Description :
In 2007 we had the opportunity to acquire a group of a new and unique line of hypomelanistic Ball Python. This group is composed of a wild caught adult male, the founder, and four of his daughter, also adult and breeder. This mutation has nothing to do with "Ghost" Ball Pythons whatever the form (Orange, Yellow, Green or Blue). Our adult male, if he has to be compared to an other mutation, looks like to a Desert Ghost rather than a standard "Hypo".
For the little story, this adult specimen was imported from Africa few years ago. Because of its spectacular appearance, he was bred to a "normal" female. From this breeding, normal looking babies hatched. The gene of this python was not co-dominant like some Desert Ghost lines. Then the recessive or non genetic trait of this animal had to be proven. We had to wait several years until her daughters matured to be clear in our minds. In 2007, this male was cooled with four supposed heterozygous females. After this cooling, the male bred with the females. They layed few weeks later.
Eggs hatched after a well lead incubation. Amoung the babies, a good part were very particular. Indeed, in addition to a 6 eggs laying of 100% of hypomelanistic babies, fact as particular as rare (Oh when the odds of the genetics are with us!) , other layings were well balanced between homozygous and heterozygous, so more or less 50%. We got the evidence that this unique male was holding a simple recessive Hypomelanistic gene.
Other well-known fact, the same male bred with a Heterozygous female for the Orange Ghost gene produced Hypo/Ghost babies. This proved that his gene is compatible with the other kinds Hypomelanic Pythons. This specificity brings an additional advantage to this mutation. Indeed, most of the time, "Hypo" mutations are not compatible with other lines...
Babies from this breeding proved the compatibility of this line, by coming half from "Orange/Hypo Ghost" from the mother and so only having half of the genotype of their father. Atomic Animals is proud to be the only one breeding center to hold a pure line, because original, of this new and unique line of Hypomelanistic Ball Python wa called Iceberg Ghost.
Ventrales scales of a spotless white, clear sides which only nuances of grey come to colour without that ever appears any black, dorsal ocelli regularly distributed, coloured with a light yellow which also covers the back of the head, labial scales, devoid of pigmentation, above which contrast, such two black pearls put on crystal, two black iris, an animal came from the warmth, tints as veiled of fog, with colours inspiring the polar cold, are so many elements which led us to this naming Iceberg Ghost.
Concerning our babies, what we can say is that they do not look like those produced by the codominant Peter Kahl's line he called Desert Ball. They also do not look like other simple recessive lines of Desert Ghost.
Then what do they look like?
Let's say that the first time we saw them, they reminded us Caramel / Albino T+ babies or very beautiful Hypo / Ghost babies. They have this "in shed" appearance of Hypo / Ghost snakes, very pushed, with purple highlights where should be black spots and a very light yellow bottom. The inside of the spot located on the head contains clear purple highlights too, giving the impression of transparency. The tongue is white / transparent.
Growing those babies should look like their father. Judging from the rhythm they eat, we should not have to wait a long time to see it and we will not miss to share it with you.
Our heterozygous females are read to breed for the next season. We hope so to increase the number of homozygous babies. We also have in mind many projects.
Among them, in more or less short term, breeding our Iceberg Ghost male with Pastel, Super Pastel, Mojave, Yellow Belly, Pewter, Genetic Striped, Piebald females but also Albino... to then breed together the most beautiful obtained mutations. The possibilities remain infinite...
We got a sex ration of 5.3 Iceberg Ghost specimens.
For the moment, we want to wait till we know more about them before selling some specimens.
Genetics :
Some definitions of genetics...
Allele : alleles are the different versions of the same gene
Dominant allele : an allele is said to be dominant if he is able to pass alone a characteristic trait of the parents to the descendants.
Recessive allele : an allele is said to be recessive if he is not able to pass alone a characteristic trait of the parents to the descendants.
Co-dominant allele : alleles are said to be co-dominant when together they are able to pass a characteristic trait to the descendants.
Homozygous : An individual is said to be homozygous for a given gene if he possesses two identical alleles of this gene.
Heterozygous : An individual is said to be heterozygous for a given gene if he carries two different alleles.
