1st litter born today!!!

[Jeff B]

This litter is from the female blue axanthic bred by the Dodge Co. albino. There were no axanthics born which provides some additional evidence that the axanthic gene is not a co-dominant gene but rather is co-allelic to the recessive anerythristic gene. These babies seem to have inherited the strong yellow orange dorsal from their father. So far they show no red color however they may still develop some red as they get older, as the male was found in an area that has a lot of red radix in the population. All of these babies are likely het for the albino trait. Although this is not a proven albino gene, most if not all albino garters have proven to be recessive. If my theory of co-alleles is true they will also be het for either anerythristic or axanthic (one or the other). The next generation from sib breedings should produce snows or blizzards, axanthic, anery and albinos. The snows and blizzards might have a unique look to them since the Dodge Co. albino has a slightly different look than the typical Nebraska or T+ albino strain type radix. It will be interesting to see how these color up in a month even though they are basically normals and they should make for great breeders.
pic of mom post birth, she looked a lot prettier last week when she was fat and glowing but unfortunately I didn't get any pics
http://gartersnakemorph.com/images/blueaxanthicfemalepostdelivery.jpg

Pic of male taken today
http://gartersnakemorph.com/images/dodgecoalbinoradix.jpg

Pic of babies
http://gartersnakemorph.com/images/blueaxanthicxdodgecoalbinobabiesborn03032012.jpg

[kibakiba]

Congratulations!

[guidofatherof5]

Sweet. Baby radixes. Awesome.

[Jeff B]

Thanks, it's always exciting to see those little heads looking up at you :)

[RedSidedSPR]

Dude I might buy one. O_o

Might wait till I have some local choices but those are sweeeeet

Unless your not selling lol

[katach]

Congrats!

[mikem]

congratulations! mom looks tired after delivering her babies :)

[ssssnakeluvr]

Awesome!!! when did you cool them and b ring them out???

[indigoman]

Great start of the new breeding season, congratulations Jeff!

[EasternGirl]

Very nice! Congrats!

[Jeff B]

Thanks for all the kind comments guys.
She had one more nice looking baby and one final jelly bean after I took the pictures. In total there were 4 jelly beans and 2 stillborns that were tangled around each other. The female is 2 years old and this is her first litter and she is not a really large radix, I would guess her to be just a couple inches over 24 inches at most.

[gregmonsta]

Congrats :D

[snakehill]

Little cuties! Congatulations! :)

[Eddie]

Congrats Jeff
Did you cool them this year? I did not cool mine this year and it looks like quite a few girls are gravid anyway.
Just curious if you cooled yours
Ed

[zooplan]

congratulations,
looks like a hidden treasure;)

[Jeff B]

congratulations,
looks like a hidden treasure;)
I think maybe you understand the importance of these "normal" babies. Maybe 2 copies of axanthic gene makes a super blue? What then with 2 copies of axanthic gene and 2 copies of Dodge Co. albino with strong orange dorsal and then throw in some red radix blood?

[Jeff B]

Don and Ed , I started cooling in late September. I took them out at the end of December because I lost a couple valuable breeders. Two months later produced first babies. No magic secrets here, pretty much as clockwork. I have always reported having babies 2 months after breeding as long as the female cycles, not the literature reported 3-4 months that wild caughts may or may not take. Not saying I have any answers or everything figured out by any means because the fact is that I DON'T, that's just how it works in my snake room, but everybodies set up is different.....so many variables to account for.

[erinlovessnakes]

Can I have one? I just went through 2 snakes dying and I was sobbing.

[ssssnakeluvr]

down only 2 months?? interesting...may try that next year =)

[prattypus]

Good looking litter- bet they color up real nice.

[Jeff B]

down only 2 months?? interesting...may try that next year =)
End of Sept to end of December is 3 months actually if you count it out

[ssssnakeluvr]

uh...yea.... brain cramp. :p lol! looking forward to seeing what a pair of those babies produce =)

[Jeff B]

not a problem, I had to double check and count it out on my fingers, lol