walmart and buy it for $150.

	Morph A morph is a color or pattern variation that is proven to be genetic. Common morphs include albino, anerythristic, gentically striped, Hypomelanistic, and many others. Morphs also include combinations of simple traits such as "Sunglow" which is Albino and Hypomelanistic. These traits may be recessive traits, co-dominant traits, dominant traits, or created through selective breeding (ie Pastel).

[pandora1985]

then i cant wait till the day i can afford any type of bp morph.

	Morph A morph is a color or pattern variation that is proven to be genetic. Common morphs include albino, anerythristic, gentically striped, Hypomelanistic, and many others. Morphs also include combinations of simple traits such as "Sunglow" which is Albino and Hypomelanistic. These traits may be recessive traits, co-dominant traits, dominant traits, or created through selective breeding (ie Pastel).

[Shuba]

Morphs are amazing display animals, which morph is your favorite?

	Morph A morph is a color or pattern variation that is proven to be genetic. Common morphs include albino, anerythristic, gentically striped, Hypomelanistic, and many others. Morphs also include combinations of simple traits such as "Sunglow" which is Albino and Hypomelanistic. These traits may be recessive traits, co-dominant traits, dominant traits, or created through selective breeding (ie Pastel).

[Ed_r]

The whole morph thing is very new in reality. I mean besides the albinos. So the longevity has yet to be tested on these animals. How all these different morphs come about is from Line breeding (a nice way of saying they are Geneticlly Common in an Alabama kind of way) As we all know any living thig that is "Geneticlly Common" is way more likely to have health issues than a normal animal from unrelated parents. Most of the new morphs have been around for 2, 10, 15 years? A nnormal Ball Python life span can be in the 40 year range. I believe the oldest one was either 45 or 48 years old. Will some of the wild morphs live than long? Well you gotta wait 40 years or so to find out. I personally don't think they will. What will happen is they will become the shortlived diplay animals as peoples show pieces, and when their interests change the animal my conveniently get sick and die off. Who know. Time will tell.

	Morph A morph is a color or pattern variation that is proven to be genetic. Common morphs include albino, anerythristic, gentically striped, Hypomelanistic, and many others. Morphs also include combinations of simple traits such as "Sunglow" which is Albino and Hypomelanistic. These traits may be recessive traits, co-dominant traits, dominant traits, or created through selective breeding (ie Pastel).

[BWSmith]

Python regius hannahfodder

[pandora1985]

my favorite morph is the piebald. in response to you ed- exactly....thats what i was thinking about but i didnt have a clue as to how long a lot of these morphs have been around. personally i'd rather see a healthy population of normal bp's than all this screwing with mother nature. but naturally its not gonna happen so i'm still gonna admire the beauty of these variations.

	Morph A morph is a color or pattern variation that is proven to be genetic. Common morphs include albino, anerythristic, gentically striped, Hypomelanistic, and many others. Morphs also include combinations of simple traits such as "Sunglow" which is Albino and Hypomelanistic. These traits may be recessive traits, co-dominant traits, dominant traits, or created through selective breeding (ie Pastel).

[natedoggSXE]

Originally Posted by pandora1985

just for an example, the albino doberman dogs that are popular these days...the dogs have a much higher risk of many medical conditions.

Dog albino and snake genetics are totally different. In that all dogs are pretty much one species scientifically. So making breeds over hundreds of years can lead to a decline in dog health. Therefore muts are always going to be healthier due to there broad genetic pool. In the snake world they are all different species so a albino corn snake and an albino ball are not like dog breds, they have their own distinct genes. Although, color morphs in snakes are going to be genetically less healthy than normal colored individuals of the same species, the effects are minimal if not nonexistent in this young color morphs. I have always not like albinos or much of the color morphs, to be they represent a genetic f up and the normal phases represent thousands of years of evolutions work.

By the way the most important thing to get out of this hobby isnt that color morphs are cool but it is to educate people and get them to agree that snakes are good and they dont pose a threat, to get the word out about herp conservation.

	Morph A morph is a color or pattern variation that is proven to be genetic. Common morphs include albino, anerythristic, gentically striped, Hypomelanistic, and many others. Morphs also include combinations of simple traits such as "Sunglow" which is Albino and Hypomelanistic. These traits may be recessive traits, co-dominant traits, dominant traits, or created through selective breeding (ie Pastel).

	Corn Snake The Corn Snake or Red Rat Snake (Elaphe guttata) is a species of Rat Snake.